With the playoffs starting this weekend, its time to break out an annual tradition: The yearly OGWAC rankings, in which we honor the noble tale of the Old Guy Without a Cup. The OGWAC is always a great story, and the sight of one finally getting his hands on the big trophy is guaranteed to tug at any fan’s heartstrings. Whether it’s Ray Bourque, Lanny McDonald, Teemu Selanne or last season’s Jay Bouwmeester, the grizzled OGWAC is a playoff tradition, and a concept we like to revisit every year around this time.
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Well, not really “around this time,” because we usually do all this in April. Things are somewhat different this year, as you may have noticed. And that means that in addition to being three months late with this year’s column, we’ve also got a much larger field of teams to contend with. And you know what that means: More OGWACs! We’ll bump the list up to 25 names this year, just to make sure we don’t leave any of the best candidates out.
To qualify for this year’s list a player must be at least 33 years old by the time the Cup is awarded in October, have played in the league for at least 10 years and be expected to play in this year’s tournament. That leaves several teams without an OGWAC and a few others whose best options won’t make the cut. Other teams have a ton of candidates, so we’re going to limit each team to a max of two entries on this year’s list. As always, preference will be given to older players that have a realistic shot at winning this year and have suffered through painful near-misses or otherwise have some sort of dramatic story to draw on.
Competition is tight this year, especially since a certain OGWAC mainstay didn’t get traded at the deadline like he was supposed to and it made him sad and everyone involved in that decision should be sent to jail. But it’s fine, don’t worry about, we’re not holding any grudges here at OGWAC headquarters.
As the old saying goes, first place on the OGWAC list is the hardest trophy to win in all of sports. I think that’s what the saying is, I wasn’t really paying attention. On to this year’s list …
25. Mats Zuccarello, Wild
It feels weird to think of him as old, but this is his 10th season and he turns 33 in September. He’s also a popular player who had a close call with the Rangers in 2014 and some recent adversity with last year’s broken arm. There’s also a good chance that you’d completely forgotten he plays for the Wild now, so I can’t rank him too highly, but he deserves a mention.
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24. Braydon Coburn, Lightning
Coburn may not be a star, but he’d make for a classic OGWAC story. At 35, he’s been around for 15 seasons and has had plenty of deep playoff runs, including trips to the Final with the 2010 Flyers and 2015 Lightning. The big question is whether he’ll see enough ice time to be an important part of this year’s Lightning push.
23. Carey Price, Canadiens
I know there’s a few of you double-checking right now, but yes, Price qualifies this year — the 13-season veteran turns 33 in a few weeks. We’ll see if the Habs are even still playing then, but for now, he barely makes the cut as the only former MVP on our list. I can’t rank him very high, in part because the Habs are a longshot to go very far. But if he proves all those scared GMs right and turns into the monster behind the diner, he’d be a fun story. If not, well, according to his contract he still has at least six more years of elite goaltending ahead of him, so it’s fine.
22. Marc Staal, Rangers
Staal just turned 33 this year, and his 13 seasons in New York include a near-miss in the 2014 Final. On most teams, that would make him a strong candidate. He’s still a solid pick for the Rangers, but there’s a better one we’ll meet a little further down the list.
21. Keith Yandle, Panthers
Yandle feels like one of those guys where you could tell me he’s 27 or that he’s 36 and I’d believe you. He’s actually 33, and 14 years into an NHL career that’s included a trip to the conference finals with the 2015 Rangers. He’s only won one playoff game since then, and the Panthers have a long road ahead of them, so don’t get too attached, but he makes the list.
20. Nathan Gerbe, Blue Jackets
The diminutive center has always been a great story, and he just barely qualifies for OGWAC status this year, having turned 33 last week in his 10th NHL season. The Blue Jackets are a long-shot to win it all, and Gerbe has some work to do to earn a regular spot in the lineup, but admit it — you’d love to see Nick Foligno turn and hand the Cup to him. Or just hold it over his head and make him jump for it.
19. James Neal, Oilers
It might surprise you to see Neal show up on this list. He barely makes the age cut-off, turning 33 in September. And you might assume that he already has a Cup since he spent all those years in Pittsburgh. But he arrived two years after their 2009 Cup and left two years before their back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. That means he’s still searching for that first ring, despite going to the Final with both the 2017 Predators and 2018 Golden Knights, and very much not doing that with the 2019 Flames.
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18. Nate Thompson, Flyers
Most of the classic OGWAC stories feature a heavy dose of star power, but there’s something to be said for a veteran depth guy who finally sees his hard work pay off with a championship. (Examples include Dallas Drake in 2008 and Willie Mitchell in 2012.) Thompson would fit that group perfectly; the 35-year-old journeyman is on his eighth NHL stop and has never made a Final.
17. Blake Wheeler, Jets
Partly because he’s still so productive, Wheeler doesn’t necessarily feel like a guy who’s old enough to be on this list. But he is — he turns 34 in August and is in his 12th season. And his OGWAC story carries some extra weight because the 2011 Bruins traded him away at the deadline, months before they won the Cup.
16. Mike Smith, Oilers
Goalies are always tricky when it comes to this list. I’m not completely sure there’s ever been a truly great goaltending OGWAC story, although maybe Dominik Hasek in 2002 would count. You’d think the position would lend itself to the concept, and maybe it’s just coincidence that the very best OGWACs have historically been skaters, but for some reason, it hasn’t really clicked for the goalies yet. Maybe this year.
Smith is the second goalie we’ve run into on the 2020 list, with three more to come. He’s an interesting candidate because he’s 38 and on his sixth NHL stop but has only been out of the first round as a starter once in his career (with the Coyotes in 2012). Last year’s postseason with the Flames was a disaster, even if it wasn’t his fault, so there’s a strong “prove them all wrong” vibe here. But first, he’s got to earn the starter’s job.
15. Pekka Rinne, Predators
At 37, Rinne’s got the age and experience to make for a great OGWAC story. What he may not have is the Predators’ starting job, thanks to a solid season from Juuse Saros. Like with Smith, backup goalies make for just about impossible OGWAC stories, and there’s another one lurking further down this list. For now, we’ll say that Rinne has a Vezina and a trip to the Final on his resume, so he’s done just about everything a goalie can do in the NHL … except win a Cup.
14. Andy Greene, Islanders
The Islanders nearly went into the playoffs having to rely on Derick Brassard and Thomas Greiss for their OGWAC mojo, but smartly patched that hole at the deadline by picking up the 37-year-old Greene. He’d spent his entire career patrolling the blue line of one team before finally being dealt at the deadline to chase a Cup with a contender, so he’s basically a poor man’s Ray Bourque. OK, he’s an extremely poor man’s Bourque, but the remake is never as good as the original.
13. Ben Bishop, Stars
It’s another goalie, but the 33-year-old Bishop has got a better near-miss story than most. He went to the Final in 2015, then suffered a torn groin that cost him one full game and the end of another and may have slowed him down just enough to make the difference in a close series. That’s a solid sympathy story, although we can’t go much higher on Bishop given he’s not that old and isn’t even the best OGWAC on his own team.
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12. Shea Weber, Canadiens
Fifteen seasons. That’s how long Weber has left on his contract has been in the NHL, and he’s yet to make it out of the second round. On top of that, he got to watch the team he spent the first decade of his career with make it to the Final the year after he left. He’s about to turn 35, so this isn’t his last shot at a ring, and the Habs are big underdogs, so I can’t rank him any higher. But at this rate, Weber might end up entering the conversation with Brad Park and Borje Salming as the best defenceman in NHL history to never win a Norris or a Cup.
11. Deryk Engelland, Golden Knights
They love him in Vegas, and he came close with the Golden Knights in 2018 (and just missed the Penguins’ 2009 Cup by one season). At 38, and with his contract expiring at the end of the year, this could be his last shot.
10. Alex Edler, Canucks
The Canucks also have Loui Eriksson on the eligible list, but I don’t think there’s any question who their fans would prefer to see taking that first Cup handoff. Edler has been a Canuck for 14 seasons now, and came agonizingly close to a championship with that powerhouse 2010-11 team. With one year left on a big-dollar contract for a cap-strapped team, he may be running out of chances in Vancouver.
9. Mark Giordano, Flames
Giordano is still just one season removed from his first Norris, so it’s easy to forget that he’s almost 37. He debuted the season after the Flames’ last trip to the Final, so he’s never had a deep run. In fact, he’s never been out of the first round — he was hurt late in the 2014-15 season, the only time the Flames have won a series in the cap era.
8. Dan Hamhuis, Predators
Hamhuis is a classic grizzled veteran story at this point. He’s 37, on his second stint with his original team, and has gone two full seasons and counting without scoring a goal. He came close to a Cup with the Canucks in 2011, but other than that one deep run, he’s a career oh-for-nine in playoff rounds. He’s already getting local OGWAC buzz. The bandwagon could fill up quickly if the Predators can make some noise, so grab a seat now while you can.
7. Mikko Koivu, Wild
Man, the Wild are absolutely loaded with OGWAC candidates. We’ve already mentioned Zuccarello, and there’s also Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Devan Dubnyk. You could put any of those guys on your list and I wouldn’t argue, but I think the top slot for the Wild has to go to the captain who’s been there his whole career. As a pending UFA, this could be his final season in Minnesota, and there was talk of a trade to a contender at the deadline. Instead, he decided to stick around, and it would be great to see that decision pay off with a surprise championship. As a bonus, that would end the Koivu family’s push up the list of the all-time OBWACs. (Old Brothers Without a Cup, obviously.)
6. Ilya Kovalchuk, Capitals
This one won’t be for everyone since Kovalchuk has burned a few bridges in his career, most recently in L.A. But remember when he arrived in Montreal and looked like his old self for a few weeks? Wasn’t that fun? Now imagine him doing that with a Cup on the line, on a team where everyone else already has a ring and desperately wants to get him one too.
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OK, I’m projecting a best-case scenario here. But after five teams, 13 NHL seasons, one quasi-retirement and a failed comeback, Kovalchuk’s OGWAC story certainly isn’t boring. And the image of Alexander Ovechkin turning and handing him the Cup is almost impossible to resist.
5. Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers
Man, I just don’t know what to do with Hank. On paper, he’s got an unbeatable OGWAC case. He’s 38, he’s in his 15th year without a Cup, he’s lost in the Final and his reaction to that loss was utterly heart-breaking. It is clear that he desperately wants a ring, and the sight of him actually getting one would be magical. I’ve ranked him near the very top of this list more than once over the years, and he’s not getting any younger.
But there are two problems. First, the Rangers are massive underdogs to win it all. But more importantly, we don’t know whether Lundqvist will even play much. With the Rangers carrying three goalies, he may not even dress for some games. And I’m sorry, but you can’t be a great OGWAC story if you’re a backup. It just doesn’t work as well.
That said, if Igor Shesterkin (and maybe Alexandar Georgiev) stumble a bit, or if David Quinn just felt his team needed an emotional boost, it could set the stage for the Rangers to turn to a veteran for one more run. That could be the sort of story that moves Lundqvist even higher up the list, maybe all the way to No. 1. But for now, this is as high as I can go.
4. Jason Spezza, Maple Leafs
Spezza is 37, has played 17 seasons, lost in the Final over a decade ago, has had to fight through back problems that have cost him playoff games and recently signed a bargain-basement contract with his hometown team for one last shot at a Cup. What more could you want from an OGWAC?
OK, there is the small matter of that hometown team being the Leafs, which will make this a non-starter for some fans out there. But if anyone could make you cheer for a Leaf, it should be Spezza. Come on, look at the smile. Let’s get this kid his Stanley Cup.
3. Brian Boyle, Panthers
The 35-year-old is on his seventh team and has been a popular depth guy pretty much everywhere he’s ever played. He’s played well over 100 career playoff games, including trips to the Final with the 2014 Rangers and 2015 Lightning, so he’d be a solid OGWAC just based on his career. Add in his battle with leukemia, and the emotional Masterton win that came with it, and it’s hard to imagine any fans who wouldn’t be rooting for the guy.
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2. Joe Pavelski, Stars
It always seemed as if Pavelski would play his entire career with the Sharks, but after 13 seasons it was time for both sides to move on. He landed in Dallas and probably doesn’t regret it much after seeing what happened in San Jose this year. Pavelski has had plenty of playoff heartbreak and near-misses, including a trip to the Final in 2016, and his 134 career playoff games tie him with Coburn for the second-most of any player on this list. He’s pretty close to the platonic ideal of an OGWAC.
(By the way, the Stars are stacked with OGWAC candidates. In addition to Bishop and Pavelski, they’ve also got Blake Comeau, Andrej Sekera, Anton Khudobin and Andrew Cogliano. If they win it all, Jamie Benn might have to do the first Cup handoff by just tossing it over his shoulder like a bride with a bouquet.)
1. Patrick Marleau, Penguins
I’m guessing there wasn’t a ton of suspense here. Marleau ranked first on this list way back in 2016, and now it’s four years and three teams later and he’s come close, including a trip to the Final in that same 2016 postseason. But he’s still chasing the ring, and he’s almost out of time.
Beyond that, Marleau checks every box you could want in an OGWAC story. By all appearances, he’s a great teammate, and nobody seems to have a bad word to say about him these days. He’s overcome adversity, including an unfair narrative about not being clutch and some manufactured media feuds. And he’s been around forever. No, really, I don’t think people realize this — if he returns for another season next year, Marleau is set to pass Ron Francis, Jaromir Jagr and Mark Messier on his way to breaking Gordie Howe’s all-time record for NHL games played. I’m not kidding.
To add to his case, he’s chasing this opportunity on a very good Penguins team that he just recently joined. The ideal OGWAC would win a Cup with a team he’d been on forever, and it would have been great to see Marleau do that back in San Jose. But there’s something irresistible about the veteran who arrives on a team that’s already won, where a room full of guys who already have their rings decide to pull together to get one for the new guy. That’s what happened with Bourque, as well as Michal Handzus and Kimmo Timonen, among others, and it’s always cool to see.
It’s not hard to picture Sidney Crosby taking the Cup from Gary Bettman and immediately handing it over to a sobbing Marleau while his teammates mob him. That’s the kind of moment we can all get behind, assuming we’re not Flyers fans, and even they might grudgingly be OK with it. In the deepest field in OGWAC history, Marleau takes the crown as the best story. Now let’s see if he can get the win that matters.
(Top photo of Joe Pavelski and Ben Bishop: Andy Marlin / NHLI via Getty Images)
