The Stanley Cup Playoffs provide some of the most exciting moments in sports. Hockey's biggest stars begin their chase for Stanley Cup glory, leaving everything on the ice.
However, this year's playoffs will not feature two of this generation's greats. Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin are both eliminated from playoff contention.
This marks the first time in 16 seasons that Crosby and Ovechkin won't battle for a Stanley Cup. You have to go back to 2006, which was the first year after the NHL's lockout in 2004-05, for the last time these two both missed the playoffs.
Both the Penguins and Capitals finished last in their respective divisions but to varying extents. The Capitals weren't great, but things could have been worse. They finished with 29 wins and 70 points on the season, 15 points back of fourth place in the Southeast Division.
The Penguins, however, had a horrific train wreck of a season. The Penguins finished with just 22 wins and 58 points in 2005-06. Crosby's Penguins were the second-worst team in the league behind the St. Louis Blues that season.
Crosby emerged as the lone Penguins bright spot that season, in fact. The Penguins star had 39 goals and 102 points as a rookie, but the Penguins' next-highest point-scorer was defenseman Sergei Gonchar with 58 points.
Ovechkin also paced his team in points in 2005-06. He scored 52 goals and 106 points as a rookie, taking home the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's best rookie performer that year.
16 years later, and the NHL is vastly different. However, two teams are certainly hoping history repeats itself this season. The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers met in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals with Carolina winning the Cup. Both teams hope to catch lightning in a bottle once again and meet for a rematch in June.
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