Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns made the playoffs seven occasions collectively as teammates in San Jose, reaching the convention finals and reaching the Stanley Cup Ultimate in 2016 below Peter DeBoer. Zach Parise led New Jersey to the Finals in 2012.
All these runs resulted in defeat.
Pavelski and Ryan Suter at the moment are teammates once more enjoying for DeBoer, now with Dallas, Parise, after a number of years with Suter in Minnesota, is now with rival Colorado and Burns is the No. 1 level guard for Carolina.
They’re among the many oldest and most skilled veterans of this yr's NHL playoffs who’ve by no means held the Stanley Cup, a gaggle that will love to affix the likes of Ray Bourque and Lanny McDonald and win a championship as retirement approaches.
JOE PAVELSKI
Pavelski has performed greater than 1,500 common season and playoff video games with the Sharks and Stars since his debut within the league in 2006. He was the postseason main scorer eight years in the past, tied for essentially the most video games performed within the bowl 2020 playoffs and is among the most admired forwards of his technology.
“Joe, he's the last word professional,” Dallas common supervisor Jim Nill stated. “He does every little thing proper. He's finished that his complete profession.”
Accidents have hampered the Wisconsin native alongside the best way, together with a concussion in final yr's first-round opener. He turns 40 in July when he'll be a free agent once more, so this may increasingly or will not be his final shot on the Cup.
“You continue to need it and you continue to need a chance,” Pavelski stated. “And we now have an amazing alternative right here, and the fellows are enjoying effectively. They're guys who perceive that this can be a nice alternative.”
RYAN SUTER
No energetic participant has gone extra video games on this league with out a championship than Suter, a dependable level guard in Nashville, then Minnesota and now Dallas. 40th birthday is in January. In contrast to Pavelski, he’s signed till subsequent season.
Maybe the distinction for Suter, who’s averaging about 19 minutes per sport, will likely be DeBoer, who’s trying to take a 3rd group to the Finals and win it for the primary time. It doesn't damage to have younger teammates like Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell main the best way on the blue line and the addition of Chris Tanev on the deadline to permit Suter to play at his greatest when the conditions come up.
“Chris Tanev is a unbelievable defender and that has allowed Suter to play much less minutes the place he will likely be simpler,” stated former participant turned ESPN analyst Ray Ferraro.
ZACH PARISH
A late draftee after signing with the Avalanche in late January simply earlier than the All-Star break, Parise may have left after not enjoying greater than half a season, boasting a protracted profession that features a Olympic silver medalist in 2010.
As a substitute, Parise joined a contender that would as soon as once more lead MVP chief Nathan MacKinnon and Norris Trophy candidate Cale Makar to a championship, which might be the franchise's second in three years. Parise, 39, understands how large a problem it’s 12 years on from his journey to the finals with the Devils.
“There's a deeper appreciation for the way onerous it’s,” stated Parise, whose birthday is in July. “I all the time look again to my early years in Jersey, I obtained to the second spherical I believe three years in a row. You're like, “OK, pure development, we'll get to spherical three.” After which impulsively you get rejected a couple of occasions within the first spherical. You simply don't know. It's onerous.”
BRENT BURNS
Bigger than life along with his huge beard, Burns stays an imposing power at 6-foot-5, 230 kilos with a cannon shot. He turned 39 final month and is in his second season with the Hurricanes, who had been swept by Florida within the East closing final yr.
This could possibly be his greatest shot at a title since 2016 with San Jose, particularly after Carolina acquired Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov on the commerce deadline to fill wants up entrance. Burns supplies the firepower from the again and is averaging almost 22 minutes per sport.
“He is aware of he doesn't have many pictures left,” stated coach Rod Brind'Amour, who received the Cup in his 16th season as Hurricanes captain in 2006. “However I believe our complete group is aware of that. We admire that. We have now some time.”
MARK GIORDANO
The Toronto Maple Leafs have virtually a whole roster of gamers who haven’t received the Cup. The oldest is Mark Giordano, who will flip 41 in October and is nearly actually in his closing season.
Giordano received the Norris Trophy because the NHL's prime defenseman in 2018-19 close to the tip of his time in Calgary. He was the primary and (and nonetheless solely) captain within the historical past of the younger Seattle franchise and, like Pavelski, is a tricky competitor with nice respect across the league.
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AP Sports activities writers Stephen Hawkins in Frisco, Texas, Pat Graham in Denver and Aaron Beard in Raleigh, North Carolina contributed.