List of NHL playoff series
Buffalo Sabres
Table:
Opponent

S

Occurrences

GP

Rec

%

Philadelphia Flyers

9

1975, 1978, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2011

50

3–6

.333

Boston Bruins

8

1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2010

45

2–6

.250

Montreal Canadiens

7

1973, 1975, 1983, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1998

35

3–4

.429

Ottawa Senators

4

1997, 1999, 2006, 2007

21

3–1

.750

New York Islanders

4

1976, 1977, 1980, 2007

21

1–3

.250

Dallas Stars

3

1977, 1981, 1999

13

1–2

.333

Chicago Blackhawks

2

1975, 1980

9

2–0

1.000

New York Rangers

2

1978, 2007

9

2–0

1.000

Vancouver Canucks

2

1980, 1981

7

2–0

1.000

Colorado Avalanche

2

1984, 1985

8

0–2

.000

Pittsburgh Penguins

2

1979, 2001

10

0–2

.000

St. Louis Blues

1

1976

3

1–0

1.000

Toronto Maple Leafs

1

1999

5

1–0

1.000

Carolina Hurricanes

1

2006

7

0–1

.000

New Jersey Devils

1

1994

7

0–1

.000

Washington Capitals

1

1998

6

0–1

.000

Totals

50

256

21–29

.420

Taking into account the following table together with the background passages below.

Respond to the question below: How many playoff seasons occurred for the opponent team that is frequently referred to in English and French as the Habs ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . Part of the 1967 NHL Expansion , the Flyers were the first expansion team in the post-Original Six era to win the Stanley Cup , victorious in 1973-74 and again in 1974-75 . The Flyers ' all-time points percentage of 57.5% ( as of the 2018-19 NHL season [ update ] ) is the third-best in the NHL , behind only the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens . Additionally , the Flyers have the most appearances in the conference finals of all 24 expansion teams ( 16 appearances , winning 8 ) , and they are second behind the St. Louis Blues for the most playoff appearances out of all expansion teams ( 39 out of 51 seasons ) . The Flyers have played their home games on Broad Street since their inception , first at the Spectrum from 1967 until 1996 , and then at the Wells Fargo Center since 1996 . The Flyers have had rivalries with several teams over the years . Historically , their biggest adversaries have been the New York Rangers , with an intense rivalry stretching back to the 1970s . They have also waged lengthy campaigns against the New York Islanders in the 70s and 80s , the Boston Bruins , a bruising battle especially in the 1970s , the Washington Capitals , which has always been intense since their days in the Patrick Division , as well as the New Jersey Devils , with whom they traded the Atlantic Division title every season between 1994-95 and 2006-07 , and finally they enjoy a spirited rivalry with their cross-state and expansion brethren , the Pittsburgh Penguins , which is considered by some to be the best rivalry in the league .
The 1974-75 NHL season was the 58th season of the National Hockey League . Two new teams , the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts were added , increasing the number of teams to 18 . To accommodate the new teams , the NHL re-organized its divisional structure and playoff format . The regular season was expanded to 80 games per team ( which would be the case until 1992-93 ) . The Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup for the second consecutive year .
The 1977-78 NHL season was the 61st season of the National Hockey League . The Montreal Canadiens won their third Stanley Cup in a row , defeating the Boston Bruins four games to two in the Stanley Cup Finals .
The 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League was played between May 6 and June 24 , 1995 . The 1994-95 NHL regular season was shortened to 48 games , and the playoffs pushed to a later date , due to a lockout . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals , semifinals and championships , and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . In the Final , the New Jersey Devils swept the favored Detroit Red Wings in four games to win their first championship . This was the only time Patrick Roy missed the playoffs in his career . His team , the Montreal Canadiens , missed the playoffs for the first time since 1970 . The Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs this year . Montreal and Ottawa would not miss the playoffs in the same year again until 2016 , when all Canadian teams missed the playoffs . The Quebec Nordiques played their last ever playoff series during this time . They would move to Denver , Colorado during the summer . For the first time since 1980 , no league semifinal/conference final games were played in Canada .
The 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 16 , 1997 , following the completion of the 1996-97 NHL season . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series for conference quarter-finals , semi-finals and championships , and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . The Playoffs ended on June 7 , with the Detroit Red Wings defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in a four-game sweep to win their eighth Stanley Cup championship in their history , and their first in 42 years . Red Wings goaltender Mike Vernon was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff 's Most Valuable Player . It was also the first time since 1967 that the Boston Bruins failed to qualify for the playoffs , ending their 29-year consecutive playoffs appearances record .
The 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 22 , 1998 following the 1997-98 regular season . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals , semifinals and championships , and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Stanley Cup . The playoffs concluded on June 16 with the Detroit Red Wings winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship , defeating the Washington Capitals , who appeared in their very first Finals , in a four-game sweep . Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP , and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy . The 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings were the last team to defend their Stanley Cup Championship until the Pittsburgh Penguins successfully defended their Stanley Cup title in 2017 . In the Eastern Semis , the Buffalo Sabres made history as they became the first team in NHL history to complete a four-game sweep of the Montreal Canadiens on Montreal ice . For the first time since 1969 the Chicago Blackhawks missed the playoffs . Also , both the Islanders and Rangers missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time .
The 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 12 , 2000 , and concluded on June 10 . The 16 teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series for Conference Quarterfinals , Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals , with each conference champion playing a best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup Finals for the Stanley Cup . The playoffs ended when the New Jersey Devils defeated the reigning champion Dallas Stars in a six-game series to win their second Stanley Cup title in franchise history . Devils defenseman Scott Stevens was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs . The Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks both missed the playoffs this year . This would not happen again until 2014 , when all four Western Canadian teams missed the playoffs . For the first time in history , only two Original Six teams made it to the playoffs ( Toronto and Detroit ) . This would only happen again in 2001 ( Toronto and Detroit ) , 2007 ( New York Rangers and Detroit ) , 2018 ( Boston and Toronto ) , and 2019 ( Boston and Toronto ) . Also for the first time , the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens missed the playoffs in the same season . In addition , both conference finals went to the maximum seven games . This did not happen again until 2015 .
The 2001 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 11 , 2001 , and ended on June 9 , 2001 , when the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche defeated the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Devils to win its second Stanley Cup . Defenceman Ray Bourque , who had a 21-year tenure in Boston , won his first Stanley Cup in his final professional year . Joe Sakic , Swedish center Peter Forsberg , defenceman Rob Blake , and goalkeeper Patrick Roy claimed the Stanley Cup for the final time in their careers . Roy was also awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy , his third , the most by any player . No hat tricks were scored in the 2001 playoffs , and goaltenders combined for a record 19 shutouts . This was the first of ten consecutive seasons the Florida Panthers missed the playoffs , the longest playoff drought in NHL history .
The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League ( NHL ) championship began on April 21 , 2006 , following the 2005-06 regular season . The 16 teams that qualified , seeded one through eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the Conference Quarterfinals . The conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . The Finals concluded on June 19 with the Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup , defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the final series four games to three . Carolina goaltender Cam Ward was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs . The Edmonton Oilers would miss the playoffs each year thereafter until 2017 . This was also the last time that the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs . While the 2005-06 season introduced a shootout to break ties after five minutes of four-on-four overtime , the Stanley Cup playoffs retained their traditional format of unlimited 20-minute periods of five-on-five sudden-death overtime to break ties . The Western Conference made history in the first round when all four series were won by the lower-seeded teams ( conversely , all four series in the Eastern Conference were won by the higher-seeded teams ) . The eighth- and lowest-seeded Oilers proceeded to win the Western Conference and participate in the Stanley Cup Finals . Four Canadian teams qualified for the playoffs this year , this total was not equaled again until 2013 .
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 13 , 2011 , after the conclusion of the 2010-11 NHL regular season . The first game of the Finals was held on June 1 , while the deciding seventh game was held on June 15 . The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in the Finals to capture their first Stanley Cup championship since 1972 , their sixth overall Stanley Cup win . Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player during the playoffs . Bruins forward David Krejci led all playoff scorers with 23 points in 25 games .
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team has been in existence since 1924 , and is the league 's third-oldest team overall and the oldest in the United States . It is also an Original Six franchise , along with the Chicago Blackhawks , Detroit Red Wings , Montreal Canadiens , New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs . The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships , tied for fourth most of all-time with the Blackhawks and tied second-most of any American NHL team also with the Blackhawks ( behind the Red Wings , who have 11 ) . The first facility to host the Bruins was the Boston Arena ( today 's Matthews Arena ) - the world 's oldest ( built 1909-10 ) indoor ice hockey facility still in use for the sport at any level of competition - and following the Bruins ' departure from the Boston Arena , the team played its home games at the Boston Garden for 67 seasons , beginning in 1928 and concluding in 1995 , when they moved to the TD Garden .
The 1982 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 7 , after the conclusion of the 1981-82 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 16 with the champion New York Islanders defeating the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 to win the Final series four games to none and win the Stanley Cup .
The 1983 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 5 , after the conclusion of the 1982-83 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 17 with the champion New York Islanders defeating the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 to win the Final series four games to none and win the Stanley Cup for the fourth consecutive season .
The 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 6 , after the conclusion of the 1987-88 NHL season . It concluded on May 26 , with the defending champion Edmonton Oilers defeating the Boston Bruins to win their second straight Stanley Cup and fourth in five years .
The 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 5 , after the conclusion of the 1988-89 NHL season . This was the final year that all of the Division Semifinals began with teams playing the first four games in a span of five days . The playoffs concluded on May 25 with the champion Calgary Flames defeating the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 to win the Stanley Cup Final series four games to two . It remains the last time that the Cup Finals was contested between two Canadian hockey teams . Montreal finished the regular season with 115 points , only two behind the league leader Calgary . They had last faced each other in 1986 , with Montreal winning in five games . Calgary was only the second opposing team in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup at the Montreal Forum ( the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Maroons in 1928 ) and the first and only to do so against the Canadiens . Flames defenceman Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP , while Lanny McDonald , who ended the regular season with exactly 500 goals , got his name on the Cup in his last ever NHL game . Flames co-owner Sonia Scurfield became the first Canadian woman to have her name inscribed on the Stanley Cup . Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings met the defending champion Oilers in the first round . Gretzky and the Kings defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions after falling behind 3 games to 1 . In the second round the Kings were swept by the eventual champion Calgary Flames in four games .
The 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 18 , after the conclusion of the 1991-92 NHL season . It was the 100th anniversary of the first awarding of the Stanley Cup , and it was won by the Pittsburgh Penguins , defeating the Chicago Blackhawks . The 1992 playoffs saw history being made , as for the first time ever , all four division winners were eliminated in the same round . In the division finals , the Norris Division champion Detroit Red Wings were swept by the Chicago Blackhawks in four straight games , and the Montreal Canadiens , who had won the Adams Division , suffered the same fate at the hands of the Boston Bruins . The Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated the Patrick Division titlists , the New York Rangers , in six games , while the Vancouver Canucks , the Smythe Division toppers , fell to the Edmonton Oilers , also in six games . A record 54 games were played in the first round , with six of the eight series going the full seven games , in addition three series featured teams coming back from 3-1 series deficits , the most in a single playoff year ; this record was equaled in 2003 . The only two series that did n't go seven games were the Oilers ' six-game win over the Kings , and the Blackhawks ' six-game win over the Blues . This was the last year the Hartford Whalers and Minnesota North Stars qualified for the playoffs . The franchises would not reach the post-season again until 1999 and 1994 respectively . By the time each franchise reached the playoffs again , they were known as the Carolina Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars , respectively . Video replay was used to decide a playoff game for the first time in game six of the Detroit-Minnesota division semifinal . Sergei Fedorov of the Red Wings appeared to hit the crossbar behind Minnesota goalie Jon Casey during the first overtime , but after the North Stars iced the puck immediately afterward , referee Rob Shick called for a video review , which determined that the puck had entered the goal just below the crossbar and caromed off the frame at the back of the net .
The 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began after the conclusion of the 1992-93 NHL season on April 18 and ended with the Montreal Canadiens defeating the Los Angeles Kings four games to one to win the Stanley Cup on June 9 . These playoffs featured an NHL record 28 overtime games , of which the Canadiens set a playoff record for most overtime games won in one year with ten . The Canadiens also won 11 consecutive games during the playoffs , tying an NHL record . The Presidents ' Trophy-winning Pittsburgh Penguins , who had won the Stanley Cup the previous two years , were the favourite to repeat . However , both conferences saw numerous upsets as the third place team in every division reached their respective conference finals . This was the first time since the 1979 NHL-WHA merger that the Edmonton Oilers had missed the playoffs . It was also the first time that longtime Oilers and then-New York Rangers captain Mark Messier had missed the playoffs in his career . This was the only year between 1984 and 1994 that the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens did not face each other in the playoffs . This was the last time that the New York Islanders won a playoff round before 2016 . Montreal 's Cup championship remains the last time that a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup .
The 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began on April 21 , 1999 , following the 1998-99 NHL season . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series for conference quarter-finals , semi-finals and championships , and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . As of 2019 , this was the last time all four WHA teams made the playoffs . Despite his team being eliminated before the Stanley Cup Finals , Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Forsberg 's postseason scoring totals , with 24 points in 19 games , were not surpassed for the rest of the 1999 playoffs . This made him the first player to lead all playoff scorers despite not making the finals since the 1986 playoffs where Doug Gilmour and Bernie Federko each tallied 21 points in 19 postseason games for St. Louis who was also eliminated in the conference finals . The playoffs ended on June 19 , 1999 , with the Dallas Stars defeating the Buffalo Sabres to win their first Stanley Cup championship in their history . Brett Hull scored the controversial triple overtime goal in game six for Dallas , while Joe Nieuwendyk was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs .
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 14 , 2010 , after the 2009-10 NHL regular season . The Finals ended on June 9 , 2010 , with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961 . Blackhawks center and team captain Jonathan Toews was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs ' most valuable player . This NHL post-season was noted for the unexpected playoff successes of two teams : the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens , who were the seventh and eighth seeds in their conference and were tied for points . The Flyers became the third NHL team to win a seven-game series after being down 3-0 ( the others being the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders ) . The Flyers went on to play in the Stanley Cup Final , losing to Chicago . Meanwhile , the Canadiens became the first eighth-seeded team in NHL history to win a series against the first-seeded team after being down 3-1 in a series , when they beat the Washington Capitals in the first round . After upsetting the defending Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round , the Canadiens became the first eighth-seeded team to compete in the Eastern Conference Finals since the current playoff format was implemented in 1994 . Previously , only the eighth-seeded 2006 Edmonton Oilers had accomplished a similar feat , winning the 2006 Western Conference Finals . As a result of the Canadiens having the eighth seed , the Flyers became the first seventh-seed to have home-ice advantage in the conference finals since the current playoff format was instituted . During the 2010 playoffs , 18 games went to overtime .
The Montreal Canadiens [ note 3 ] ( French : Les Canadiens de Montréal ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The club 's official name is le Club de hockey Canadien . The team is frequently referred to in English and French as the Habs . French nicknames for the team include Les Canadiens ( or Le Canadien ) , Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge , La Sainte-Flanelle , Le Tricolore , Les Glorieux ( or Nos Glorieux ) , Le CH , Le Grand Club and Les Habitants ( from which Habs is derived ) . Founded in 1909 , the Canadiens are the longest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide , and the only existing NHL club to predate the founding of the NHL . One of the oldest North American professional sports franchises , the Canadiens ' history predates that of every other Canadian franchise outside football as well as every American franchise outside baseball and the National Football League 's Arizona Cardinals . The franchise is one of the Original Six teams , a description used for the teams that made up the NHL from 1942 until the 1967 expansion . The team 's championship season in 1992-93 was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup . The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times than any other franchise . They have won 24 Stanley Cup championships , 23 of them since the founding of the NHL and 22 of them since 1927 , when NHL teams became the only ones to compete for the Stanley Cup . On a percentage basis , as of 2014 [ needs update ] , the franchise has won 25.3% of all Stanley Cup championships contested after the Challenge Cup era , making it the second most successful professional sports team of the traditional four major sports of Canada and the United States , behind only the Boston Celtics .
The 1972-73 NHL season was the 56th season of the National Hockey League . Sixteen teams each played 78 games . Two new teams , the New York Islanders and the Atlanta Flames , made their debuts . The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup by beating the Chicago Black Hawks four games to two in the Stanley Cup Final .
The 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League ( NHL ) championship began on April 5 , 1990 , following the 1989-90 regular season . The sixteen teams that qualified , from the top four teams of the four divisions , played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals . The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . This was the last time that the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs until 2017 . They would make the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons from 1991 to 2016 , excluding 2005 , when the season was cancelled . Since entering the NHL as expansion teams in the 1967-68 NHL season this was the first and only time to date that both the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs in the same season . The playoffs concluded on May 24 with the Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup , defeating the Boston Bruins in the final series four games to one . Edmonton goaltender Bill Ranford was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs .
The 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the National Hockey League ( NHL ) championship began on April 3 , 1991 , following the 1990-91 regular season . The 16 teams that qualified , from the top four teams of the four divisions , played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals . The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . This was the first of the 25 consecutive years in which the Detroit Red Wings qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs until their streak finally ended in 2017 . Their streak is tied for the third longest in NHL history , and was the longest active playoff appearance streak in the four major American professional sports . The finals concluded on May 25 with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup , defeating the Minnesota North Stars in the final series four games to two . Pittsburgh forward Mario Lemieux was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs . This was the first NHL playoffs without any series sweeps since the 1972-73 season . In addition , this season set the record for most playoff games played with 92 , which stood until 2014 .
The Ottawa Senators ( French : Sénateurs d'Ottawa ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The Senators play their home games at the 18,652-seat Canadian Tire Centre , which opened in 1996 as the Palladium . Founded and established by Ottawa real estate developer Bruce Firestone , the team is the second NHL franchise to use the Ottawa Senators name . The original Ottawa Senators , founded in 1883 , had a famed history , winning 11 Stanley Cups , playing in the NHL from 1917 until 1934 . On December 6 , 1990 , after a two-year public campaign by Firestone , the NHL awarded a new franchise , which began play in the 1992-93 season . The current team owner is Eugene Melnyk , and in 2019 , the franchise was valued by Forbes magazine at $ 445 million . The Senators have won four division titles and , in 2003 , the Presidents ' Trophy ; and have once appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals ( 2007 ) .
The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11 , 2007 . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals , semifinals and championships , and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . The series ended on June 6 with the Anaheim Ducks defeating the Ottawa Senators in five games to win their first ever championship . For the first time in NHL history , neither of the two teams that played in the previous year 's Stanley Cup Finals ( the Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers ) qualified for the playoffs . For the first time since 1994 , all four former WHA teams ; Carolina ( formerly the Hartford Whalers ) , Colorado ( formerly the Quebec Nordiques ) , Edmonton , and Phoenix ( formerly the Winnipeg Jets ) missed the playoffs in the same year , this would not happen again until 2013 . Also for the first time since 1994 , the Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs . This was the only time that the Atlanta Thrashers qualified for the playoffs in their twelve years in Georgia ( they became the new Winnipeg Jets in 2011 ) . Only two Original Six teams made the playoffs this year , the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings ( this included the Montreal Canadiens ' and the Toronto Maple Leafs ' first absence from the tournament together since 1970 ) . This only happened twice before in 2000 and 2001 , and would not happen again until 2018 .
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York metropolitan area . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The team splits its home games between Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale , New York , and Barclays Center in the borough of Brooklyn . The Islanders are one of three NHL franchises in the New York metropolitan area , along with the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers , and their fan base resides primarily on Long Island . The team was founded in 1972 as part of the NHL 's maneuvers to keep a team from rival league World Hockey Association ( WHA ) out of the newly built Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in suburban Uniondale , New York . After two years of building up the team 's roster , they found almost instant success by securing fourteen straight playoff berths starting with their third season . The Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships between 1980 and 1983 , the seventh of eight dynasties recognized by the NHL in its history . Their 19 consecutive playoff series wins between 1980 and 1984 is a feat that remains unparalleled in the history of professional sports . They are the last team in any major professional North American sport to win four consecutive championships . Following the team 's dynasty era , the franchise ran into problems with money , ownership and management , an aging arena , and low attendance . Their woes were reflected on the ice , as the team has not won a division title since 1987-88 , and went 22 seasons without winning a playoff series prior to the 2016 playoffs . After years of failed attempts to rebuild or replace Nassau Coliseum in suburban Long Island , the Islanders relocated to Barclays Center following the 2014-15 season .
The 1975-76 NHL season was the 59th season of the National Hockey League . The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup , defeating the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers in the final . This season also marked the final time that Hockey Night in Canada on CBC in Canada would air both radio and television broadcasts of games , the show would become exclusive to television the next season .
The 1976-77 NHL season was the 60th season of the National Hockey League . The Kansas City Scouts moved to Denver , Colorado , and became the Colorado Rockies and the California Golden Seals moved to Cleveland , Ohio , and became the Cleveland Barons . The Montreal Canadiens once again dominated the playoffs as , for the second straight year , they swept their opponent four games to none in the final series for the Stanley Cup .
The 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 8 , after the conclusion of the 1979-80 NHL season . This season saw the addition of four teams from the disbanded World Hockey Association ( WHA ) as expansion franchises , and thus the playoffs were also expanded from 12 to 16 teams . Two for those former WHA clubs , the Edmonton Oilers and the Hartford Whalers , made the playoffs in their first season in the NHL . The playoffs concluded on May 24 when the New York Islanders defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4 to win the Final series four games to two and win the Stanley Cup . It was the Islanders ' first Stanley Cup win and was the first of four consecutive Stanley Cup wins .
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars , based in Bloomington , Minnesota . Before the beginning of the 1978-79 NHL season , the team merged with the Cleveland Barons after the league granted them permission due to each team 's respective financial struggles . Ultimately , the franchise relocated to Dallas for the 1993-94 NHL season . The Stars played out of Reunion Arena from their relocation until 2001 , when the team moved less than 1.5 miles into the American Airlines Center . The Stars have won eight division titles in Dallas , two Presidents ' Trophies as the top regular season team in the league , the Western Conference championship twice , and in 1998-99 , the Stanley Cup . Joe Nieuwendyk won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs that year . In 2000 , Neal Broten was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame . In 2009 , Brett Hull became the first Dallas Stars player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame , followed by Ed Belfour and Joe Nieuwendyk in 2011 and Mike Modano in 2014 . In 2010 , brothers Derian and Kevin Hatcher were inducted to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame .
The 1981 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 8 , after the conclusion of the 1980-81 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 21 with the champion New York Islanders defeating the Minnesota North Stars 5-1 to win the Final series four games to one and win the Stanley Cup .
The Chicago Blackhawks ( spelled Black Hawks until 1986 , and known colloquially as the Hawks ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference . They have won six Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926 . The Blackhawks are one of the Original Six NHL teams along with the Detroit Red Wings , Montreal Canadiens , Toronto Maple Leafs , Boston Bruins and New York Rangers . Since 1994 , the club 's home rink is the United Center , which they share with the National Basketball Association 's Chicago Bulls . The club had previously played for 65 years at Chicago Stadium . The club 's original owner was Frederic McLaughlin , who owned the club until his death in 1944 . Under McLaughlin , a hands-on owner who fired many coaches during his ownership , the club won two Stanley Cup titles . The club was then owned by the Norris family , who as owners of the Chicago Stadium were the club 's landlord , and owned stakes in several of the NHL teams . At first , the Norris ownership was as part of a syndicate fronted by long-time executive Bill Tobin , and the team languished in favor of the Norris-owned Detroit Red Wings . After the senior James E. Norris died in 1952 , the Norris assets were spread among family members and James D. Norris became owner . Norris Jr. took an active interest in the team and under his ownership , the club won one Stanley Cup title in 1961 .
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden in the borough of Manhattan , an arena they share with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . They are one of three NHL teams located in the New York metropolitan area ; the others being the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders . Founded in 1926 by Tex Rickard , the Rangers are one of the Original Six teams that competed in the NHL before its 1967 expansion , along with the Boston Bruins , Chicago Blackhawks , Detroit Red Wings , Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs . The team attained success early on under the guidance of Lester Patrick , who coached a team containing Frank Boucher , Murray Murdoch , and Bun and Bill Cook to Stanley Cup glory in 1928 , making them the first NHL franchise in the United States to win the trophy . The team would then go onto win two additional Stanley Cups in 1933 and 1940 . Following this initial grace period , the franchise struggled between the 1940s and 1960s , whereby playoff appearances and success was infrequent . The team enjoyed a mini renaissance in the 1970s , where they made the Stanley Cup finals twice , albeit , losing to the Bruins in 1972 and the Canadiens in 1979 . The Rangers subsequently embraced a rebuild for much of the 1980s and early 1990s , which eventually paid dividends , where the team , led by Mark Messier , Brian Leetch , Adam Graves , and Mike Richter , captured their fourth Stanley Cup in 1994 . The team was unable to duplicate that success in the years that followed , and entered into another period of mediocrity . They endured a franchise-record seven-year postseason drought from 1998 to 2005 , and languished for the majority of the 2000s before enjoying another period of prosperity after the 2004-05 NHL Lockout .
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena , formerly known as General Motors Place , which has an official capacity of 18,910 . Travis Green is the head coach and Jim Benning is the general manager . The Canucks joined the league in 1970 as an expansion team along with the Buffalo Sabres . In its NHL history , the team has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals three times , losing to the New York Islanders in 1982 , the New York Rangers in 1994 and the Boston Bruins in 2011 . They have won the Presidents ' Trophy in back-to-back seasons as the team with the league 's best regular season record in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons . They won three division titles as a member of the Smythe Division from 1974 to 1993 , and seven titles as a member of the Northwest Division from 1998 to 2013 . The Canucks , along with fellow expansion team , the Buffalo Sabres , are the two oldest teams to have never won the Stanley Cup . The Canucks have retired six players ' jerseys in their history - Stan Smyl ( 12 ) , Trevor Linden ( 16 ) , Markus Naslund ( 19 ) , Daniel Sedin ( 22 ) , Henrik Sedin ( 33 ) , and Pavel Bure ( 10 ) ; all but Bure and Daniel Sedin have served as team captain . Smyl has the distinction of being the only Canuck to have his jersey number retired at their former arena , the Pacific Coliseum .
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference . The Avalanche are the only team in their division not based in the Central Time Zone ; the team is situated in the Mountain Time Zone . Their home arena is Pepsi Center , which they share with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association . Their general manager is Joe Sakic . The Avalanche were founded in 1972 as the Quebec Nordiques and were one of the charter franchises of the World Hockey Association . The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as a result of the NHL-WHA merger . Following the 1994-95 season , they were sold to the COMSAT Entertainment Group and relocated to Denver . In the club 's first season in Denver , the Avalanche won the Pacific Division and went on to sweep the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals , becoming the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup in the season following a relocation . Among teams in the major North American professional sports leagues , only the National Football League ( NFL ) 's Washington Redskins have also accomplished the feat . This was the first major professional sports championship a Denver-based team brought to the city . In the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals , the Avalanche defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 to win their second and most recent championship .
The 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 4 , after the conclusion of the 1983-84 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 19 with the Edmonton Oilers defeating the four time defending champion New York Islanders 5-2 to win the Stanley Cup Finals four games to one , the franchise 's first Stanley Cup .
The 1985 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) began on April 10 , after the conclusion of the 1984-85 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 30 with the champion Edmonton Oilers defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 8-3 to win the Final series four games to one and win the Stanley Cup .
The Pittsburgh Penguins ( colloquially known as the Pens ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The Penguins are one of two NHL franchises in Pennsylvania , the other being the Philadelphia Flyers . The cities ' proximity has led to a rivalry known as the Battle of Pennsylvania . The club is owned by Mario Lemieux and Ronald Burkle , who purchased the Penguins in 1999 and brought the club out of bankruptcy . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league 's expansion from six to twelve teams . The Penguins played in the Civic Arena , also known as The Igloo , from the time of their inception through the end of the 2009-10 season , when they moved to the Consol Energy Center , which was later renamed PPG Paints Arena . The 1992-93 Penguins won the franchise 's first-ever Presidents ' Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season . In addition to their eight division titles , they have qualified for six Stanley Cup Finals , winning the Stanley Cup five times - in 1991 , 1992 , 2009 , 2016 , and 2017 . Along with the Edmonton Oilers , the Penguins are tied for the most Stanley Cup championships among non-Original Six teams and sixth overall . With their Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017 , the Penguins became the first back-to-back champions in 19 years ( since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings ) and the first team to do so since the introduction of the NHL salary cap . They also became the fifth team to accomplish this feat multiple times .
The 1979 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League , ( NHL ) began on April 10 , after the conclusion of the 1978-79 NHL season . The playoffs concluded on May 21 , with the three-time defending champion Montreal Canadiens defeating the New York Rangers 4-1 to win the Final series four games to one for the Stanley Cup . Three Original Six teams made the semifinals , which would not happen again until the 2014 Conference Finals .
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the six teams from the 1967 NHL expansion and is named after the W. C. Handy song Saint Louis Blues . The Blues play their home games at the 19,150-seat Enterprise Center in downtown St. Louis , which has been their arena since moving from St. Louis Arena in 1994 . The Blues qualified for the playoffs in all but nine of their 52 seasons , appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals four times , and won the Stanley Cup in 2019 . Their 42 playoff appearances are the most for any NHL team outside of the Original Six , although the franchise struggled in the postseason throughout much of their history . While they made the Stanley Cup Finals in each of their first three seasons , they were swept each time . With the Blues ' victory in their fourth Stanley Cup Final , 49 years after their last appearance and in their 52nd year of existence , they became the final active team from the 1967 expansion to win their first Stanley Cup . The Blues have a rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks , with both teams having played in the same division since 1970 . The San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) and the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL are the two minor league affiliates of the Blues .
The Toronto Maple Leafs , officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often simply referred to as the Leafs , are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment , Ltd. and are represented by Chairman Larry Tanenbaum . The Maple Leafs ' broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications . For their first 14 seasons , the club played their home games at the Mutual Street Arena , before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931 . The Maple Leafs moved to their present home , Scotiabank Arena ( originally named the Air Canada Centre ) in February 1999 . The club was founded in 1917 , operating simply as Toronto and known then as the Toronto Arenas . Under new ownership , the club was renamed the Toronto St. Patricks in 1919 . In 1927 the club was purchased by Conn Smythe and renamed the Maple Leafs . A member of the Original Six , the club was one of six NHL teams to have endured through the period of League retrenchment during the Great Depression . The club has won thirteen Stanley Cup championships , second only to the 24 championships of the Montreal Canadiens . The Maple Leafs history includes two recognized dynasties , from 1947 to 1951 ; and from 1962 to 1967 .
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh , North Carolina . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The Hurricanes play their home games at the 18,680-seat PNC Arena ( formerly known as RBC center ) . The franchise was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association ( WHA ) . The Whalers saw success immediately , winning the Eastern Division in the WHA 's first three seasons , as well as becoming the inaugural Avco World Trophy Champions to cap off the 1972-73 season . The Whalers again competed for the World Trophy in 1978 , this time falling short to the Winnipeg Jets in a rematch of the 1973 Finals . The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the NHL-WHA merger , renaming themselves the Hartford Whalers . The team relocated to North Carolina in 1997 , rebranding themselves as the Hurricanes . Carolina advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 2002 , where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings , 4-1 . The Hurricanes won the 2006 Stanley Cup over the Edmonton Oilers in seven games , giving the state of North Carolina its first major professional sports championship . On February 15 , 2020 , it was announced that the Hurricanes would host a Stadium Series game at Carter-Finley Stadium on February 20 , 2021 .
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark , New Jersey . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The club was founded as the Kansas City Scouts in Kansas City , Missouri , in 1974 . The Scouts moved to Denver , Colorado in 1976 and became the Colorado Rockies . In 1982 , they moved to East Rutherford , New Jersey and took their current name . For their first 25 seasons in New Jersey , the Devils were based at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford and played their home games at Brendan Byrne Arena ( later renamed to Continental Airlines Arena ) . Before the 2007-08 season , the Devils moved to Prudential Center in Newark . The franchise was poor to mediocre in the eight years before moving to New Jersey , a pattern that continued during the first five years in New Jersey as they failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs and never finished higher than fifth in their division . Their fortunes began to turn around following the hiring of president and general manager Lou Lamoriello in 1987 . Under Lamoriello 's stewardship , the Devils made the playoffs all but three times between 1988 and 2012 , including 13 berths in a row from 1997 to 2010 , and finished with a winning record every season from 1992-93 to 2009-10 . They have won the Atlantic Division regular season title nine times , most recently in 2009-10 , before transferring to the newly created Metropolitan Division as part of the NHL 's realignment in 2013 . The Devils have reached the Stanley Cup Finals five times , winning in 1994-95 , 1999-2000 and 2002-03 , and losing in 2000-01 and 2011-12 .
The 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs , the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) , began after the conclusion of the 1993-94 NHL season . The sixteen teams that qualified , eight from each conference , played best-of-seven game series for conference quarterfinals , semifinals and championships ; and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup . The playoffs ended when the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh game of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals . For the first time since joining the NHL , all four former WHA teams ( Edmonton , Hartford , Quebec , and Winnipeg ) failed to make the playoffs . Wayne Gretzky also missed the playoffs for the first time in his career . Conversely , the San Jose Sharks became the first post-1990 expansion team to make the playoffs . All series played between Central and Pacific Division teams had a 2-3-2 format to reduce travel . This remains the last time that two Canadian teams made it to the conference finals in the same year , let alone faced each other in that particular round .
The Washington Capitals ( colloquially known as the Caps ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington , D.C . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference . The Capitals are owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment , headed by Ted Leonsis . From 1974 to 1997 the Capitals played their home games at the Capital Centre , in Landover , Maryland ( a suburb in the Washington metropolitan area ) . In 1997 the team moved to the arena now called Capital One Arena , their present home arena in Washington , D.C . The Capitals were founded in 1974 as an expansion franchise , alongside the Kansas City Scouts . Since purchasing the team in 1999 , Leonsis revitalized the franchise by drafting star players such as Alexander Ovechkin , Nicklas Backstrom , Mike Green and Braden Holtby . The 2009-10 Capitals won the franchise 's first Presidents ' Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season . They won it a second time in 2015-16 , and did so for a third time the following season in 2016-17 . In addition to twelve division titles and three Presidents ' Trophies , the Capitals have reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998 and 2018 , winning in the latter . The Capitals have retired the use of four numbers in honor of four players . In addition , the team holds an association with a number of individuals inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame .