How about the Dead Cups Society?

It has four members: New Jersey, Tampa Bay, Carolina and now Anaheim. They all have something in common. Each won the Stanley Cup, then either was bounced in the first round of the playoffs the following season or failed to qualify.

The Anaheim Ducks are the latest member. They were a stunning casualty of the much-maligned Dallas Stars last week.

"This is not a very happy ending," Teemu Selanne said.

Really, you don't say. Selanne came back from his European semi-retirement near the fourth-quarter pole of the season. He told the Los Angeles Times that this year's group lacked total commitment.

"You need every player's commitment and work ethic, and all the tools every player can bring," he said. "If you can't, even if you're off a little bit here and there, you can't do it."

It's always better to go out a champion, Teemu. Ask Scott Niedermayer.

"We're disappointed because we believed we could do better," said Niedermayer, who missed the first 34 games of the season before coming out of his semi-retirement. "Come up short like that, it explains itself."

To bring Niedermayer back, Ducks general manager Brian Burke traded away center Andy McDonald, a key component of last year's Cup offense. That deal hurt the Ducks in the long run.

"I don't think anyone wants it to end this way," Niedermayer told the Times. "Obviously, it's very disappointing. You put yourself in a situation when you're down, 3-1, and you can't afford any little mistakes."

Incredibly, the Ducks lost the first two games of the series on home ice. You probably sensed that Randy Carlyle's team was in trouble.

"You start off your first two games at home and you lose them both, you're scratching and clawing trying to get back in the series," Chris Pronger said.

Toronto had its sights set on Burke, but he either decided to stay or was not released from his contract last week. During a conference call, he compared his deal with Anaheim to that of a player who signs a multiyear contract and honors the final year.

"We tried," Carlyle said. "Every guy gave it everything he had. You thank them for their work ethic throughout the course of the season, but their lack of execution in the playoffs is an issue we'll deal with over the summer."

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J.R. responded with a pair of goals and two assists as the Sharks eliminated the Flames, 5-3.

"To contribute like that, I don't want to say it's a surprise, but it's just so great," Roenick said. "I might be 38 years old, but now I feel like I'm 19."

Competition committee

They will serve two years and then replace Rob Blake of Los Angeles, Jarome Iginla of Calgary, Trevor Linden of Vancouver and Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers.

The owners and general managers on the committee, including Flyers chairman Ed Snider, have not changed.

Here's a suggestion. This is not a reflection on Snider, but rotate the owners and general managers as well. A constant influx of fresh ideas from their side also is needed, especially after the league narrow-mindedly rejected going to an 84-game home-and-home schedule next season, one that had widespread fan and player support.