The New York Rangers are aware of the Presidents’ Trophy champions’ troubles during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but no one thinks about that.
Since the trophy was first presented to the regular season champion team in 1986, only eight recipients have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.
The last team to achieve the double was the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013, while the 2015 Rangers represented the last team to advance past the second round.
“We’re not going to lie, we know the history associated with the Presidents’ Trophy,” Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad said. On the other hand, it’s not like it’s much of a motivator. »
Captain Jacob Trouba echoed these comments, adding: “Old trends or stories, that doesn’t concern our group. We want to write our own history. »
The Rangers are seeking their first Stanley Cup championship since 1994, when they also won the Presidents’ Trophy. They will begin their second round series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
Due to the format used by the NHL, this series pits the team that finished first in the regular season with 114 points against the team that finished third with 111 points.
“We were right on the heels of the Rangers all season,” noted Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Whether in the first, second or third round, you eventually have to face the best. This is what awaits us during this round.
The Hurricanes, who reached the Eastern final last year, are in the playoffs for a sixth straight campaign under Brind’Amour. By defeating the New York Islanders in the first round, they became the first team to win at least one round in six straight campaigns since the Detroit Red Wings from 1995 to 2000.
This is also the first time the Hurricanes will not have home ice advantage in a series since 2019, excluding games played in a bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“We’re going to keep the same approach and try to win every game, try to start the series on the right foot,” said Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis.
The Rangers led the NHL with 30 home wins this season, but both teams had success on the road with 25 wins each — tied for third in the league.
“You’ve seen teams lose at home, win on the road,” Trouba noted. Yes, it’s nice to have home ice advantage, but you usually have to win on the road at some point as well. »
