What NHL Teams Won Back-to-Back Stanley Cups?
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Find out which NHL teams have won back-to-back Stanley Cups since the 1950s.
NHL teams that have won back-to-back Stanley Cups
The Stanley Cup is the most prestigious trophy in the NHL and winning it is a huge accomplishment. Winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is even more impressive and is a feat that has been accomplished by only a few teams. Let’s take a look at the NHL teams that have won back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins have won six Stanley Cups, the fourth-most of any team. They won their first Cup in 1929, led by Howie Morenz, and their most recent in 2011. They also won Cups in 1939, 1941, 1970 and 1972. The Bruins were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup, and they did it again in 1972 after the expansion Philadelphia Flyers won it in 1974.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). 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 1997, 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 (in 1934 and 1938). The club was then owned by James E. Norris from 1939 until his death in 1952. Norris is credited with hiring Tex Rickard as general manager and authorizing him to trade players and run the team however he saw fit; this led to one of the most successful periods of Blackhawks history between 1938 (when they acquired goalie Hank Celebrian from Montreal) and 1950 (when they traded star defenseman Max Bentley to Toronto).
Under head coach Tommy Ivan, creative center ice duo Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull powered a dynastic run that captured five Stanley Cups in seven seasons between 1961 and 1967 for an unequaled feat that has yet to be matched as of 2019. Read more about this topic: List Of Stanley Cup Finals Appearances By Team
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are one of the most successful teams in NHL history, and they have won back-to-back Stanley Cups on multiple occasions.
The first time they accomplished this feat was in 1936 and 1937. Led by the legendary “Production Line” of Gordie Howe, Sid Abel, and Ted Lindsey, the Red Wings won a league-best 12 games in a row en route to their first Stanley Cup title. They would follow that up with another dominant season, posting a league-best 43-14-7 record before defeating the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final.
TheRed Wings would win back-to-back Stanley Cups again in 1997 and 1998. Led by future Hall of Famers Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, and Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings were nearly unstoppable, losing just four games in regulation during the entire 1997-98 season. They would defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Final in six games to complete their historic run.
Most recently, the Red Wings won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2007 and 2008. Led by stars like Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Johan Franzen, the Red Wings were once again one of the best teams in the league, losing just seven games in regulation during the 2007-08 season. They would defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games to win their fourth Stanley Cup title of the millennium.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). 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 Habitants (the inhabitants), Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge (the Blue-White-Red), La Sainte-Flanelle (the Holy Flame), Le Tricolore (the Tricolour), and Les Glorieux/Les Capitales (the Glorious/Capital ones).
Founded in 1909 as a charter member of the NHL, the Canadiens are one of the “Original Six” teams that made up the league from 1942 until 1967, and one of the oldest professional hockey teams still playing. The franchise is one of only two NHL teams to win multiple Stanley Cups prior to 1965; together with their cross-town rivals, the Montreal Maroons, they have won a record 24 Stanley Cups since 1909—more than any other professional sports franchise in North America. The Canadiens’ history includes many ups and downs: winning their first Stanley Cup championship in 1916 and losing multiple championship opportunities throughout their long history until finally capturing an NHL-record 11th Stanley Cup in 1993. Following a102–point season in 1995–96 which was capped off with another Stanley Cup victory, repeated knee injuries to star goaltender Patrick Roy forced him to retire early following the end of the 1996–97 season. In 2000, after an inspired regular season which saw them lose only five games out of 82 contests, head coach Alain Vigneault led them to their first Presidents’ Trophy—presented annually “to the team finishing at least tied for first place overall in points”; it was also only their second division title since 1970—and another playoff run which resulted in their 27th Stanley Cup championship in 2001—an achievement which came less than two years after having won only 24 games during 1999–2000.
Since then, while underdogItalic text status has been displaced by perennial favourite Italic textstatus—a role cemented by back-to-back trips to Eastern Conference Finals in 2010 and 2011—a slew of playoff disappointments followed: four consecutive exits from playoffs by second round between 2012 and 2015; a loss to eventual Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017 conference semifinals; as well as qualifying for playoffs only twice between 2015 and 2020.
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York metropolitan area. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team was founded in 1972 as part of the NHL’s realignment plan, and along with the New York Rangers, Brooklyn Americans, and Buffalo Sabres, are one of four active NHL teams located within the state of New York.
The Islanders have appeared in six Stanley Cup Finals (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987), winning four consecutive times from 1980 to 1983. They are tied with the Oilers for having won the most Stanley Cups in a row as well as being second overall for having won five or more Stanley Cups in a row with their dynasty from 1980 to 1984. The Islanders were also the last team to win four straight Cups.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of six teams from the Czechoslovakia national hockey team that were allowed to play in the NHL as a result of an expansion. The Penguins have won five Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2016 and 2017. They are the only team from Czechoslovakia to have won the Stanley Cup.
How often have teams won back-to-back Stanley Cups?
In the history of the NHL, there have been only a handful of teams who have won back-to-back Stanley Cups. In fact, it’s only happened 11 times. Let’s take a look at the teams who have been able to achieve this feat.
In the last 10 years
In the last 10 years, there have been 3 teams to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The first team to do it was the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017. Then, the following year, the Washington Capitals won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2018 and 2019. Finally, the most recent team to achieve this was the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won in 2020 and 2021.
In the last 20 years
In the last 20 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only team to have won back-to-back Stanley Cups, doing so in 2016 and 2017.
In the last 30 years
Since the 1990-91 season, three teams have won back-to-back Stanley Cups: the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991 and 1992), the Detroit Red Wings (1997 and 1998) and the Colorado Avalanche (2001 and 2002).
What teams are most likely to win back-to-back Stanley Cups?
Since the NHL expanded in 1967, only five teams have won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The most recent team to do it was the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won in 2016 and 2017. The other teams to win back-to-back Stanley Cups are the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Islanders, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Montreal Canadiens.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins have the most recent experience with winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, doing so in 2011 and 2012. The Bruins are also the only team to have won three major trophies in a span of less than one year, having won the Stanley Cup, the Presidents’ Trophy, and the Prince of Wales Trophy in 2011.
Chicago Blackhawks
Since the NHL expanded to a 30-team league in 2000, only five teams have won back-to-back Stanley Cups: the Detroit Red Wings (1998 and 1999), the New Jersey Devils (2000 and 2001), the Colorado Avalanche (2001 and 2002), the Los Angeles Kings (2012 and 2014) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (2016 and 2017).
Of those five teams, the Blackhawks have been the most successful, winning three Stanley Cups in a six-year span between 2010 and 2015. The Penguins are the only other team to win more than one Stanley Cup in that time frame, winning three between 2009 and 2016.
Detroit Red Wings
In recent history, the Detroit Red Wings have been the team most likely to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. They’ve done it twice, in 1997 and 1998, and they came close to doing it again in 2002 and 2003.
The Red Wings are a perennial powerhouse, and their success is due in large part to the stability of their core group of players. Many of the team’s key players have been with the franchise for a long time, and that continuity has helped them maintain a high level of play.
The Red Wings aren’t the only team that has a chance to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, but they’re certainly one of the favorites. Other teams that could make a run at winning consecutive championships include the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Boston Bruins.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times and are the only team to have won back-to-back Cups on more than one occasion, doing so ten times. They last accomplished the feat in 1992 and 1993.
New York Islanders
Since the NHL expanded to a 31-team format in 2017, only one team has won back-to-back Stanley Cups: the Pittsburgh Penguins, who did it in 2016 and 2017.
But which teams are most likely to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in the near future? Let’s take a look at a few contenders.
The New York Islanders have won four Stanley Cups in a row, from 1980 to 1983. They’re currently on pace to win their fifth straight Stanley Cup, which would tie the record for most consecutive Stanley Cup wins.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the reigning Stanley Cup champions, and they’re currently atop the NHL standings. They’re certainly looking like a team that could win back-to-back Stanley Cups.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are another team that looks like a contender for back-to-back Stanley Cups. They haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967, but they’re currently second in the NHL standings and they have one of the best rosters in the league.
So, which team is most likely to win back-to-back Stanley Cups? It’s tough to say, but all three of these teams are definitely contenders.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are the most likely team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, as they have done so twice in recent history (1991 and 1992, 2016 and 2017). The Detroit Red Wings and the New York Islanders have also won back-to-back Stanley Cups on multiple occasions.
