The Greatest Teams in NHL History

There have been a lot of great teams in NHL history. But these are the ones that stand out most.

 

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoff winner after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 23 times since the league was formed, 10 more than the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs.

From 1951-60, Montreal made the Cup final every season, winning five times in a row from ’56-60. Between 1965 and 1979, the Canadiens won 10 more times. Since then, they’ve won twice more: in 1986 and ’93.

These days, Stanley Cup dynasties have become much harder to come by. The New York Islanders won four consecutive Cups: ’79, ’80, ’81 and ’82. The Edmonton Oilers won five Cups between 1983 and 1990, but only one team—the Detroit Red Wings in ’97 and ’98—has won back-to-back Cups since.

Today, the only teams that could be considered anything close to dynasties are the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks. The Kings have won two Cups in the past three seasons, while Chicago won in 2010 and ’13.