Best NHL Playoff Records

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 12, 2012

Best NHL Playoff Records

2012 Los Angeles Kings (16-4)

While skating to the first Stanley Cup in franchise history, the eighth-seeded Kings went 16-4, not quite equaling the NHL single postseason winning percentage mark of .889, set by the Oilers in 1988, but good enough for a place among the best of all time. While eliminating top-seeded Vancouver in five games, sweeping second-seeded St. Louis, downing third-seeded Phoenix in five, and besting Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey in six, the Kings also tied the Devils' record of 10 consecutive wins on the road in one playoff tournament. Here's a look back at dominant postseason runs since the NHL's expansion campaign of 1967-68.

1988 Edmonton Oilers (16-2)

Wayne Gretzky led the juggernaut Oilers, who had 11 home wins during the postseason, to their fourth Stanley Cup. In Edmonton's sweep of the Bruins, the Great One set a single Cup final scoring mark of 13 points (three goals, record 10 assists) and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy.

1981 New York Islanders (15-3)

The Isles firmly established their dynasty by rolling to their second successive Stanley Cup in what would be a run of four as well as a fifth straight final appearance, in 1984. Opening with a three-game sweep of the Maple Leafs (by scores of 9-2, 5-1 and 6-1), they met a six-game challenge from the Oilers before concluding their run with sweeps of the Rangers and North Stars. Winger Mike Bossy set records for points (35) and power play goals (9) in a single postseason.

1985 Edmonton Oilers (15-3)

The Oilers were an awesome offensive machine. Wayne Gretzky set new single-postseason marks for assists (30) and points (47), and tied the record of seven goals in five-game Cup final. Jarri Kurri, who scored a record four hat tricks, ended up with 19 goals in 18 games, tying the mark set by Philadelphia's Reggie Leach in 1976, and Paul Coffey busted Bobby Orr's postseason standards for goals (9) and assists (19), finishing with 12 and 25 respectively. After sweeping through the first two rounds, the Oilers took out the Blackhawks in six (winning Game 1 by 11-2) and the Flyers in five.

1993 Montreal Canadiens (16-4)

Backstopped by rookie sensation Patrick Roy, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Canadiens won the 24th Stanley Cup in their illustrious history after surviving a challenging six-game first round vs. the rival Quebec Nordiques. Three of the games went to overtime, as did three in Montreal's second-round sweep of Buffalo. Dispatching the Islanders in five in the Eastern final, the Habs took on Wayne Gretzky and the LA Kings for the chalice. After losing the opener, they reeled off four straight wins.

1995 New Jersey Devils (16-4)

As the fifth-seed in the East, the Devils were a bit of a surprise while making their first Cup final appearance in 21 seasons. They lost only four games in the first three rounds, taking out the Bruins in five, the Penguins in five, and the Flyers in six, with Conn Smythe-winner Claude Lemieux providing clutch goals and Martin Brodeur solid in net. In the final, they swept the favored Red Wings, who'd lost only twice en route to the series. The Devils allowed no more than two goals in any of the four games and set a single postseason mark with 10 road victories.

1997 Detroit Red Wings (16-4)

The Wings rolled to their first Cup since 1955 by taking out the Blues in six games, the Mighty Ducks in four, and the Avalanche in a six-game revenge rematch of the epic 1996 Western Conference Final before sweeping the Flyers.

1987 Edmonton Oilers (16-5)

Rebounding from a devastating playoff elimination by Calgary in 1986, the Oilers resumed their Cup-winning ways by bagging the Presidents' Trophy, then blitzing the Kings with a 13-3 Game 2 victory in the first round that ignited an eight-game winning streak that took them past the Jets. After elminating the Red Wings in five, they survived a seven-game dogfight with the Flyers in the Cup final.

1992 Pittsburgh Penguins (16-5)

Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and the Penguins won their second successive Cup by making quick work of the Blackhawks, who came into the final riding a record 11 consecutive playoff wins. With their sweep, the Pens matched the mark, which goalie Tom Barrasso also shared with Chicago netminder Ed Belfour, as Lemieux became the second player in NHL history to win back-to-back Smythe trophies. (Flyers goalie Bernie Parent, in 1974 and '75, was the first.)

2007 Anaheim Ducks (16-5)

They shed "Mighty" in name only, winning their first Pacific Division title. with 110 points, then tearing through the postseason while taking out the Wild and Canucks (two double OTs) in five games apiece, the Red Wings in six after falling behind two games to one, and the Senators in five.