Stanley Cup Winners

The Stanley Cup Winners List spans nearly 110 years of NHL championship history dating back to 1915. The Montreal Canadiens lead the Stanley Cup Winners List with 24 championships, their most recent title coming in 1993.

The Florida Panthers became the most recent champions on the Stanley Cup Winners List, winning back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025 by defeating the Edmonton Oilers.

This comprehensive Stanley Cup Winners List includes every champion since the NHL took control of the trophy in 1926. Only 27 franchises have won the cup throughout hockey history, with just 22 remaining active in the league today.

All-Time Stanley Cup Winners List

Rank Team Championships Finals Appearances Prime Era
1 Montreal Canadiens 24 35 1956-1960, 1976-1979
2 Toronto Maple Leafs 13 21 1942-1967
3 Detroit Red Wings 11 24 1936-1955, 1997-2002
4 Edmonton Oilers 5 8 1984-1990
5 Boston Bruins 6 14 1929-1941, 1970-1972
6 New York Rangers 4 8 1927-1940
7 Chicago Blackhawks 6 11 1930s-1960s
8 Pittsburgh Penguins 5 8 1991-1992, 2016-2017
9 Los Angeles Kings 2 4 2012-2014
10 Vegas Golden Knights 1 3 2023

This Stanley Cup Winners List shows clear dominance by Montreal and Toronto from professional hockey’s earliest era.

Montreal’s 24 titles on this Stanley Cup Winners List account for over 30% of all championships ever awarded.

Recent Stanley Cup Champions (2015-2025)

Year Champion Runner-Up Final Result Finals MVP
2025 Florida Panthers Edmonton Oilers 4-2 Sam Bennett
2024 Florida Panthers Edmonton Oilers 4-3 Connor McDavid (Oilers)
2023 Vegas Golden Knights Florida Panthers 4-1 Jonathan Marchessault
2022 Colorado Avalanche Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 Cale Makar
2021 Tampa Bay Lightning Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Andrei Vasilevskiy
2020 Tampa Bay Lightning Dallas Stars 4-2 Victor Hedman
2019 St. Louis Blues Boston Bruins 4-3 Ryan O’Reilly
2018 Washington Capitals Vegas Golden Knights 4-1 Alex Ovechkin
2017 Pittsburgh Penguins Nashville Predators 4-2 Sidney Crosby
2016 Pittsburgh Penguins San Jose Sharks 4-2 Sidney Crosby
2015 Chicago Blackhawks Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 Duncan Keith

The Tampa Bay Lightning won consecutive championships in 2020 and 2021, proving early contention in the modern era.

The Florida Panthers’ back-to-back 2024-2025 championships mark a historic achievement for the franchise.

The Greatest Stanley Cup Dynasties

Montreal Canadiens (1956-1960)

The Canadiens won five consecutive Stanley Cups over five seasons, an unprecedented feat in hockey.

Maurice Richard led this dynasty with his legendary playmaking and goal-scoring abilities. The team’s dominance on defense and speed set the standard for generations of hockey players.

Coach Toe Blake built a system emphasizing teamwork and speed over individual heroics. Montreal won 10 consecutive Finals appearances from 1950 to 1960 during this era.

Montreal Canadiens (1976-1979)

Montreal captured four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1976 through 1979, the second dynasty in franchise history.

Guy Lafleur scored 25 playoff goals during this run, leading the team to victory. The Canadiens defeated multiple legendary opponents including the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers repeatedly.

Only Montreal and the New York Islanders have won four consecutive Cups in the modern era. This dynasty proved Montreal’s sustained excellence under coach Scotty Bowman’s leadership.

New York Islanders (1980-1983)

The Islanders claimed four consecutive Stanley Cups immediately following Montreal’s reign from 1980 to 1983.

They defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in their first Finals matchup, establishing dominance early. Al Arbour coached this young team with balanced scoring and excellent goaltending by Bill Smith.

The Islanders never lost their first-round series during this dynasty, proving complete dominance. They dropped just three games in Stanley Cup Finals throughout the entire four-year stretch.

Edmonton Oilers (1984-1990)

Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier led the Oilers to five Stanley Cups in seven years during the 1980s. They won in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990, missing only in 1986 and 1989.

The Oilers revolutionized hockey with fast-paced, high-scoring gameplay that changed the sport forever.

Gretzky’s trade to Los Angeles in 1988 tested the Oilers’ depth and resilience. Edmonton still won consecutive Cups in 1990, proving sustained excellence beyond their greatest star.

Stanley Cup Droughts and Rare Streaks

The Toronto Maple Leafs own the longest active Stanley Cup drought at 58 years without winning since 1967.

Montreal’s 32-year drought from 1993 to present exceeds Toronto’s historical drought. No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since 1993, an incredible 32-year drought for hockey’s northern neighbor.

The Boston Bruins have not won since 2011, a 14-year drought that seems unlikely to end soon. The Philadelphia Flyers last won in 1975, making their 50-year drought among the longest ever.

Teams That Have Never Won a Stanley Cup

Eleven NHL franchises have never won a Stanley Cup despite competing for decades. The Buffalo Sabres joined the league in 1970 but have never reached the Finals.

The Vancouver Canucks reached the Finals three times but lost each matchup.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings have only one Cup despite being established franchises.

The San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators, and Minnesota Wild have all been around for 25+ years without a championship.

Recent expansion teams like the Seattle Kraken and Utah Hockey Club have never won. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, and Winnipeg Jets complete the list of ringless franchises still seeking their first title.

The Modern Stanley Cup Era (2010-2025)

The modern NHL saw significant shift in championship ownership starting in 2010. Five different teams won the Stanley Cup from 2010 to 2016, showing increased parity.

The Chicago Blackhawks won three titles in six years (2010, 2013, 2015), establishing themselves as the era’s first dynasty.

The Los Angeles Kings won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2014, proving West Coast strength.

The Pittsburgh Penguins returned to dominance with consecutive Cups in 2016 and 2017 led by Sidney Crosby. Washington’s 2018 championship ended a 44-year franchise drought, emotional after years of playoff disappointments.

The Tampa Bay Lightning established themselves as powerhouses winning three Finals appearances in four years.

Colorado’s 2022 Cup ended a 20-year franchise drought with Cale Makar’s dominant performance. Vegas Golden Knights won in just their sixth season, an unprecedented achievement for expansion franchises.

Stanley Cup Format and Playoffs Structure

The Stanley Cup Finals represent the culmination of a grueling best-of-seven playoff series. Teams must win three separate playoff rounds before reaching the Finals.

Each round allows competitors to play up to seven games, potentially totaling 28 games over two months.

The top seed in each conference hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 of the Finals series. Home ice advantage still matters significantly in Stanley Cup competition despite modern parity. Winning on the road requires exceptional skill, depth, and mental toughness from any challenger.

Playoff seeding changed multiple times over Stanley Cup history to create fairness. The 1967 expansion introduced East and West Divisions with separate Finals between division winners.

The modern system of Conference Finals competitors changed again in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Notable Stanley Cup History Facts

The Stanley Cup was not awarded in 1919 when Montreal and Seattle’s Finals were canceled due to the Spanish Flu epidemic.

The entire 2004-05 NHL season was canceled due to a lockout, marking the first time the Cup wasn’t awarded since 1919.

Lord Stanley of Preston donated the cup in 1892, intending it for Canadian amateur teams only. The trophy has been won by American teams since 1917 when the Seattle Metropolitans claimed it first.

The Conn Smythe Trophy, named after a legendary Maple Leafs founder, goes to the Finals MVP each year. Winners get to take the cup home for a day, creating lasting memories and traditions.

The Stanley Cup is the only trophy in professional sports that players take home during the off-season. The Cup travels to each player’s hometown, allowing them to celebrate their championship with family and friends.

This tradition makes Stanley Cup more personal than other championship trophies across all sports.

FAQs

Which Team Has Won the Most Stanley Cups?

The Montreal Canadiens hold the all-time record with 24 Stanley Cup championships. They won five straight from 1956-1960 and four consecutive from 1976-1979. No team has come close to their level of dominance.

When Did the Toronto Maple Leafs Last Win the Stanley Cup?

Toronto won their 13th Stanley Cup in 1967 and have not won since. This 58-year drought is the longest active championship drought in professional hockey. The Leafs remain one of hockey’s Original Six franchises but haven’t hoisted the Cup in decades.

How Many Teams Have Never Won the Stanley Cup?

Eleven NHL franchises have never won a Stanley Cup championship in league history. These teams include Buffalo, Vancouver, San Jose, Nashville, Minnesota, Columbus, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Seattle, Utah, and Philadelphia. Some have been around since the 1970s without capturing the trophy.

What Happened to the Stanley Cup in 1919?

The 1919 Stanley Cup Finals between Montreal and Seattle were canceled due to the Spanish Flu pandemic. The series was tied 2-2-1 when play stopped, marking the only time the Cup wasn’t awarded due to an incomplete series. The entire 2004-05 season was later canceled due to a labor lockout with the same result.