Top 12 Greatest NHL Teams

Introduction

It is a big question when someone asks who is the greatest hockey team of all time. So many worthy choices have multiple factors and stats to consider. And the legendary players that made these teams the best NHL team ever. In this post, we will take a closer look at some of the top-flight teams with the Hockey-Reference database and examine their accomplishments in NHL history to uncover the best hockey team of all time.

For this exercise, we will only consider single seasons and view the success through a few categories.

Regular Season Victories

The objective in hockey is to defeat one’s opponent by plopping more pucks in their net than they do in yours. Some teams in NHL history have put up “Ws” more than any other. Here are some of the top teams in this category.

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The 1995-96 edition of the Detroit Red Wings earned a top-three place in NHL history with 62 victories during the regular season, a League record performance at season’s end. Some highlights of the fantastic season included a league-leading 131 points, the second-highest in NHL history, while the Red Wings finished first in the league in goals scored (325) and fewest goals allowed (181). Detroit also boasted a 13-game unbeaten streak from March 3rd to March 31st as they won the Presidents’ Trophy for the second consecutive year. 

Individual performances from Steve Yzerman, who led the league in assists (90) and points (155), Brendan Shanahan, finishing second in the league, scoring 149 points, and Mike Vernon, recording 38 wins and a 2.25 GAA, winning the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender, along with Igor Larionov who tallied 103 points, showcasing his exceptional playmaking abilities went a long way to winning. The team featured several other notable players, including Nicklas Lidstrom, Larry Murphy, and Paul Coffey. Despite their dominant regular season performance, the Red Wings faced unexpected challenges in the playoffs. They were upset in the second round by the St. Louis Blues, losing the series in seven games.

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The Detroit accomplishment we discussed was matched by the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning, which also reached 62 wins in 82 scheduled regular season games. Tampa Bay established themselves as one of the most dominant teams in NHL history by earning a league-leading 128 points, the most in franchise history. The Lightning boasted a remarkable 32-7-2 home record. The team was filled with individual achievements: Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy with a league-leading 128 points, and Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Vezina Trophy for best goaltender with a 39-10-4 record, a 2.40 GAA, and a .925 save percentage. It also helped the cause with the performance of Defenseman Victor Hedman, who won the Norris Trophy with 65 points, and the tandem of Steven Stamkos scoring a team-high 45 goals, while Brayden Point was right behind him with 41 lamplighters.

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The Boston Bruins squad of the 2022-23 season reset the high water mark for regular season victories in an NHL season. The Bruins finished the season with a league-best 65-12-5 record, amassing 135 points. This shattered the previous franchise record for most wins (62) and points (128) set in 1970-71. They also boasted the NHL’s best record at home (32-4-3) and on the road (33-8-2). Boston led the NHL in goals scored (305) and boasted a balanced offensive attack. Brad Marchand led the team with 80 points (32 goals, 48 assists), and David Pastrnak with 88 points (42 goals, 46 assists). Despite playing in just 65 games due to injury, Patrice Bergeron still managed to record 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists). The Bruins shattered numerous franchise and NHL records throughout the season. They set the new record for most consecutive home wins to start a season (14), became the fastest team to reach 80 and 100 points in NHL history, and got 50 wins faster than any other team.

It was quite a surprise, though, when this team, with all their regular season accomplishments, suffered a shocking first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers.

Longest NHL Postseason Winning Streak

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During the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Penguins, led by Mario Lemeiux ripped off eleven straight wins to tie the NHL record set by the Canadiens in 1993 and the very team Pittsburgh beat in the Cup Finals, the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite a strong start, the Penguins faced challenges throughout the regular season. Injuries to key players, including Mario Lemieux, hampered their progress. Finishing with a 39-32-9 record, they secured the sixth seed in the Patrick Division, entering the playoffs with doubts surrounding their potential.

Embracing their underdog status, the Penguins embarked on a remarkable playoff run. They defeated the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks in consecutive series, each victory showcasing their resilience and unwavering determination.

Mario Lemieux, returning from injury, was unstoppable. He dominated the playoffs, leading the league in scoring with 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) and earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Tom Barrasso provided exceptional goaltending, posting a 16-4 record with a 2.39 GAA. The team’s defensive core, anchored by Larry Murphy and Ulf Samuelsson, provided crucial support throughout the playoffs.

Top Winning Stanley Cup Champions

An even better measurement of the best NHL teams of all time is those that won the Stanley Cup and had the highest finish at the end of the season.

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Again, the Lightning shows up only a season removed from their previously mentioned successes. Their 18 postseason wins are more than any NHL team, including their 4-2 Stanley Cup Series Finals over the Dallas Stars.

Thirty-five teams have had sixteen NHL playoff wins and took the Lord Stanley’s Cup, but one stands out based on the number of losses they suffered in the NHL postseason.

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The dominant 1987-88 edition of the Edmonton Oilers suffered only two setbacks in their Stanley Cup Playoffs journey: a 6-4 game three loss to the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL Smythe Division Semi-Finals and, ironically, a game 3 “L” at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings in the Clarence Campbell Conference Finals. Edmonton’s success was led by a high-powered offense that featured Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri, and a strong defense that Kevin Lowe and Paul Coffey anchored. Gretzky was the playoff’s star, leading the league in scoring with 43 points (16 goals, 27 assists). Messier also had a strong postseason, recording 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists). Grant Fuhr was outstanding in goal, posting a 16-4 record with a 2.38 GAA. 

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In this discussion, you could also include the 1984-85 Oilers with the same core skaters mentioned above to become one of the best NHL franchises of all time.

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The Canadiens may not have won many games in their Stanley Cup quest but the NHL Playoffs were not as expanded in the 1970s as in latter years. Montreal sported a 12-2 postseason record to take home the Cup that year. The team finished with an impressive 60-8-12 record, setting a new NHL record for most wins (60) and points (132) in a season.

They boasted the highest-scoring offense in the league, led by Guy Lafleur (136 points), Steve Shutt (105 points), and Jacques Lemaire (91 points).

Anchored by legendary players like Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, and Serge Savard, the dominant defense allowed the second-fewest goals in the league. Ken Dryden’s Stellar Goaltending had the netminder posting a league-leading 41 wins with a 2.10 GAA, solidifying his position as one of the best goaltenders in the game. The Habs swept through the playoffs, suffering only two setbacks to the NY Rangers in the NHL Semi-Finals, showcasing their complete dominance over the competition. The Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals in four straight games.

Some other Top Contenders for Best Ever

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The Islanders finished second in the Patrick Division with a 42-26-12 record, solidifying their position as one of the league’s elite teams.

Mike Bossy led the Islanders in scoring 64 goals and 131 points, showcasing his exceptional finishing ability. Bryan Trottier remained dominant, recording 129 points (43 goals, 86 assists). Billy Smith provided steady goaltending, posting a 38-17-10 record with a 2.81 GAA. In the finals, they faced the up-and-coming Edmonton Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky. The series was a close contest, showcasing the talent of both teams. New York bested the Oilers’ talent by winning the Cup in four hard-fought games.

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The Red Wings navigated a challenging playoff path, defeating the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, and Washington Capitals en route to the Stanley Cup Finals. Detroit featured a balanced attack led by Steve Yzerman (69 points), Brendan Shanahan (57 points), and Nicklas Lidstrom (59 points).

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Again, this core of players was a dominating force with the likes of Messier, Kurri, and Gretzky.

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They finished the season with a remarkable record of 52-24-8. The group led the league in scoring with 299 goals, showcasing their offensive firepower. They boasted a balanced scoring attack featuring Mark Messier (84 points), Brian Leetch (74 points), and Adam Graves (52 points). Mike Richter provided stellar goaltending, posting a 42-24-8 record with a 2.57 GAA. The Rangers used their talent throughout the season to win the Stanley Cup Title.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 22nd, 2023 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Top NHL Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.