List of Stanley Cup champions
This is a list of Stanley Cup champions, including finalists and challengers. The Stanley Cup, donated by former Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston in 1882, is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.[1] Originally inscribed the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, the trophy was an award for Canada's top-ranking amateur ice hockey club. In 1915, the two professional ice hockey organizations, the National Hockey Association (NHA) and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA), reached a gentlemen's agreement in which their respective champions would face each other for the Stanley Cup. After a series of league mergers and folds, it became the de facto championship trophy of the NHL in 1926. The Cup later became the de jure NHL championship prize in 1947.
Since the 1914-1915 season, the trophy has been won by 17 active NHL teams and five defunt teams have won it a combined 92 times. Prior to that, the challenge cup was held by nine different teams. There are two seasons that the Stanley Cup has not been awarded: during the 1918-19 season because of a Spanish flu epidemic and 2004-05 because of the NHL lockout. Since the 1964-65 playoffs, the Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded to the player who is judged to be the most valuable player to his team during the playoffs.[2]
Champions
Challenge Cup
The origins of the Challenge era come from the method of play of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada prior to 1893. From 1887 to 1893, the league did not play a round-robin format, but rather challenges between teams of the association that year, with the winner of the series being the 'interim' champion, with the final challenge winner becoming the league champion for the year. The Stanley Cup kept the tradition going, but added league championships as another way that a team could win the trophy. If a team in the same league as the current champion won the league championship, it would then inherit the Cup, without a challenge. The only time this rule was not followed was in 1904, when the Ottawa Senators club withdrew from its league, the CAHL. The trustees ruled that the Cup stayed with Ottawa, instead of the CAHL champion.
During the challenge cup period, none of the leagues that played for the trophy had a formal playoff system to decide their respective champions; whichever team finished in first place after the regular season won the league title.[3] In 1908, the Allan Cup was introduced as the trophy for Canada's amateurs, and the Stanley Cup started to become a symbol of professional hockey supremacy.[4] Prior to 1912, challenges could take place at any time, given the appropriate rink conditions, and it was common for teams to defend the Cup numerous times during the year. In 1912, Cup trustees declared that it was only to be defended at the end of the champion team's regular season.[5]
Full chronology
This table lists the outcome of all Stanley Cup wins, including successful victories and defenses in challenges, and league championships for the challenge era.
^ A. Although the Montreal Victorias won the AHAC title in 1895, the Stanley Cup trustees had already accepted a challenge from the 1894 Cup champion Montreal HC and Queen's University. As a compromise, the trustees decided that if the Montreal HC won the challenge match, the Victorias would become the Stanley Cup champions. The Montreals eventually won the game, 5–1, and their crosstown rivals were awarded the Cup.
^ B. January 29 game was completed on January 31, because January 29 game was tied at midnight, January 30th and the Mayor of Westmount refused to allow play to continue on the Sunday.
^ C. For most of 1904, the Ottawa Senators was not affiliated with any league.
^ D. The Montreal Wanderers were disqualified as the result of a dispute. After Game 1 ended tied at the end of regulation, 5–5, the Wanderers refused to play overtime with the current referee, and then subsequently refused to play the next game of the series in Ottawa.
NHA/NHL vs. PCHA champions
In 1914, the Victoria Aristocrats from the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) challenged the NHA and Cup champion Toronto Blueshirts. Since the Aristocrats never formally submitted a challenge, the Cup trustees viewed the series as illegitimate. However, the controversy was moot as Toronto successfully defended the Cup by sweeping a best-of-five series.[6]
One year later, the NHA and the PCHA concluded a gentlemen's agreement in which their respective champions would face each other for the Cup. Under the new proposal, the Stanley Cup Final series alternated between the East and the West each year, with alternating games played according to NHA and PCHA rules.[7] The Cup trustees agreed to this new arrangement, because after the Allan Cup became the highest prize for amateur hockey teams in Canada, the trustees had become dependent on the top two professional leagues to bolster the prominence of the trophy.[8] After the Portland Rosebuds, an American-based team, joined the PCHA in 1914, the trustees issued a statement that the Cup was no longer for the best team in Canada, but now for the best team in the world.[7] Two years later, the Rosebuds became the first American team to play in the Stanley Cup Final.[8] In 1917, the Seattle Metropolitans became the first American team to win the Cup.[9] After that season, the NHA dissolved, and the National Hockey League (NHL) took its place.[7]
In 1919, the Spanish influenza epidemic forced the Montreal Canadiens and the Seattle Metropolitans to cancel their series tied at 2–2–1, marking the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded.[10]
| Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914–15 | Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) | Frank Patrick | Ottawa Senators (NHA) | Frank Shaughnessy (mgr) | 3–0 | Barney Stanley (5:30, 2nd) |
| 1915–16 | Montreal Canadiens (NHA) | George Kennedy | Portland Rosebuds (PCHA) | Edward Savage (mgr) | 3–2 | Goldie Prodgers (17:20, 3rd) |
| 1916–17 | Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) | Pete Muldoon | Montreal Canadiens (NHA) | Newsy Lalonde | 3–1 | Bernie Morris (7:55, 1st) |
| 1917–18 | Toronto (NHL) | Dick Carroll | Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) | Frank Patrick | 3–2 | Corb Denneny (10:30, 3rd) |
| 1918–19 | Not awarded because of the flu epidemic. | |||||
| 1919–20 | Ottawa Senators (NHL) | Pete Green | Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) | Pete Muldoon | 3–2 | Jack Darragh (5:00, 3rd) |
| 1920–21 | Ottawa Senators (NHL) | Pete Green | Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) | Lloyd Cook & Frank Patrick | 3–2 | Jack Darragh (9:40, 2nd) |
NHL vs. PCHA or WCHL champions
The format for the Stanley Cup Finals changed in 1922, with the creation of the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). Three leagues competed for the Cup: two league champions faced each other for the right to challenge the third champion in the final series.[11]
| Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921–22 | Toronto St. Pats (NHL) | George O'Donoghue | Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) | Lloyd Cook & Frank Patrick | 3–2 | Babe Dye (4:20, 1st) |
| 1922–23 | Ottawa Senators (NHL) | Pete Green | Edmonton Eskimos (WCHL) | Ken McKenzine | 2–0 | Punch Broadbent (11:23, 1st) |
| 1923–24 | Montreal Canadiens (NHL) | Leo Dandurand | Calgary Tigers (WCHL) | Eddie Oatman | 2–0 | Howie Morenz (4:55, 1st) |
NHL vs. WCHL/WHL champions
In 1924, the PCHA and the WCHL merged to form the Western Hockey League (WHL).[12] After winning in the 1924–25 season, the Victoria Cougars became the last team outside the NHL to win the Stanley Cup.[13]
| Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924–25 | Victoria Cougars (WCHL) | Lester Patrick | Montreal Canadiens (NHL) | Leo Dandurand | 3–1 | Gizzy Hart (2:35, 2nd) |
| 1925–26 | Montreal Maroons (NHL) | Eddie Gerard | Victoria Cougars (WHL) | Lester Patrick | 3–1 | Nels Stewart (2:50, 2nd) |
NHL champion
The WHL folded in 1926, leaving the NHL as the only league left competing for the Cup. Other leagues and clubs occasionally issued challenges, but from that year forward, no non-NHL team played for it, leading it to become the de facto championship trophy of the NHL.[12] In 1947, the NHL reached an agreement with trustees P.D. Ross and Cooper Smeaton to grant control of the cup to the NHL, allowing the league to reject challenges from other leagues that may have wished to play for the Cup.[14][15]
| (A) | Team played for the NHL's American division (1926-1938) |
| (C) | Team played for the NHL's Canadian division (1926-1938) |
| (E) | Team played for the NHL's East division (1967-1974) |
| (W) | Team played for the NHL's West division (1967-1974) |
| (CC) | Team played for the NHL's Prince of Wales Conference (1981-1993) |
| (PW) | Team played for the NHL's Clarence Campbell Conference (1981-1993) |
| (EC) | Team played for the NHL's Eastern Conference (1994 - ) |
| (WC) | Team played for the NHL's Western Conference (1994 - ) |
Playoff formats
- 1926–27—1927–28: After NHL became the only league to compete for the Cup, the playoff champion of the NHL Canadian Division faced the playoff champion of the NHL American Division in the Stanley Cup Finals.[16]
- 1928–29—1937–38: The league changed the playoff format: In the Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, both second place teams faced each other, as did the two third place teams. Both first place teams received a bye and automatically advanced to the semifinals, but had to face each other in that playoff round. As a result, two teams from the same division occasionally played each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.[16]
- 1938–39—1966–67: Before the start of the 1938–39 season, the league contracted to seven teams, causing the league to implement a one division format. The NHL contracted even further to only six clubs by the 1942–43 season, beginning a period that became known as the Original Six Era.[16]
- 1967–68—1969–70: As a result of the 1967 NHL Expansion, the league realigned its teams into the East Division and the West Division, with the playoffs arranged so that teams from each division would meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.[16]
- 1970–71—1973–74: The league changed the playoff format again so that an Eastern Division team would always face a Western Division team in the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Therefore, two teams from the same division could face each other in the Stanley Cup Finals.[16]
- 1974–75—1980–81: The league expanded to 18 teams and realigned into two conferences: the Prince of Wales Conference and the Clarence Campbell Conference. Twelve teams qualified for the postseason, but were seeded 1–12 regardless of conference. This type of seeding system would continue after the league expanded the playoffs to 16 teams before the 1979–80 season.[16]
- 1981–82—1992–93: The postseason format was altered so that once again the playoff champion of the Prince of Wales Conference faced the playoff champion of the Clarence Campbell Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.
- 1993–94—Present: The league's two conferences were renamed the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively.[16]
Win/loss record
The following is a ranking of franchises by number of appearances in the Finals since 1915. Prior to this time, from 1894 to 1914, the Cup was won on a challenge basis. Teams played in the NHL exclusively at the time they won the Stanley Cup unless marked otherwise.
Active teams
| Appearances | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Montreal Canadiens (NHA/NHL) | 24 | 9 | .727 |
| 22 | Detroit Red Wings | 10 | 12 | .455 |
| 21 | Toronto Maple Leafs[A] | 13 | 8 | .619 |
| 17 | Boston Bruins | 5 | 12 | .294 |
| 10 | New York Rangers | 4 | 6 | .400 |
| 10 | Chicago Blackhawks | 3 | 7 | .300 |
| 7 | Edmonton Oilers | 5 | 2 | .714 |
| 7 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 | 5 | .286 |
| 5 | New York Islanders | 4 | 1 | .800 |
| 4 | New Jersey Devils | 3 | 1 | .750 |
| 4 | Dallas Stars[B] | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| 3 | Calgary Flames | 1 | 2 | .333 |
| 3 | St. Louis Blues | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| 2 | Colorado Avalanche | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2 | Carolina Hurricanes | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 2 | Anaheim Ducks[C] | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 2 | Buffalo Sabres | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| 2 | Vancouver Canucks | 0 | 2 | .000 |
| 1 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1 | Ottawa Senators(1992– )[D] | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Washington Capitals | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Los Angeles Kings | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Florida Panthers | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 0 | Atlanta Thrashers | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 0 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 0 | Minnesota Wild | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 0 | Nashville Predators | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 0 | Phoenix Coyotes | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 0 | San Jose Sharks | 0 | 0 | .000 |
^ A. Includes the titles won by the 1918 Toronto HC, and the Toronto St. Pats (1919–1927); predecessors of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
^ B. Dallas totals include two Finals losses as the Minnesota North Stars.
^ C. Anaheim totals include one Final series loss as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim; their former name.
Defunct teams
| Appearances | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Ottawa Senators (NHA/NHL) (1910–34)[D] | 4 | 1 | .800 |
| 4 | Vancouver Millionaires/Maroons (PCHA/WCHL) | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| 3 | Montreal Maroons | 2 | 1 | .667 |
| 3[E] | Seattle Metropolitans (PCHA) | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 2 | Victoria Cougars (PCHA) | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 1 | Portland Rosebuds (PCHA) | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Edmonton Eskimos (WCHL) | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 1 | Calgary Tigers (WCHL) | 0 | 1 | .000 |
^ D. The later Ottawa Senators are the namesake of the first.
^ E. Seattle totals include the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals that ended with a no decision because of the Spanish flu epidemic.
See also
- List of NHL seasons
- Presidents' Trophy
- List of NHL franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Hockey League playoff appearance streaks
Notes
- ^ "Stanley Cup Fun Facts". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- ^ "Conn Smythe Trophy". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- ^ [Podnieks], pg. 20
- ^ [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey], pg. 19
- ^ "Stanley Cup Winners: Quebec Bulldogs 1911–12". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- ^ [Diamond], pg. 46
- ^ a b c [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey], pg. 20
- ^ a b [Diamond], pg. 45 Cite error: The named reference "DiamondNHL100–45" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Stanley Cup Winners: Seattle Metropolitians 1916–17". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2006-07-11.
- ^ [Podnieks], pg. 51
- ^ [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey], pp. 20–21
- ^ a b [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey], pg. 21
- ^ "Stanley Cup Winners: Victoria Cougars 1924–25". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2006-07-11.
- ^ [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey], pg. 40
- ^ "Court:Non-NHL teams could vie for Cup". TSN. 2006-02-07. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g "List of Stanley Cup Playoff Formats". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
References
- "List of winners of the Stanley Cup". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- "List of Stanley Cup Playoff Formats". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- "Stanley Cup-winning goals". NHL.com. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- "STC List of winners of the Stanley Cup". LegendsofHockey.net. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- "Stanley Cup Playoffs - Winners and Finalists Since 1893". The Sports Network. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
- Podnieks, Andrew (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-55168-261-3.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - [Diamond, Zweig, and Duplacey] Diamond, Dan (2003). The Ultimate Prize: The Stanley Cup. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 0-7407-3830-5.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - [Diamond]Dan Diamond (ed.), ed. (1992). The Official National Hockey League Stanley Cup Centennial Book. Firefly Books. ISBN 1-895565-15-4.
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Further reading
- Coleman, Charles (1966–1969). The Trail of the Stanley Cup vols. 1–3. NHL.
- Diamond, Dan (2003). The Ultimate Prize: The Stanley Cup. Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 21–26. ISBN 0–7407–3830–5.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Dan Diamond (ed.), ed. (1992). The Official National Hockey League Stanley Cup Centennial Book. Firefly Books. ISBN 1–895565–15–4.
{{cite book}}:|editor=has generic name (help) - Podnieks, Andrew (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. ISBN 1–55168–261–3.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
External links
Stanley Cup awarded on challenge basis 1893–1914, by prearranged inter-league competitions 1915–1926, to NHL playoff champion since 1927 | ||
| 1890s–1900s |  | |
| 1910s–1920s | ||
| 1930s–1940s | ||
| 1950s–1960s | ||
| 1970s–1980s | ||
| 1990s–2000s | ||
| 2010s–2020s | ||
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| See also | ||
