The Colorado Avalanche dominated the NHL with 55 wins and a plus-99 goal differential, yet fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. Key injuries to star players Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar proved decisive as Colorado's offense went cold against one of the league's best defensive teams. The Avs went 8-1 through the first two rounds before being swept.

The Presidents' Trophy "curse" continues with Colorado becoming the latest top regular-season team to fall short of Stanley Cup glory. Since the 2004-05 lockout, just two teams have captured both trophies, as the salary cap has created unprecedented parity. Two-thirds of recent winners have been eliminated before the conference finals.

Colorado's season-ending sweep underscores how difficult it is to win in today's NHL. Teams shouldn't fear the trophy, but must build rosters capable of withstanding injuries and facing elite competition in a league where any team can win on any given night. The Avalanche did everything right but ran into another elite team that made the right roster moves.