Biggest Blowouts in NHL Playoff History

Karl Rasmussen | Apr 21, 2025

Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially underway, as the top 16 teams in the NHL compete for the sport’s ultimate prize.

Although the intensity level rises in the NHL's postseason, performance levels don't always follow suit. On occasion, throughout the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there have been some rather dramatic blowouts and lopsided results.

We're going to take a look at the largest blowouts in the history of the NHL Playoffs, highlighting the most lopsided matchups throughout the league's long postseason history.

Biggest Blowouts in Stanley Cup Playoffs History

In the history of the NHL postseason, only 15 games have been decided by a margin of eight or more goals. Let's take a look at some of those games.

Matchup	Year	Result	Margin of Victory
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	1944	Canadiens win 11–0	11 goals
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings	1987	Oilers win 13–3	10 goals
Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	1969	Bruins win 10–0	10 goals
Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Black Hawks	1985	Oilers win 11–2	9 goals
Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabres	1983	Bruins win 9–0	9 goals
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Islanders	2021	Lightning win 8–0	8 goals
Buffalo Sabres vs. Philadelphia Flyers	2001	Sabres win 8–0	8 goals
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota North Stars	1991	Penguins win 8–0	8 goals
Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames	1990	Kings win 12–4	8 goals
Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	1988	Red Wings win 8–0	8 goals
Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames	1983	Oilers win 9–1	8 goals
Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames	1983	Oilers win 10–2	8 goals
Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings	1978	Canadiens win 8–0	8 goals
Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues	1972	Bruins win 10–2	8 goals
Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs	1947	Red Wings win 9–1	8 goals

Let’s take a closer look at those top five:

Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens, 1944

No team has ever suffered as large a playoff defeat as the Maple Leafs during their series against the Canadiens in 1944, in which they lost 11–0. That defeat occurred in Game 5, which was the final game of the series. Montreal would go onto win the Stanley Cup, sweeping the Chicago Black Hawks in four games.

Kings. vs Oilers, 1987

Tied for the second largest playoff defeat of all time, the Kings were outmatched by the Oilers, 13–3. Wayne Gretzky provided one goal and six assists for Edmonton in their rout of L.A., and the Oilers would go onto win the Stanley Cup in seven games against the Flyers.

Maple Leafs vs. Bruins, 1969

25 years after losing 11–0 to the Canadiens, the Maple Leafs were once again handed a historic playoff defeat, this time a 10–0 loss to the Boston Bruins. Phil Esposito scored four goals and had six points in the lopsided affair, but the Bruins were bounced in the next round to the eventual-champion Canadiens.

Black Hawks vs. Oilers, 1985

The Oilers delivered a convincing rout of the Black Hawks in one of the highest-scoring series in NHL playoff history. The 11–2 victory came during the Western Conference finals and was highlighted by Gretzky's four-point performance. That series did not feature a single game with less than seven total goals.

Sabres vs. Bruins, 1983

This 9–0 beatdown by the Bruins featured four points from Barry Pederson. Despite the Sabres only being out-shot by four, they were outscored by nine, which stands as tied for the fourth-largest defeat in NHL postseason history. Boston would go on to lose in a six-game series against the Islanders in the Eastern Conference final.

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