One of the go-to plot-lines for the hockey media in the playoffs is to find that one veteran player who has yet to raise the Stanley Cup and then support his candidacy as a champion. Ray Bourque was the most famous case with the Avalanche in 2001, but these players are usually less legendary than battle-scarred veterans who've paid their dues to finally taste glory. Players like Glen Wesley, who played 1,311 regular-season games with four different teams before winning with the Hurricanes in 2006, and Dave Andreychuk, who held the NHL record for most regular-season game played without winning a Stanley Cup until the Lightning -- his sixth team in 22 seasons -- captured the chalice in 2004. Teemu Selanne was the latest model last year, winning his first Stanley Cup in his 14th season. This postseason figures to feature several players, of varying degrees of celebrity and urgency, who could grab glory for the first time and lead someone like Bill Clement to bellow that we "gotta feel happy for" such-and-such or so-and-so:
Owen Nolan, Calgary Flames. Also known as "the Generation: Nordique player who didn't win a Cup with Colorado" (he was traded for Sandis Ozolinsh early in the 1995-96 season), here's a 16-season veteran that displays the kind of grit and determination that the media just eats up. His work-history is remarkable: former No. 1 overall pick, longtime captain for the Sharks, well over 1,000 games played and the greatest called shot in NHL All-Star Game history. Probability He'll End the Drought: Fair. If Calgary makes the postseason, it can be a dangerous team. But it takes consistency to win the Cup, and that's a foreign concept for the Flames.
Jeremy Roenick, San Jose Sharks. As I wrote about on Deadspin yesterday, Roenick is a divisive figure for many hockey fans, but his impact on a generation of American players and puckheads can't be denied. Probability He'll End the Drought: Excellent. San Jose has played itself into the upper tier of playoff favorites, and the media is already banging the drums for Roenick to finally raise the Cup.
Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks. When he returned to the Canucks last summer, fans were thrilled Linden would have another shot at the Cup in a career nearing its conclusion. He's well-respected around the League and in the media, he's a big-game player, and obviously deserves one more shot to atone for allowing the Rangers their first Cup in 54 years back in 1994. Probability He'll End the Drought: Fair. Vancouver is a funny team to figure out; it doesn't appear to have the horses, but it keeps winning games that matter. With that goalie and coach, a dark-horse run can't be ruled out ... but it is the Western Conference we're talking about here.
Luke Richardson, Ottawa Senators. Meet this year's Dave Andreychuk -- Richardson leads all active players in most regular-season games without winning a Cup. The Ottawa defenseman has been playing since 1987. Wrap your brain around that fact. Probability He'll End the Drought: Good ... but that's really up to Martin Gerber or Ray Emery to decide.Teppo Numminen, Buffalo Sabres. Teppo's been playing since 1988, and he could make it all the way back from open-heart surgery last September. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that qualifies him for the media's Veteran Stanley Cup Appreciation Program. Probability He'll End the Drought: Poor, mainly because you've gotta be in it to win it. Speaking of which...
Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals. Kolzig's chances to be a Cup hero are naturally dependent on the Capitals actually making the cut (still likely) and Kolzig getting his fair share of starts during the run. He's had a very bumpy ride since Bruce Boudreau came aboard, but there's a sentimentality attached to his tenure with one team and his stellar run as a starting goalie in the NHL. Probability He'll End the Drought: Good, actually. I've long believed that if the Capitals make the postseason, they could raise some hell. But if they don't make the playoffs, Kolzig could be in this position with another team next season.
Honorable Mention: Glen Murray, Boston Bruins (17 years, no Cup); Bryan Smolinski, Montreal Canadiens (16 seasons, no Cup).
