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The race for the Presidents' Trophy in 2023-24 has come down to the final games of the regular season. Last season, it was almost a no-contest, with the Boston Bruins rolling to their fourth win thanks to a 65-12-5 record and an NHL record 135 points.
The New York Rangers can claim the President's Trophy with a win over the Ottawa Senators on Monday night (April 15). However, if they don't win, the window is open for the Carolina Hurricanes (111 points) and Dallas Stars (111 points) to overtake the top spot.
Although every team that wins the Presidents' Trophy has earned the most points, not every team's victory is equal. On 11 occasions, a team has won by a margin of less than two points, while seven teams have yet to advance out of the first round.
Let's look at the top five weakest teams to win the Presidents' Trophy and why their marginal victories earned them a spot on this list.
Ranking the weakest NHL Presidents' Trophy winners of all-time ft. the 1990-91 Chicago Blackhawks
#5. Nashville Predators (2017-18) 117 points
The Nashville Predators advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 2016-17 but lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
After 94 points that season, the Predators rebounded with the best regular season in their history, with a 53-18-11 record and a league-leading 117 points, claiming the Presidents' Trophy.
The Predators led the league in points and outperformed some of the NHL's strongest teams. They edged the Winnipeg Jets by three points, the Tampa Bay Lightning by four, and the Boston Bruins by five, the only clubs to surpass 110 points.
In the postseason, the Predators advanced past the Colorado Avalanche in six games before the Jets eliminated them in seven games.
Their leading scorer that season was Filip Forsberg, who scored 64 points, and no one in the lineup had reached 30 goals. Pekka Rinne, who played between the pipes, won 42 games in 59 games and earned the Vezina Trophy.
#4. Ottawa Senators (2002-03) 113 points
In 2002-03, the Ottawa Senators won their Presidents' Trophy with a 52-21-8-1 record, earning 113 points.
After the season, the Senators beat the Dallas Stars (111 points) and Detroit Red Wings (110 points) to become the fifth team in NHL history to win the award by two points.
Hall of Famer Marian Hossa was the best player in the lineup with 45 goals and 80 points, joining Daniel Alfredsson as the only other skater with more than 60 points. In net, Patrick Lalime played in 67 games and won 39.
During the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Senators were 8-3 in their first two series before losing to the eventual champions, the New Jersey Devils, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.
#3. Boston Bruins (2013-14) 117 points
The Bruins lost out on a Stanley Cup title in 2012-13 when the Chicago Blackhawks rallied and defeated them in Game 6 of the final. Within 12 months, the Bruins were the best team in the NHL with 117 points, thanks to a 54-19-9 record.
Ultimately, Boston claimed its second Presidents' Trophy title in 2013 with a one-point victory over the Anaheim Ducks, who collected 116 points. Moreover, the Bruins beat out the Avalanche (112 points), St. Louis Blues (111 points) and San Jose Sharks (111 points).
David Krejci led the team with 69 points, while Patrice Bergeron and Jarome Iginla scored 30 goals. Netminder Tuukka Rask earned the Vezina Trophy with a 36-15-6 record in 58 games, leading the NHL with seven shutouts.
After eliminating the Red Wings in five games, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the best team in Game 7 of the second round.
#2. San Jose Sharks (2008-09) 117 points
In 2003-04, the Sharks won their first divisional title and advanced to the Western Conference Final for the first time. Between 2003 and 2011, the Sharks were a top team in the NHL, winning their only Presidents' Trophy in 2008-09.
Unfortunately, during the historic season when they set franchise records for wins (53) and points (117), the Sharks bowed out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round, losing to their California rival, the Anaheim Ducks, in six games.
The 2008-09 season marked the only time the Sharks did not advance out of the first round, and it happened to be their best season. San Jose edged the Bruins by a single point, 117-116, with the Red Wings (112 points) the only other club to surpass 110 points.
Joe Thornton led the team in scoring with 86 points and had almost as many assists (61) as Patrick Marleau, who finished second in scoring, had for points (71). Two skaters, Marleau and Devin Setoguchi, had more than 30 goals, while Evgeni Nabokov had 41 wins in 62 starts.
#1. Chicago Blackhawks (1990-91) 106 points
The 1990-91 Blackhawks improved 18 points in the standings from 1989-90 when they had 88 and won the Norris Division. During the 1990-91 campaign, they won the President's Trophy by a single point over the St. Louis Blues, 106-105.
Meanwhile, two other Western Conference (then Campbell Conference) teams were in the mix, including the Los Angeles Kings (102 points) and Calgary Flames (100 points).
Steve Larmer was the only skater for Chicago to score over 100 points, finishing the season with 101, while 21-year-old Jeremy Roenick had 94 points. Future Hall of Fame Ed Belfour won the Calder and Vezina Trophies as the best rookie and goalie in the NHL.
Despite escaping with the best record in the regular season, the Blackhawks lost to the Minnesota North Stars in six games and did not advance past the first round.
However, what makes Chicago's Presidents' Trophy win in 1990-91 so unique is they secured one more point than the Blues, who employed Brett Hull, an 86-goal scorer and Hart Trophy winner, as league MVP. Meanwhile, Wayne Gretzky had 122 assists and 163 points for the Kings.
Historically, the Blackhawks became the first team in NHL history to win the Presidents' Trophy and not advance out of the first round.
