Hockey is a sport rich in tradition. The NHL playoffs this season feature all Original Six teams for the first time since 1996. Super news if you’re a hockey purist, but for those of you that get bitter-beer-face when the term “Original Six” rears it’s fabled head, all three California teams made the playoffs for the first time ever. Rejoice!

The tradition that comes with the “O6” franchises also comes with plenty of Stanley Cup titles. Montreal, Toronto and Detroit hold the bulk of the championship banners, but with expansion and parity, the dynasty age has long passed..

The 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs feature six teams that have never won hockey’s holy grail. They have each come close over the course of history, but let’s rate the odds on each team winning Lord Stanley’s silver chalice this season. For argument and comparison’s sake the Pittsburgh Penguins are 7/2 favorites and the Chicago Blackhawks are 15/4, slightly behind them.

All official odds provided by Bovada on April 29, 2013—www.bovada.lv/

6. Ottawa Senators---Odds—28/1

The expansion version of the Ottawa Senators got closest to their first title in the 2006/07 season, losing to another first time champion the Anaheim Ducks. Sure the Senators have the longest odds of any active team that has never won the Stanley Cup, but they have better odds than the New York Islanders (four cups—40/1).

5. Minnesota Wild---Odds---22/1

The odds of Minnesota bringing a Stanley Cup home to the state of hockey got a little bit bigger when their starting goaltender, Niklas Backstrom was injured during pregame of Game 1. Josh Harding was fantastic when pressed into service, but the Wild need Backstrom to have a prayer. Minnesota took Chicago to overtime in the series opener, but they’ll need Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and company to provide some offense to have a prayer.

4. Washington Capitals---Odds---16/1

The Capitals reached their only final in 1998 and were swept by the Detroit Red Wings to complete a back-to-back triumph. Washington has been the hottest team in the NHL headed into the playoffs, but are notorious for early flameouts in the postseason. Did they peak a little bit too soon? What do they have left in the tank? Alexander Ovechkin, Niklas Backstrom, Mike Green, Mike Ribeiro and Braden Holtby will need to be ready for a New York Rangers team that is anxious to make people forget about their mediocre regular season.

3. San Jose Sharks---Odds---16/1

The team (or coach) that might be playing with the most desperation is the San Jose Sharks. With as much talent and as many regular season wins that Todd McLellan have piled up, the Sharks have exactly zero Stanley Cups and zero appearances in the final. The window is closing on their talented group and it seems they are getting further rather than closer to the prize.

2. St. Louis Blues---Odds---14/1

The St. Louis Blues started the season on fire, but have since reduced themselves to the stale warmth of a cafeteria heat lamp. All right, maybe they haven’t cooled off that much, especially since they have taken the first two games against the defending champs Los Angeles. It looks like Ken Hitchcock and the Blues will be living or dying with the goaltending of Brian Elliott. Through the first two games, he looks like a genius, but the Blues will need to get some more scoring if they want to see the cup.

1.Vancouver Canucks---Odds---14/1

Oh where to begin with the frustration that exists in Vancouver? From the V-styled space alien jerseys they had in the 1982 Stanley Cup Final to the generic Orca-logoed jerseys 30 years later in 2012. Vancouver has suffered through its’ share of heartbreak in Stanley Cup Finals, more specifically Game 7’s. The Canucks over the last five years have boasted arguably the most talented roster in the NHL. They have a Game 7 loss at home in the 2012 Final to show for their troubles. If Todd McLellan in San Jose is under the gun in San Jose, Alain Vigneault has to be looking over his shoulder in the Pacific northwest.  Ironically the two face one another in the first round. Maybe the winner of the series can offer the loser a job for next season.