2009 Presidents' Trophy

Lore & Background

The trophy was introduced at the start of the 1985–86 season by the League's Board of Governors to recognize the best team in the regular season. As of the 2008–09 season, a total of 12 teams had won the Presidents' Trophy. The Detroit Red Wings have won four, the most of any team. The Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Colorado Avalanche are tied for second with four, though as of that season the Bruins had one, the Rangers had two, and the Avalanche had two.

Reader's Guide

The Presidents' Trophy winner is the top-seeded team in the postseason, guaranteeing home-ice advantage in all rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Only eight winners have gone on to win the Stanley Cup; three Presidents' Trophy winners have been defeated in the Stanley Cup Final. The most recent team to win both the trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season is the 2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks; the only team to accomplish this feat more than once is the Detroit Red Wings (2002 and 2008).

Did You Know?

• The Detroit Red Wings have won four Presidents' Trophies, the most of any team.
• The Montreal Canadiens have finished first overall 21 times, the most times in League history, though this was most recently accomplished in 1977–78.
• From the 2019–20 season onward, the first tiebreaker for the trophy is most regulation and overtime wins.
• The 2018–19 Tampa Bay Lightning were swept in the first round by the Wild Card Columbus Blue Jackets, becoming the first Presidents' Trophy winner to suffer this fate.