List of Stanley Cup champions
This is a list of Stanley Cup champions, including the finalists/challengers. Originally, it was referred to as the "Challenge Cup"; the champions held onto the Cup until they either lost their league title to another club, or a champion from another league issued a formal challenge and subsequently defeated the reigning Cup champion in a special game or series. The playoff format for each challenge varied depending on what the two competing clubs agreed to.
History of competition
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, the Cup's trustees declared that the Cup was only to be defended at the end of the champion team's regular season. Also during the Cup's challenge era, all of the leagues that played for the trophy had no annual formal playoff system to decide their own respective championships; whoever finished in first place after the regular season won the league title. Thus, a few league championship games or series were held just to break first place ties and determine who would keep the Cup. These league title games have historically been listed along with the regular inter-league Cup challenges.
In 1915, an agreement between the National Hockey Association (NHA) and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was reached in which their respective champions would face each other for the Cup. The NHA dissolved in 1917, and the National Hockey League (NHL) took its place. Then after the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) was born in 1921, it was agreed that all three league champions would play for the Cup. The PCHA and the WCHL merged in 1924, and became the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925. Since the demise of the WHL in 1926, the Cup has been awarded to the NHL champions.
Stanley Cup champions by year
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.
The 'Full chronology' section lists the complete series of league championships and challenges during the period, and the 'Season-by-Season' record lists the winners after the final challenge of the hockey season, as well as challenge winners during the season, if they are different teams.
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.
(*) Note: 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.
(**) Note: For most of 1904, the Ottawa Senators was not affiliated with any league.
(***) Note: 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.
† Note: 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. & - playing Coach.
Season-by-Season Record
This table lists the winners of Stanley Cups per hockey season, (which does not have official dates as rinks were natural ice, so the season roughly corresponds to winter) for the 'challenge era.' The leagues typically started close to the beginning of the calendar year and ended in early March.
Season | Holder at End of Season | Other Challenge Winners |
---|---|---|
1892-93 | Montreal HC (AHAC) | |
1893-94 | Montreal HC (AHAC) | |
1894-95 | Montreal Victorias (AHAC) | Montreal HC (AHAC) |
1895-96 | Winnipeg Victorias (MHA) | |
1896-97 | Montreal Victorias (AHAC) | |
1897-98 | Montreal Victorias (AHAC) | |
1898-99 | Montreal Shamrocks (CAHL) | Montreal Victorias (CAHL) |
1899-1900 | Montreal Shamrocks (CAHL) | |
1900-01 | Winnipeg Victorias (MHA) | |
1901-02 | Montreal HC (CAHL) | Winnipeg Victorias (MHA) |
1902-03 | Ottawa Senators (CAHL) | Montreal HC (CAHL) |
1903-04 | Ottawa Senators | |
1904-05 | Ottawa Senators (FAHL) | |
1905-06 | Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) | Ottawa Senators (ECAHA) |
1906-07 | Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) | Kenora Thistles (MPHL) |
1907-08 | Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) | |
1908-09 | Ottawa Senators (ECAHA) | Montreal Wanderers (ECAHA) |
1909-10 | Montreal Wanderers (NHA) | Ottawa Senators (CHA/NHA) |
1910-11 | Ottawa Senators (NHA) | |
1911-12 | Quebec Bulldogs (NHA) | |
1912-13 | Quebec Bulldogs (NHA) | |
1913-14 | Toronto Blueshirts (NHA) |
NHA vs. PCHA champions
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) |
NHL vs. PCHA champions
Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1917-18 | Toronto (NHL) | Dick Carroll | Vancouver Millionaires (PCHA) | Frank Patrick | 3-2 | Corb Denneny (10:30, 3rd) |
1918-19 | Not awarded due to 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
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
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
- 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.
Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1926-27 | Ottawa Senators (C) | Dave Gill | Boston Bruins (A) | Art Ross | 2-0-2 | Cy Denneny (7:30, 2nd) |
1927-28 | New York Rangers (A) | Lester Patrick | Montreal Maroons (C) | Eddie Gerard | 3-2 | Frank Boucher (3:35, 3rd) |
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967-68 | Montreal Canadiens (E) | Toe Blake | St. Louis Blues (W) | Scotty Bowman | 4-0 | J.C. Tremblay (11:40, 3rd) |
1968-69 | Montreal Canadiens (E) | Claude Ruel | St. Louis Blues (W) | Scotty Bowman | 4-0 | John Ferguson (3:02, 3rd) |
1969-70 | Boston Bruins (E) | Harry Sinden | St. Louis Blues (W) | Scotty Bowman | 4-0 | Bobby Orr (0:40, OT) |
- 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.
Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1970-71 | Montreal Canadiens (E) | Al MacNeil | Chicago Black Hawks (W) | Bill Reay | 4-3 | Henri Richard (2:34, 3rd) |
1971-72 | Boston Bruins (E) | Tom Johnson | New York Rangers (E) | Emile Francis | 4-2 | Bobby Orr (11:18, 1st) |
1972-73 | Montreal Canadiens (E) | Scotty Bowman | Chicago Black Hawks (W) | Bill Reay | 4-2 | Yvan Cournoyer (8:13, 3rd) |
1973-74 | Philadelphia Flyers (W) | Fred Shero | Boston Bruins (E) | Bep Guidolin | 4-2 | Rick MacLeish (14:48, 1st) |
- 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.
Season | Winning Team | Coach | 2nd Place Team | Coach | Games | Winning Goal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974-75 | Philadelphia Flyers | Fred Shero | Buffalo Sabres | Floyd Smith | 4-2 | Bob Kelly (0:11, 3rd) |
1975-76 | Montreal Canadiens | Scotty Bowman | Philadelphia Flyers | Fred Shero | 4-0 | Guy Lafleur (14:18, 3rd) |
1976-77 | Montreal Canadiens | Scotty Bowman | Boston Bruins | Don Cherry | 4-0 | Jacques Lemaire (4:32, OT) |
1977-78 | Montreal Canadiens | Scotty Bowman | Boston Bruins | Don Cherry | 4-2 | Mario Tremblay (9:20, 1st) |
1978-79 | Montreal Canadiens | Scotty Bowman | New York Rangers | Fred Shero | 4-1 | Jacques Lemaire (1:02, 2nd) |
1979-80 | New York Islanders | Al Arbour | Philadelphia Flyers | Pat Quinn | 4-2 | Bob Nystrom (7:11, OT) |
1980-81 | New York Islanders | Al Arbour | Minnesota North Stars | Glen Sonmor | 4-1 | Wayne Merrick (5:37, 1st) |
- 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.
- The league's two conferences were renamed the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively.
Stanley Cup Finals appearances by franchise
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 unless marked otherwise.
Toronto - Includes the titles won by the 1918 Toronto HC, and the Toronto St. Pats (1919-1927); predecessors of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ottawa - The later Ottawa Senators are the namesake of the first.
Dallas - Dallas totals include two Finals losses as the Minnesota North Stars.
Seattle - Seattle totals include the 1919 Stanley Cup Finals that ended with a no decision due to the Spanish flu epidemic.
Anaheim - Anaheim totals include one Final series loss as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim; their former name.
Defunct - Franchise no longer exists.
Current franchises with no Finals appearances
- Atlanta Thrashers (Founded 1999)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (Founded 2000)
- Minnesota Wild (Founded 2000)
- Nashville Predators (Founded 1998)
- Phoenix Coyotes (Founded 1972 as Winnipeg Jets (entering the NHL for the 1979-80 season). Known as Phoenix Coyotes since 1996)
- San Jose Sharks (Founded 1991)
External links
See also
- Stanley Cup Challenge Games
- List of NHL seasons
- Presidents' Trophy
- List of NHL franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Hockey League playoff appearance streaks
References
- List of winners of the Stanley Cup from the Hockey Hall of Fame
- List of winners of the Stanley Cup from NHL.com
- List of Stanley Cup Playoff Formats from NHL.com
- Stanley Cup-winning goals from NHL.com
- Coleman, Charles (1966–1969). The Trail of the Stanley Cup vols. 1–3. NHL.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date format (link) - Diamond, Dan (2003). The Ultimate Prize: The Stanley Cup. Andrews McMeel Publishing. pp. 21–26. ISBN 0-7407-3830-5.
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has generic name (help) - Podnieks, Andrew (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books. ISBN 1-55168-261-3.
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