The Presidents’ Trophy is an award given annually in the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes the regular season with the most points. Here are five facts about the Presidents’ Trophy:
1. Established in 1986: The Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded in the 1985-1986 NHL season. It was created to recognize the team that had the best overall performance in the regular season.
2. Points-based system: The winner of the Presidents’ Trophy is determined by the number of points a team accumulates during the regular season. Teams earn two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
3. Home-ice advantage: The team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy is awarded home-ice advantage throughout the entire Stanley Cup playoffs, meaning they get to play more games at their own arena.
4. Success not guaranteed: While winning the Presidents’ Trophy is a great accomplishment, it doesn’t guarantee playoff success. In fact, only eight teams have won both the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season.
5. Multiple winners: Some teams have won the Presidents’ Trophy multiple times. The Detroit Red Wings and the Washington Capitals hold the record for the most wins, with six each.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
1. Does winning the Presidents’ Trophy mean a team will win the Stanley Cup?
– No, winning the Presidents’ Trophy does not guarantee winning the Stanley Cup. Only eight teams have accomplished this feat.
2. Has any team won the Presidents’ Trophy in consecutive years?
– Yes, several teams have won the Presidents’ Trophy in consecutive years. The most recent team to do so was the Washington Capitals in 2016 and 2017.
3. Are there any tiebreakers in determining the winner of the Presidents’ Trophy?
– If two or more teams finish the regular season with the same number of points, tiebreakers such as regulation and overtime wins, head-to-head record, and goal differential are used to determine the winner.
4. Can a team that doesn’t win the Presidents’ Trophy still have home-ice advantage in the playoffs?
– Yes, if a team finishes with the most points in their respective conference but doesn’t win the Presidents’ Trophy, they will still have home-ice advantage throughout their conference playoffs.
5. Has any team from the Eastern Conference won the Presidents’ Trophy more than once?
– Yes, the Washington Capitals have won the Presidents’ Trophy six times, making them the team from the Eastern Conference with the most wins.
6. How often does the team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy also win their division?
– The team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy also wins their division most of the time. However, it’s not a requirement as some teams have won the Presidents’ Trophy without winning their division.
7. What happens if the team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy gets eliminated in the playoffs?
– If the team that wins the Presidents’ Trophy gets eliminated in the playoffs, they do not get to keep the trophy. The trophy is awarded to the team that performs the best in the regular season, regardless of their playoff performance.
BOTTOM LINE:
The Presidents’ Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL team with the most points in the regular season. While winning the trophy is a significant achievement, it does not guarantee playoff success. Home-ice advantage and tiebreakers are factors in determining the winner, and multiple teams have won the trophy more than once.
