One of the reasons that the Stanley Cup playoffs are so exciting is that any team can win it, and I do mean any team as the team that finishes with the best record often doesn't even make it to the championship round, but often a team that may just have squeaked into the playoffs gets hot and makes a "Cinderella" run in the playoffs.
With that in mind, I have decided to put together a list of what I think are the 25 greatest Cinderella runs in Stanley Cup Playoff history.
Please note that the Wales Conference is the Eastern Conference and the Campbell Conference is the Western Conference and that the third number is ties when it comes to the records.
Anyway, here is the list:
The Blackhawks had the worst record of all the teams in the 1989 playoffs as they finished the regular season with a 27-41-12 record and just 66 points.
But Chicago knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in six games in their first round series, then beat the St. Louis Blues in five game in the second round, to advance to the Campbell Conference Finals where they lost in five games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames.
23. 1984 Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens were not excepted to do much in the 1984 playoffs as they entered with a 35-40-5 record which was good for only 75 points as they prepared to face off with their bitter rivals, the Boston Bruins, who had finished the regular season with 104 points.
But the Canadiens stunned the Bruins by sweeping in a best-of-five series, then knocked off their provincial rival, the Quebec Nordiques, in six games, which ended with the infamous "Good Friday Massacre" that saw two bench-clearing brawls and resulted in 11 players being ejected.
Montreal fell behind 0-3 to the four-time defending Stanley Cup Champion New York Islanders in the Conference Finals, but came back to win Games 4 & 5, only to lose Game 6 to end their improbable run.
The 1981 Stanley Cup Playoffs used NCAA Tournament style bracket as the 16 playoff teams were seeded based on regular season points, so the New York Rangers earned the #13 seed with their 74 points as they drew the #4 seed Los Angeles Kings, who came in with 99 points.
The Rangers eliminated the Kings 3-1 in a best-of-five series to move on to the second round, where they faced off with the #2 seed St. Louis Blues, who had finished the regular season with 107 points.
But the Rangers pulled off their second upset of the playoffs as they defeated the Blues in six games to advance to the semifinals where they were swept by their crosstown rivals, the defending champion New York Islanders.
Five years after their unlikely playoff run, the Rangers put together another Cinderella run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Rangers came in with the least amount of points among the eight teams in the Wales Conference as they finished the regular season with only 78 points and drew the Philadelphia Flyers, who had finished with 110 points, 32 points more than the Rangers.
However, New York stunned Philadelphia in the decisive Game 5 in Philadelphia, to advance to the second round where they faced the Washington Capitals, who had finished with 107 points.
The Rangers bounced back from a 2-1 series deficit to win the next three games, sending them to the Wales Conference Finals where they would be eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.
But behind goaltender Jaroslav Halak, the Canadiens won the next three games to shock the Capitals as Halak stopped 131 of 134 in the final three games to send Montreal to the second round where they took on the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
This time, the Canadiens came back from a 3-2 deficit to win the series as they defeated the Penguins 5-2 for another Game 7 road victory.
Montreal's run would end in the Eastern Conference Finals as they fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.
19. 2002 Carolina Hurricanes
While the Hurricanes entered the 2002 playoffs with the second least amount of points on the Eastern Conference side with 91 points, Carolina was the #3 seed thanks to their Southeast Division title and had home ice advantage for their first round series against the New Jersey Devils, who finished with four more points than Carolina.
The Canes defeated the Devils in six games, then faced off with the #8 seed Montreal Canadiens who they defeated in six games, highlighted by the "Miracle at Molson" where the Hurricanes came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Montreal 4-3 in overtime of Game 4 of the series.
Carolina would move on to the Eastern Conference Finals where they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games to earn the franchise its first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would face off with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Hurricanes stunned the Red Wings with an 3-2 overtime win in Game 1, before dropping the next four games, ending Carolina's dream of a Stanley Cup title.
The Sabres were the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference, but made all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history
The Sabres swept the #2 seed Ottawa Senators in their first round series, then eliminated the #6 seed Boston Bruins in six games in the second round, and then defeated the #4 seed Toronto Maple Leafs in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals to win the Prince of Wales Trophy and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Dallas Stars.
The Sabres' run would come to a bitter end as they lost to the Stars 2-1 in Game 6 on Brett Hull's controversial game-winning goal in triple overtime.
15. 2023 Florida Panthers
But Chicago knocked off the Detroit Red Wings in six games in their first round series, then beat the St. Louis Blues in five game in the second round, to advance to the Campbell Conference Finals where they lost in five games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames.
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| Denis Savard was the Blackhawks' leading scorer during their 1989 playoff run as he accounted for 19 points(8 goals, 11 assists). |
24. 1982 Quebec Nordiques
If Quebec had been in the Campbell Conference in 1982, their 82 points would have been good for the #3 seed, but since the Nordiques played in the much tougher Wales Conference, they earned the #7 seed and were forced to face off with the #2 seed Montreal Canadiens, who finished the regular season with 109 points.
However, the Nordiques upset their provincial rival in five games with Dale Hunter scoring the series-winning goal 22 seconds into overtime of the decisive Game 5 in Montreal.
Quebec then drew the #3 seed Boston Bruins, who had finished with 96 points, and eliminated Boston with a 2-1 in Game 7 in Boston.
Quebec's run would end at the hands of the New York Islanders, who easily dispatched of the Nordiques in a four-game sweep in the Wales Conference Finals.
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| The Stastny Brothers from left to right: Peter, Anton, and Marian lead the Quebec Nordiques to a surprise run to the final four of the 1982 NHL playoffs. |
The Canadiens were not excepted to do much in the 1984 playoffs as they entered with a 35-40-5 record which was good for only 75 points as they prepared to face off with their bitter rivals, the Boston Bruins, who had finished the regular season with 104 points.
But the Canadiens stunned the Bruins by sweeping in a best-of-five series, then knocked off their provincial rival, the Quebec Nordiques, in six games, which ended with the infamous "Good Friday Massacre" that saw two bench-clearing brawls and resulted in 11 players being ejected.
Montreal fell behind 0-3 to the four-time defending Stanley Cup Champion New York Islanders in the Conference Finals, but came back to win Games 4 & 5, only to lose Game 6 to end their improbable run.
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| Canadiens goaltender Steve Penney had three shutouts and a league low 2.20 goals against average during Montreal's 1984 playoff run. |
22. 1981 New York Rangers
The Rangers eliminated the Kings 3-1 in a best-of-five series to move on to the second round, where they faced off with the #2 seed St. Louis Blues, who had finished the regular season with 107 points.
But the Rangers pulled off their second upset of the playoffs as they defeated the Blues in six games to advance to the semifinals where they were swept by their crosstown rivals, the defending champion New York Islanders.
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| Center Ron Duguay accounted for 17 points in the Rangers' 1981 run to the final four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. |
21. 1986 New York Rangers
The Rangers came in with the least amount of points among the eight teams in the Wales Conference as they finished the regular season with only 78 points and drew the Philadelphia Flyers, who had finished with 110 points, 32 points more than the Rangers.
However, New York stunned Philadelphia in the decisive Game 5 in Philadelphia, to advance to the second round where they faced the Washington Capitals, who had finished with 107 points.
The Rangers bounced back from a 2-1 series deficit to win the next three games, sending them to the Wales Conference Finals where they would be eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.
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| Rangers right winger Pierre Larouche lead New York in goals scored and points as his eight goals and 17 points helped the Rangers in their unlikely run in the 1986 playoffs. |
20. 2010 Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens appeared to be done as they trailed 3-1 in their first round series to the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Washington Capitals, who had finished with a NHL high 121 points, 33 points better than Montreal's 88, especially after the Capitals won Games 3 & 4 in Montreal by a combined score of 11-4.But behind goaltender Jaroslav Halak, the Canadiens won the next three games to shock the Capitals as Halak stopped 131 of 134 in the final three games to send Montreal to the second round where they took on the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
This time, the Canadiens came back from a 3-2 deficit to win the series as they defeated the Penguins 5-2 for another Game 7 road victory.
Montreal's run would end in the Eastern Conference Finals as they fell to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.
19. 2002 Carolina Hurricanes
While the Hurricanes entered the 2002 playoffs with the second least amount of points on the Eastern Conference side with 91 points, Carolina was the #3 seed thanks to their Southeast Division title and had home ice advantage for their first round series against the New Jersey Devils, who finished with four more points than Carolina.
The Canes defeated the Devils in six games, then faced off with the #8 seed Montreal Canadiens who they defeated in six games, highlighted by the "Miracle at Molson" where the Hurricanes came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Montreal 4-3 in overtime of Game 4 of the series.
Carolina would move on to the Eastern Conference Finals where they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games to earn the franchise its first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would face off with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Hurricanes stunned the Red Wings with an 3-2 overtime win in Game 1, before dropping the next four games, ending Carolina's dream of a Stanley Cup title.
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| Ron Francis holds the Prince of Wales trophy after the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals. |
18. 1999 Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres swept the #2 seed Ottawa Senators in their first round series, then eliminated the #6 seed Boston Bruins in six games in the second round, and then defeated the #4 seed Toronto Maple Leafs in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals to win the Prince of Wales Trophy and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Dallas Stars.
The Sabres' run would come to a bitter end as they lost to the Stars 2-1 in Game 6 on Brett Hull's controversial game-winning goal in triple overtime.
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| Sabres goaltender Dominik Hasek stopped nearly 94% of the shots he faced in the Sabres' 1999 run to the Stanley Cup Finals. |
17. 2021 Montreal Canadiens
For the 2021 season, the NHL temporarily realigned all seven Canadian teams into one division due to travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Montreal Canadiens would finish 4th in the all-Canada division as they accumulated 59 points in a 56-game season.
The Canadiens faced the Toronto Maple Leafs, the division champs with 77 points, who take a 3-1 series lead, only to see Montreal come back to win the next three games and advance to the next round where they faced Winnipeg Jets.
After sweeping the Jets, the Canadiens moved to the Stanley Cup Semifinals, where they faced the Las Vegas Golden Knights, who had finished the regular season tied for the most points in the league with 82.
However, the Canadiens would knock off the Knights in six games to earn their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1993 where they would fall to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games.
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| The Montreal Canadiens won their first Clarence Campbell Bowl trophy with their run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. |
16. 1993 Los Angeles Kings
"The Great One" made his final appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals as Wayne Gretzky lead the Los Angeles Kings on a surprise run to the Finals.
The Kings entered the postseason with 88 points, good for sixth place in the Campbell Conference.
Los Angeles' first round opponent was the Calgary Flames, where the Kings scored a combined 18 goals in Games 5 & 6 to eliminate the Flames in six games.
In the second round, the Kings took out the Vancouver Canucks in six games, to earn a trip to the Campbell Conference Finals where they faced off with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Down 3 games to 2, Gretzky took over as he scored the game-winning goal in overtime, after getting away with a no-call on an obvious high sticking, to force a Game 7 back in Toronto, where Gretzky's hat trick lead the way for a 5-4 LA victory and sending the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in team history.
The Kings took a 1-0 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens and appeared on their way to a 2-0 series lead when Marty McSorely was called for using an illegal stick late in Game 2 while the Kings held 2-1 lead late in the third period.
The Canadiens scored on the eventual power play and would go on to win the next four games to capture the Stanley Cup.
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| Wayne Gretzky accounted for 40 points(15 goals and 25 assists) in leading the Los Angeles Kings to the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals. |
It seemed like the Panthers were poised for a quick exit coming into the 2023 playoffs as they were set to face the Boston Bruins in the first round, a team that had broken NHL records for most wins(65) and most points(135) in a regular season, and who had finished 43 points better than Florida.
The Panthers lost three of the first four games of the series but would bounce back to win the final three games including Game 7 in Boston on Carter Verhaeghe's overtime game winner to complete the stunning upset.
The Panthers would ride the momentum of their win over the Bruins by knocking off the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals where they would face the Carolina Hurricanes.
Florida would sweep the Hurricanes as Matthew Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal with less than five seconds to go in Game 4 to send the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996.
However, the Panthers' run would come to an end in the Finals as they were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
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| The Florida Panthers won the Prince of Wales trophy for the second time in franchise history. |
14. 2004 Calgary Flames
The Flames entered the 2004 playoffs having not won a postseason series since they won the Stanley Cup back in 1989.
Calgary would end that drought in the first round as the #6 seeded Flames defeated the #3 seeded Canucks in seven games with Martin Gelinas scoring the series-winning goal in overtime of their 3-2 Game 7 victory.
The Flames' next opponent was the Detroit Red Wings, the winners of the Presidents Trophy, to which Calgary stunned the Red Wings in six games to earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals where they faced off with the #2 seed San Jose Sharks.
The Flames eliminated the Sharks in six games to earn a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals to face the Tampa
Calgary would end that drought in the first round as the #6 seeded Flames defeated the #3 seeded Canucks in seven games with Martin Gelinas scoring the series-winning goal in overtime of their 3-2 Game 7 victory.
The Flames' next opponent was the Detroit Red Wings, the winners of the Presidents Trophy, to which Calgary stunned the Red Wings in six games to earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals where they faced off with the #2 seed San Jose Sharks.
The Flames eliminated the Sharks in six games to earn a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals to face the Tampa
Bay Lightning.
The Flames took a 3-2 series lead and had a chance to win the Stanley Cup in Calgary, only to see the Lightning win Game 6 in double overtime, to force a Game 7 back in Tampa Bay, which the Lightning won.
12. 1994 Vancouver Canucks
12 years after their first run to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Vancouver Canucks made another unlikely trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, this time as a #7 seed in the Western Conference.
In the first round, the Canucks came back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the last three games of the series, all in overtime, culminating with Pavel Bure' s game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 in Calgary.
The Canucks would win their next two series rather easily as they knocked off the #4 seed Dallas Stars in the second round in five games and then the #3 seed Toronto Maple Leafs in the Western Conference Finals, also in five games, to win the Western Conference title and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced off with the Presidents Trophy winners, the New York Rangers.
The Canucks came back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden, only to the have the Rangers win the game 3-2 to clinch their first Stanley Cup title in 54 years.
9. 2006 Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers made history as they became the first #8 seed in postseason history to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Oilers, who finished with 95 points, turned the NHL world upside down when they knocked off the Detroit Red Wings, who had won the Presidents' Trophy with a league high 124 points, with a six-game series win in the first round.
The Oilers rode the momentum of the Detroit upset to a six-game series win over the San Jose Sharks in the second round, followed by a five-game series win over the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Finals to send Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990.
Edmonton faced off with the Carolina Hurricanes, who took a 3-1 series lead, only to see the Oilers win the next two games to force a Game 7 back in Carolina, where the Hurricanes would win 3-1, denying the Oilers a chance of a sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
8. 2017 Nashville Predators
The Predators entered the 2017 NHL playoffs as essentially the #16 seed as they had the worst record of any of the playoff teams as they finished the regular season with 41 wins and 94 points.
But the Predators, the #8 seed in the Western Conference, swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, the first time a #8 seed had swept a #1 seed in NHL playoff history, to earn a trip to the second round where they defeated the St. Louis Blues in six games to earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.
There, the Preds knocked off the Anaheim Ducks in six games to their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would fall to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
The Minnesota North Stars were a mere afterthought entering the 1991 playoffs as they won only 27 games and totaled just 68 points during the regular season as they were not excepted to do much against the Chicago Blackhawks, who had finished the 1991 season with a league-high 106 points to win the Presidents' Trophy, which goes to the team with the best regular season record.
However, the North Stars pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Stanley Cup playoff history as they knocked off the Blackhawks in six games, as they back from a 2-1 series deficit to win the series.
If that upset wasn't enough, the North Stars then beat the St. Louis Blues, who finished only one point behind the Blackhawks and 37 points ahead of Minnesota, as the Stars come back from a 0-2 series deficit to win the series.
Then in the Campbell Conference Finals, the North Stars dispatched of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers in five games to earn Minnesota its second trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history.
The Stars take a 2-1 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but drop the next three games to lose the series in six games, ending the Stars' Cinderella run.
5. 1995 New Jersey Devils
One year after suffering a heartbreaking double overtime defeat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils seeked redemption in the 1995 playoffs.
Seeded #5 in the Eastern Conference, the Devils eliminated the Boston Bruins in five games in their first round series, then took out the #3 seed Pittsburgh Penguins in five games in the second round to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time facing the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Devils knocked off the Flyers in six games to earn thier first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, defeating all three teams without the benefit of the home ice advantage.
The Devils would not have the home ice advantage in the Finals as they faced off with the Detroit Red Wings, who had won the Presdients' Trophy during the regular season and had gone 8-0 at home during the postseason as they had outscored thier opponents by a combined score of 30-11.
But the Devils won the first two games of the series in Detroit, then won Games 3 & 4 back at home to win the Stanley Cup, becoming the lowest seed to ever win the Stanley Cup.
4. 2014 Los Angeles Kings
It looked like the Kings' 2014 postseason would be a short one as they trailed the San Jose Sharks 0-3 in their first round series.
But the Kings became the fourth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series as they won the next four games by a combined score of 18-5, with the capper coming in Game 7 as they routed the Sharks 5-1 in San Jose.
However, the Kings were just getting started as they knocked off their crosstown rival, the Anaheim Ducks, with another Game 7 win on the road.
Then in the Western Conference Finals, the Kings made more history as they became the first team in NHL playoff history to win three Game 7s on the road in the same postseason as they eliminated the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks with a 5-4 overtime win on defenseman Alec Martinez's game-winning goal, sending the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in three years.
The Kings did not need seven games to defeat the New York Rangers, but the Cup clincher was still dramatic as Martinez scored the game-winner in double overtime of Game 5 to give Los Angeles its second Stanley Cup in three years.
3. 1971 Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens entered the 1971 postseason in the unfamiliar role of underdog, as they finished the regular season third in the Eastern Conference with a total of 97 points and had a rookie goaltender in Ken Dryden, starting between the pipes even though he had only played six games during the regular season.
Montreal was not excepted to be any match for the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, who had finished the season with a league-high 121 points and scored 399 goals during the regular season.
But the Canadiens shocked the Bruins in seven games to advance to the semifinals where they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in six games, earning Montreal its 26th trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would face off with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The resilient Canadiens came back after losing the first two games of the series to force a Game 7 in Chicago where Montreal overcome a 2-0 deficit to score the last three goals of the game for the 3-2 victory and the team's 17th Stanley Cup in franchise history.
2. 1938 Chicago Blackhawks
Even though they had finished with a 14-25-9 record and totaled only 37 points, the Chicago Blackhawks made the playoffs as the NHL had only eight teams in the league, with six of them qualifying for the playoffs in 1938.
Chicago faced the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-three series to start the playoffs, where Chicago would advance to the next round on Paul Thompson's game-winning goal in overtime of Game 3.
The Blackhawks moved on to face the now defunct New York Americans, where the Blackhakws would eliminate the Americans with a 3-2 in Game 3 of their best-of-three series, to earn a berth in the Finals where they would face the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had finished the 1938 season with 20 more points than the Blackhawks.
But Chicago would win the series in four games to capture their second Stanley Cup in five years and became the team with the worst record ever to win a Stanley Cup.
The Flames took a 3-2 series lead and had a chance to win the Stanley Cup in Calgary, only to see the Lightning win Game 6 in double overtime, to force a Game 7 back in Tampa Bay, which the Lightning won.
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| Jarome Iglina scored 13 goals during the Flames' run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. |
13. 2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks
Until the 2003 postseason, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks were more famous for being named after the Disney hockey movie "The Mighty Ducks" then for on the ice performance.
That began to change with their run to the Stanley Cup Finals, behind eventual Conn Smythe winner(Playoff MVP) goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
The Ducks came into the 2003 playoffs as the #7 seed in the Western Conference and were excepted to be a quick out as they faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
However, the Ducks pulled off a shocking sweep of the Red Wings, thanks to Giguere, who stopped 165 of 171 shots over Anaheim's four wins, to earn a trip to the second round where the Ducks faced the Dallas Stars, the top seed of the Western Conference.
The Ducks pulled off their another upset as they eliminated the Stars in six games to advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they met the Minnesota Wild.
Behind Giguere's 217:54 streak of not giving up a goal, the Ducks swept the Wild to earn their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The underdog Ducks pushed the New Jersey Devils to the brink as the series went the full seven games, only to have New Jersey win Game 7 easily 3-0 to claim their third Stanley Cup in nine years.
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| Anaheim goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere stopped nearly 95% of the shots he faced and had a 1.62 GAA during the Ducks' 2003 run to the Stanley Cup Finals. |
12 years after their first run to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Vancouver Canucks made another unlikely trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, this time as a #7 seed in the Western Conference.
In the first round, the Canucks came back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the last three games of the series, all in overtime, culminating with Pavel Bure' s game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 in Calgary.
The Canucks would win their next two series rather easily as they knocked off the #4 seed Dallas Stars in the second round in five games and then the #3 seed Toronto Maple Leafs in the Western Conference Finals, also in five games, to win the Western Conference title and a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced off with the Presidents Trophy winners, the New York Rangers.
The Canucks came back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden, only to the have the Rangers win the game 3-2 to clinch their first Stanley Cup title in 54 years.
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| The Vancouver Canucks hold the Clarence Campbell Bowl Trophy after winning the Western Conference Title in the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs. |
11. 2018 Las Vegas Golden Knights
Just two years after the NHL granted the city of Las Vegas the team, the Vegas Golden Knights make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season of play.
The Knights won 51 games and earned 109 points during the regular season to clinch the #2 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs.
The Knights would sweep the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then eliminate the San Jose Sharks in six games in the second round, and then knock off the Winnipeg Jets in five games to became the first expansion team since the 1968 St. Louis Blues to advance all the way to the championship round in any of the four major sports leagues(MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).
The Knights would win Game 1 of the Finals against the Washington Capitals, but would lose the next four games, denying Vegas a chance to win the Stanley Cup in its inaugural season.
10. 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
Just two years after the NHL granted the city of Las Vegas the team, the Vegas Golden Knights make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season of play.
The Knights won 51 games and earned 109 points during the regular season to clinch the #2 seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs.
The Knights would sweep the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then eliminate the San Jose Sharks in six games in the second round, and then knock off the Winnipeg Jets in five games to became the first expansion team since the 1968 St. Louis Blues to advance all the way to the championship round in any of the four major sports leagues(MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).
The Knights would win Game 1 of the Finals against the Washington Capitals, but would lose the next four games, denying Vegas a chance to win the Stanley Cup in its inaugural season.
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| The Vegas Golden Knights surround the Clarence Campbell Bowl Trophy after winning the Western Conference championship in just their first season of playl |
10. 2010 Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers' incredible run in the 2010 playoffs almost didn't happen as they had to defeat the New York Rangers on the final day of the regular season, just to qualify for the playoffs.
The game would go to a shootout where goaltender Brian Boucher stopped Olli Jokinen's shot in the third round to give the Flyers a 2-1 victory and the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers would dispatch of the #2 seed New Jersey Devils in five game in their first round series to move on and face the Boston Bruins in the second round.
It seemed the Flyers were done for as they trailed Boston 3-0 in the series, until the Flyers won the next three games to force a Game 7 in Boston.
Boston jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Flyers would score four unanswered goals, with Simon Gagne scoring the game-winner with over seven minutes left in the third period, to complete the historic comeback as the Flyers became the third team in NHL history to win a playoff series after losing the first three games of the series.
The Flyers would eliminated the Canadiens in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals, earning a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals where Philly's wild ride would come to an end at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Flyers in six games.
The Oilers made history as they became the first #8 seed in postseason history to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Oilers, who finished with 95 points, turned the NHL world upside down when they knocked off the Detroit Red Wings, who had won the Presidents' Trophy with a league high 124 points, with a six-game series win in the first round.
The Oilers rode the momentum of the Detroit upset to a six-game series win over the San Jose Sharks in the second round, followed by a five-game series win over the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Finals to send Edmonton to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990.
Edmonton faced off with the Carolina Hurricanes, who took a 3-1 series lead, only to see the Oilers win the next two games to force a Game 7 back in Carolina, where the Hurricanes would win 3-1, denying the Oilers a chance of a sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
8. 2017 Nashville Predators
The Predators entered the 2017 NHL playoffs as essentially the #16 seed as they had the worst record of any of the playoff teams as they finished the regular season with 41 wins and 94 points.
But the Predators, the #8 seed in the Western Conference, swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, the first time a #8 seed had swept a #1 seed in NHL playoff history, to earn a trip to the second round where they defeated the St. Louis Blues in six games to earn a trip to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.
There, the Preds knocked off the Anaheim Ducks in six games to their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would fall to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
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| Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne had a 1.96 goals against average and two shutouts in leading the Predators to the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals. |
7. 1991 Minnesota North Stars
However, the North Stars pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Stanley Cup playoff history as they knocked off the Blackhawks in six games, as they back from a 2-1 series deficit to win the series.
If that upset wasn't enough, the North Stars then beat the St. Louis Blues, who finished only one point behind the Blackhawks and 37 points ahead of Minnesota, as the Stars come back from a 0-2 series deficit to win the series.
Then in the Campbell Conference Finals, the North Stars dispatched of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers in five games to earn Minnesota its second trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history.
The Stars take a 2-1 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins, but drop the next three games to lose the series in six games, ending the Stars' Cinderella run.
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| Minnesota left winger Brian Bellows collected 29 points(10 goals, 19 assists) in the North Stars' run to the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals. |
6. 2019 St. Louis Blues
On January 2nd, the Blues had a 15-18-4 record, giving them 34 points as they stood in last place in the entire NHL.
But the new year and a rookie goaltender in Jordan Binnington changed the Blues' season as they would go 30-10-5 over the rest of the season to earn St. Louis a playoff spot with 99 points and the #5 seed in the Western Conference.
In the first round, the Blues eliminated the #4 seed Winnipeg Jets in six games, then knocked out the #7 seed Dallas Stars in an epic Game 7 where Patrick Maroon scored the game-winning goal in double overtime.
Moving on the Western Conference Finals, the Blues faced the #3 seed San Jose Sharks, where they fell behind in the series 2-1 after a controversial hand pass on the Sharks' overtime game-winning goal was not called.
However, the Blues would win the next three games to win the series and advance to their first Stanley Cup Final in 49 years.
In the Finals, St. Louis faced the Boston Bruins, who had finished the regular season tied for the second most points with 107 thanks to a 49-24-9 record.
Despite two blowout losses at home(7-2 in Game 3 and 5-1 in Game 6), the Blues would win three games in Boston, including a 4-1 victory in Game 7 to claim the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
One year after suffering a heartbreaking double overtime defeat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the New York Rangers, the New Jersey Devils seeked redemption in the 1995 playoffs.
Seeded #5 in the Eastern Conference, the Devils eliminated the Boston Bruins in five games in their first round series, then took out the #3 seed Pittsburgh Penguins in five games in the second round to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals, this time facing the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Devils knocked off the Flyers in six games to earn thier first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, defeating all three teams without the benefit of the home ice advantage.
The Devils would not have the home ice advantage in the Finals as they faced off with the Detroit Red Wings, who had won the Presdients' Trophy during the regular season and had gone 8-0 at home during the postseason as they had outscored thier opponents by a combined score of 30-11.
But the Devils won the first two games of the series in Detroit, then won Games 3 & 4 back at home to win the Stanley Cup, becoming the lowest seed to ever win the Stanley Cup.
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| The New Jersey Devils celebrate the first of their three Stanley Cup titles in nine years. |
4. 2014 Los Angeles Kings
It looked like the Kings' 2014 postseason would be a short one as they trailed the San Jose Sharks 0-3 in their first round series.
But the Kings became the fourth team in NHL history to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series as they won the next four games by a combined score of 18-5, with the capper coming in Game 7 as they routed the Sharks 5-1 in San Jose.
However, the Kings were just getting started as they knocked off their crosstown rival, the Anaheim Ducks, with another Game 7 win on the road.
Then in the Western Conference Finals, the Kings made more history as they became the first team in NHL playoff history to win three Game 7s on the road in the same postseason as they eliminated the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks with a 5-4 overtime win on defenseman Alec Martinez's game-winning goal, sending the Kings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in three years.
The Kings did not need seven games to defeat the New York Rangers, but the Cup clincher was still dramatic as Martinez scored the game-winner in double overtime of Game 5 to give Los Angeles its second Stanley Cup in three years.
3. 1971 Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens entered the 1971 postseason in the unfamiliar role of underdog, as they finished the regular season third in the Eastern Conference with a total of 97 points and had a rookie goaltender in Ken Dryden, starting between the pipes even though he had only played six games during the regular season.
Montreal was not excepted to be any match for the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, who had finished the season with a league-high 121 points and scored 399 goals during the regular season.
But the Canadiens shocked the Bruins in seven games to advance to the semifinals where they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in six games, earning Montreal its 26th trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would face off with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The resilient Canadiens came back after losing the first two games of the series to force a Game 7 in Chicago where Montreal overcome a 2-0 deficit to score the last three goals of the game for the 3-2 victory and the team's 17th Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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| Canadiens goaltender Ken Dryden won the Conn Smythe Award for his performance in the 1971 Stanley Cup Playoffs. |
Even though they had finished with a 14-25-9 record and totaled only 37 points, the Chicago Blackhawks made the playoffs as the NHL had only eight teams in the league, with six of them qualifying for the playoffs in 1938.
Chicago faced the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-three series to start the playoffs, where Chicago would advance to the next round on Paul Thompson's game-winning goal in overtime of Game 3.
The Blackhawks moved on to face the now defunct New York Americans, where the Blackhakws would eliminate the Americans with a 3-2 in Game 3 of their best-of-three series, to earn a berth in the Finals where they would face the Toronto Maple Leafs, who had finished the 1938 season with 20 more points than the Blackhawks.
But Chicago would win the series in four games to capture their second Stanley Cup in five years and became the team with the worst record ever to win a Stanley Cup.
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| The Blackhawks hoist head coach Bill Stewart after winning the 1938 Stanley Cup. |
1. 2012 Los Angeles Kings
Going into the 2012 playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings were not excepted to be a contender for the Stanley Cup as they were the #8 seed in the Western Conference with 95 points and were going to face the Vancouver Canucks, the Presidents Trophy winners and defending Western Conference Champions.
But the Kings would become the tenth #8 seed since the NHL went to a #1 through #8 seeding format per conference to win a first-round playoff series as they knocked off the Canucks in five games, with Jarrett Stoll scoring the series clinching goal in overtime of Game 5.
In the second round, the Kings swept the #2 seed St. Louis Blues thanks to goaltender Jonathan Quick's performance as he allowed only six goals over the four games.
Then in the Western Conference Finals, the Kings faced the #3 seed Phoenix Coyotes and took the series in five games to earn their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 19 years.
In the Finals, the Kings faced the New Jersey Devils and took a stranglehold on the series as they won LA jumped out to a 3-0 series lead.
But the Devils came back to win Games 4 & 5, with Game 5 being the first and only time the Kings lost on the road during the 2012 playoffs, to force a Game 6 back in LA.
Los Angeles ended the Devils' chances of forcing a Game 7 as they blew out New Jersey 6-1 to earn the Kings their first Stanley Cup in team history and becoming the first and thus far only #8 seed to win the Stanley Cup.
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