Avalanche Fall, And The Presidents’ Trophy Ghost Strikes Again

The Presidents’ Trophy debate is alive and well again, because the Avalanche’s surprise exit gives the old curse plenty of fresh oxygen. Every spring, someone raises the hardware and somebody else wonders if it came with a hidden tax bill attached, and Colorado just handed the skeptics another talking point. This is the kind of playoff stumble that gets replayed in every bar, studio, and locker room where hockey people keep score.