The NHL is one of the most entertaining sports leagues in North America. Every year, millions of fans are cheering for teams from Canada and the USA as they compete for the Stanley Cup. As of now, there are 31 teams in the National Hockey League, and the television rights deals for streaming these matches can stand up to par with those for the NBA, the NFL, and MLB.
The Stanley Cup was first awarded back in 1892, so this is one of the oldest trophies in sports history. It has been won by 23 different teams over the past century, and we are going to take a look at the teams that have won it the most. Let’s get started!
10. New Jersey Devils
The official name of this team was voted by the fans back in 1982 and was inspired by a creature that hypothetically lived in the Pine Barrens. Appearing in the Stanley Cup five times in total, this team is one of the most successful in the history of the NHL.
As a team that has been around for almost half a century, the Devils have been able to win three Stanley Cups. These trophies were all won from 1995 to 2003, during a time that this team was considered to be quite dominant.
While we said that the number of won Stanley Cups will be the most important factor, we will also take into consideration other trophies. Thus, it is important to know that this team has won five Conference and nine Division titles.
9. New York Islanders
Founded back in 1972, this team is probably the most popular when it comes to those living in the metropolitan area of New York.
This hockey team has appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs a total of five times and has a good winning percentage of 80%. The fact that the New York Islanders were victorious in four out of five Stanley Cups is one of their most impressive achievements.
The best years for the New York Islanders were from 1980 to 1983. Additionally, they have been able to win six Conference Finals and six Division Championships.
8. New York Rangers
Originally, there were just six NHL franchises, and the New York Rangers are one of the oldest teams in the league. There are two other teams from the New York area, and out of the 31 teams in the league, the Rangers stand as the most valuable ($1.65 billion according to Forbes).
The Rangers were victorious in four different Stanley cups, with the latest one being in 1994. Additionally, they have had 11 playoff appearances, and although they haven’t won any Stanley Cups in recent years, their total of four is still quite impressive.
As for other titles, they have been able to win seven division titles. Along with that, two Conference Championships and three Presidents’ Trophies further prove that they haven’t stayed active in the league for over a century without a reason.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
If you are an NHL fan, then you have surely heard about the two teams coming from Pennsylvania – the first one being the Philadelphia Flyers and the second being the Pittsburgh Penguins. Founded back in 1967, the Penguins stand as one of the teams with the best appearance to wins ratios.
Looking at what Pittsburgh was able to achieve, it is quite impressive that, out of their six appearances in the playoffs, they were able to win five Stanley Cups. Their most recent titles were in 2016 and 2017.
As for other competitions and titles that they managed to win, we are looking at six division and eight conference titles. For a smaller team coming from Pennsylvania, these are superb numbers.
6. Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers may not be the richest team in the NFL, as the franchise is worth around $200 million, but that doesn’t mean that they lack the competitive spirit or the ability to be among the best hockey teams in North America.
For the last several years, the Oilers haven’t been able to be as much of a championship contender, the tide seems to be changing, as they have been getting a few #1 draft picks. The period during which they were most successful was from 1984 to 1990, as this is when they won five Stanley cups out of seven playoff appearances.
Not surprisingly, the five Stanley Cups aren’t the only achievement of the Oilers as a team. Along with that, they were able to win seven conferences and nine division titles. Additionally, the team has won two Presidents’ Trophies, ensuring that they have all of the available trophies in their basket.
5. Chicago Blackhawks
Moving on to the top five, we are presenting you with the success of another one of the original six teams, alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings.
Firstly, they were incredibly successful in the initial years of the league, winning Stanley Cups in 1934, 1938, and 1961. They weren’t victorious again until almost 50 years later, winning the title in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
As you could imagine, their success isn’t limited to Stanley Cups. They have also been able to win 16 Division Championships. Along with that, they have four conference titles and two Presidents’ Trophies.
4. Boston Bruins
When talking about NHL teams that have spectacular fan support, we have to mention the Boston Bruins. The most impressive part of this franchise is that the fans from Boston are there for their favorite team during both the winning and losing times.
This is one of the oldest teams in the league, being founded back in 1924. The Bruins have made 20 playoff appearances, winning the Stanley Cup in 1929, 1939, 1941, 1971, 1972, and 2011. This is why they are one of the most valuable NHL franchises.
On top of the aforementioned Stanley Cups, they also have twenty division titles and five Conference Championships, which makes them one of the most successful teams of the Atlantic Division Eastern Conference.
3. Detroit Red Wings
When it comes to hockey clubs from the USA, it is safe to say that the Red Wings are one of the most impressive. As a member of the Original Six, this team has made 24 playoff appearances, which resulted in 11 Stanley Cup wins.
When compared to the aforementioned teams, it is safe to say that the Detroit Red Wings have been maintaining a good level of performance for the last century.
Along with the aforementioned trophies, the Red Wings also have six conference titles, 19 division championships, and six Presidents’ Trophies. Taking all these statistics into consideration, it is clear that there are not many teams that have performed better than the Red Wings.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
Hockey is the national sport of Canada, and this is why it is perfectly normal for the two most successful teams in the NHL to be from this country. Apart from the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the oldest franchises (being founded back in 1917), its fan base is probably the biggest – even topping the Montreal Canadiens.
The team hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in over 50 years, but the impressive number of 21 finals and 13 wins is more than enough for them to be the second-most successful team ever. The Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cups win range from 1918 to 1967.
As a part of the Atlantic Division Eastern Conference, it is safe to say that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the second-most victorious team. They haven’t won any conference titles, but that isn’t as important given their overall success.
1. Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are one of the winningest teams in NHL history. Apart from the fact that they are one of the most beloved teams in the league, they also have an impressive 23 Stanley Cups.
The Montreal Canadiens have appeared in the playoffs 34 times overall, with 23 wins. These wins span a time period of almost 70 years, from 1924 to 1993!
Not only do the Canadiens have the most Stanley Cups in the history of this league, but they also have an impressive number of eight conference titles and 24 Division Championships.
Summary
That’s our list of the NHL teams with the most Stanley Cup wins – as you can see, these wins are really impressive to say the least!
All that is left to say is that we are sure hockey will remain a huge thing in the USA and Canada, and for fans of this sport, there will be many more great moments!
