Unnumbered Thoughts: For the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers, the Presidents' Trophy comes into focus

The Presidents’ Trophy often gets a bad rap. 

Since a regular-season title was first established in 1986, only eight teams have completed the double and also won the Stanley Cup. In the salary cap era, since 2005, only two of the Stanley Cup champions were also the best team, pointwise during the regular season. 

Add in the current stretch of 10 straight seasons the Presidents’ Trophy winner losing in the second round or earlier – highlighted by the Boston Bruins collapse against the Florida Panthers last season – and it’s easy to see why hockey superstition could set in around the trophy. 

It’s inevitably a storyline that the Dallas Stars or New York Rangers will have to deal with in a couple weeks. 

The Rangers lead the Eastern Conference and the Presidents’ Trophy race with 110 points and f