Members of the 1995-96 NBA champion Chicago Bulls are already celebrating the Golden State Warriors' failure to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

While the Dubs bested those Bulls' NBA record for regular-season victories this year, we'll always live in a world where many - rightly or wrongly - believe these sorts of marks are only legitimized with a championship.

The 2015-16 Warriors will not win a championship to punctuate their historic 73-9 season, and in failing to do so join a select company of sports franchises that set records for regular-season dominance - only to come up short of their ultimate goal. And with the Warriors joining that club now, it's happened in each of the so-called "big four" North American professional team sports.

2007 New England Patriots

Regular season record: 16-0
End result: Lost Super Bowl

Sure, it took David Tyree making one of the most ridiculous catches in NFL history to secure victory, but the New York Giants' 17-14 upset over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII ensured that no team to date would go undefeated through both a 16-game schedule and the postseason. The 1972 Miami Dolphins went unbeaten in a 14-game slate and three playoff games.

The Patriots' final tally in 2007-08: 18-1, and no Vince Lombardi Trophy.

2001 Seattle Mariners

Regular season record: 116-46
End result: Lost ALCS

Led by a 27-year-old rookie from Japan named Ichiro Suzuki, the 2001 Mariners surpassed the New York Yankees' previous Major League Baseball record for regular-season wins while posting a run differential of +300 and a MLB-best ERA.

The Yankees' pitching out-dueled them in the American League Championship Series, however, with New York players and fans riding the emotion from a still-raw 9/11 to a five-game victory and a World Series appearance. The Mariners haven't returned to the postseason since.

1996 Detroit Red Wings

Regular season record: 62-13-7 (131 points)
End result: Lost Western Conference final

Points are generally the benchmark stat for winning in hockey, and the '95-'96 Red Wings came up one short of the league's all-time record (132 by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens). But these Wings posted more regular-season victories (62) than any other team in NHL history, only to fall in six games to the Colorado Avalanche in the West final.

All was not lost though. The Red Wings bounced back the following season to end a 42-year Stanley Cup drought and win their first of three mugs in six seasons.

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Well that didn't take long.

Only minutes after acquiring him from the Anaheim Ducks, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a five-year contract extension Monday, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.

The deal should pay Andersen close to $5.5-million per season, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

Andersen figures to be the long-term answer the Leafs have been searching for in goal, with James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier splitting the duties over the past three seasons. The 26-year-old Danish netminder posted a .919 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average with the Ducks last season.

Bernier remains under contract for another season at $4.1 million, a heavy price for a backup. Andersen should offer a significant upgrade and put an end to the rotating system Toronto has been recently employing in the crease.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired goaltender Frederik Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for the 30th overall pick in this year's draft (acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins) and a second-round pick in 2017, the Maple Leafs announced.

Andersen is coming off his third season with Ducks, where he lost his starting role to teammate John Gibson. Andersen started one fewer game then Gibson, posting a respectable 2.30 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

However, Andersen shined in the playoffs, stealing the net from a struggling Gibson and nearly leading the team to a first-round victory, turning in a stellar 1.41 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage.

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The Buffalo Sabres have acquired the rights to forward Jimmy Vesey from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2016 Draft, the Sabres announced.

The 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner - as the NCAA's best player - was originally selected by the Predators in 2012, but made headlines this season after stating he would not sign with the club, electing to become a free agent on Aug. 15.

Vesey has spent the past four years playing at Harvard, where he posted his second-most productive season this year collecting 24 goals and 46 points in 33 games.

He told reporters in May that he felt his hometown Boston Bruins would be among the teams on his list of potential places to sign.

The Sabres will now have exclusive negotiating rights with Vesey on a potential contract.

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Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is hopeful Steven Stamkos will make a decision on his future soon.

Yzerman continues to negotiate with Stamkos in the hopes of re-signing the 26-year-old forward. But with no traction made and a plethora of other free agents to contend with, he is hoping that he will soon know what resources he will have to work with.

"We're doing all we can to sign him," Yzerman said of Stamkos, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "What we look like if Stammer re-signs with us, it effects what we can do with our team.

"For us, we'd like to know sooner than later," Yzerman said. "At some point on other players, I have to make a decisions, whether it'd be restricted free agents, or potential trades or qualifying offers and things like that. I've got to make decisions and they can't be put off forever."

Here is a look at the club's free agents this season and next:

Yzerman will certainly have his hands full in the coming weeks and going forward.

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The third overall selection at the NHL Draft may be up for grabs, but that pick won't come without a steep price.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are listening to offers for the No. 3 pick, and TSN's Darren Dreger reports the team would like to attach a long-term contract to the draft choice to provide cap relief - which will be needed to sign restricted free-agent defenseman Seth Jones to an extension.

Dreger suggests forward Scott Hartnell and his contract could be the asking price. The 34-year-old - who reportedly waived his no-trade clause earlier in June - is signed through the 2018-19 season, holding a cap hit of $4.75 million per year.

Despite the hefty financial commitment, Hartnell has been productive in his last two seasons with Columbus, recording 51 goals and 58 assists in 156 games.

While Hartnell is widely expected to be moved before the start of next season, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has three other veteran forwards signed to long-term deals to choose from for a potential trade - but all three also have no-movement clauses in their contracts.

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