Why can't these teams win? We examine why these five once-proud NHL franchises have gone decades without capturing a Cup - Stanley Cup

Hockey Digest, Dec, 2003 by Barry Wilner

For all you mighty ducks and Panthers fans, get real.

Sure, your teams came close to hockey's mightiest achievement, winning the Stanley Cup. "The disappointment was bitter when they fell.

But give us a break. How long have your teams even existed? We'll tell you: Florida played for the championship in just its third season, 1995-96. For Anaheim, it took a bit longer: 10 seasons.

Try this, folks:

* The Chicago Blackhawks last carried around the Stanley Cup in 1961.

* Another Original Six franchise, the Toronto Maple Leafs, has gone 36 years since lugging the hardware around the ice.

* Yet another of those six, the Boston Bruins, hasn't won the title since the days of Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, and John Bucyk.

* The Broad Street Bullies of Philadelphia intimidated their way to two Cups, but the last one came in 1975.

* Even the New York Islanders, the most successful expansion team in pro sports with four championships in its first dozen years, hasn't come out on top in 20 years.

How could this have happened? Five of the league's most storied franchises. shut out for decades. Are any of these five close to getting to back to the ultimate hockey celebration? We examine each franchise's chances below.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Last Cup: 1961 Finals appearances since last Cup: Five (1962, '65, '71, '73, and '92)

For a team that has sported lineups with Hall-of-Famers Bobby Hull, Start Mikita, Pierre Pilote, Glenn Hall, Tony Esposito, and Denis Savard, it seems unfathomable that the last championship came during the JFK administration.

In the '60s, Chicago had the most dynamic roster in the NHL as exciting as anything the Canadiens offered. Hull carried the highest profile in hockey and was among the Windy City's most popular figures. His flowing blond hair, speed, power, and, most especially, his booming slapshot with his wickedly curved stick made him as feared as he was respected.

Mikita was a premier playmaker and a strong finisher. Pilote was as steady as any NHL defenseman and won three straight Norris Trophies.

But the Hawks never could finish after 1961. Their best opportunity was in 1971, when with Tony Esposito performing near miracles in net, they not only made the Cup Finals, but led three games to two, coming off a home shutout against the Canadiens.

"That was definitely a Cup we fell was within our reach and we should have won," Hull says.

They didn't. Montreal won Game 6 at home, then rallied from 2-0 down in the seventh game at Chicago. Esposito fanned on a long shot by Jacques Lemaire, then Henri Richard scored twice to give the Habs the championship.

Things began going sour for the Blackhawks the next year, when Hull left for the WHA as the new league's crown jewel. Penurious ownership by Bill Wirtz damaged the franchise for years, and Chicago went 19 seasons without making another Finals series.

The Hawks also were slow to recognize the value of European scouting, and they've had only one goalie, Ed Belfour, approach Esposito's level.

Prognosis: Not another Cup in this decade.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Last Cup: 1967 Finals appearances since last Cup: None

No NHL organization has been more of a disappointment over the last three-plus decades. Sure, the days of Harold Ballard were a joke, when the Leafs refused to recognize the value of Europeans, and the owner alienated most of the city, along with some of his best players.

But Ballard has been gone since 1994, and the Leafs have spent lots of money to win back the trophy. Not only have they not skated off with it since 1967, but they haven't even reached the Stanley Cup Finals in that span.

One problem was mediocre goaltending for most of the '70s and '80s. That was cured by Felix Potvin and then Curtis Joseph, but other troubles have since cropped up.

Rarely have the Leafs had a solid defensive system. They've had stars such as Borje Salming on the backline, but not the support group needed.

When it comes to playoff time, when the checking gets tight, the officiating gets lax, and low-scoring games are the norm, Toronto has struggled.

It's still pretty much the same, even though the talent level up front with the likes of Mats Sundin, Alex Mogilny, and Owen Nolan, is impressive.

Another problem has been stubborn coaching. The Leafs just haven't been adaptable enough for the postseason grind.

Toronto came closest to the Finals in 1993. when the Los Angeles Kings and a certain No. 99 did them in. The Leafs were tip 3-2 in the Western Conference finals, but lost a pair of 54 contests. including Game 6 in overtime.

Lately, they've become the NHL's updated version of the Broad Street Bullies. Their lack of on-ice discipline has been costly in the postseason.

Prognosis: Get smarter and better defensively, and who knows?

BOSTON BRUINS Last Cup: 1972 Finals appearances since last Cup: Five (1974, '77, '78, '88, and '90)

The Big Bad Bruins of the early 1970s won two Stanley Cups, which is impressive, but not nearly what the team should have earned. With Orr, Esposito, Bucyk, Gerry Cheerers, Don Awrey, Dallas Smith, Ken Hodge, Derek Sanderson, Wayne Cashman, and the likes, the Cup figured to be a regular fixture in Beantown.