Has an NHL Presidents Trophy winner ever failed to make the playoffs the following year?

Answer 1

Yes -- strictly speaking, since the trophy has been awarded annually only since 1986, two teams have "accomplished" the dubious feat. After posting the league's best record overall in 2006-07, the Buffalo Sabres failed to qualify for the 2008 playoffs with club president Larry Quinn taking the heat for dealing three of the team's best players. Before that, New York Rangers had the NHL's best record in 1991-92 but failed to qualify for the 1993 playoffs (they redeemed themselves by winning the Stanley Cup in 1994). Buffalo and New York are not the only teams in NHL history, however, to post the league's best record one season and miss the playoffs the next. Montreal Canadiens had the NHL's best regular-season mark (and went on to win the Stanley Cup) in 1969-70, but lost out on the final 1970 playoff berth on a tiebreaker (they, too, returned to win the Cup again in 1971). New York Rangers had the NHL's best record in 1941-42 but finished in last place in 1942-43. Detroit Red Wings finished first overall in 1936-37 but last in their division and out of the playoffs in 1937-38. Boston Bruins had the NHL's best record in 1932-33, but were last in their division and out of the playoffs in 1933-34 -- duplicating their feat of finishing first in 1930-31 and a division-worst non-playoff side in 1931-32. The worst fate of all may have been that of Hamilton Tigers, who put together the best record in the NHL in 1924-25, but missed the playoffs the following season after abandoning Hamilton and moving to New York to become the Americans. The previous year, Ottawa Senators had posted the league's top mark, but missed the 1924 playoffs.