List of NHL franchise post-season droughts
This article is a list of the active and all-time National Hockey League (NHL) franchise post-season appearance, post-season series win, Stanley Cup Finals and Stanley Cup droughts up to and including the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. Those teams which have never made it in franchise history are listed by the season that they entered the league, either as a new franchise or when they merged into the NHL from the defunct World Hockey Association (WHA) league.
Note: These lists do not include the cancelled 2004–05 NHL season.
Among the current 30 NHL teams, 12 have never won the Stanley Cup, including one (the St. Louis Blues) that is among the five oldest expansion teams. Additionally, one of the Original Six franchises – the Toronto Maple Leafs – has a Stanley Cup drought that includes the entire expansion era (47 seasons and counting). Of the six franchises that have never been to the Stanley Cup Final, the oldest is the Arizona Coyotes (previously the Winnipeg Jets) (35 seasons), while the Maple Leafs and the Blues have even longer droughts (47 and 44 seasons, respectively). The longest Stanley Cup championship drought in history was that of the New York Rangers, broken in 1994 after 53 seasons. The second-longest was that of the Chicago Blackhawks, broken in 2010 after 47 seasons. The end of that drought was the first of three consecutive years in which one of the eleven longest such droughts was broken.
There are only two franchises that have never won a post-season playoff series (the Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets), though the oldest is just 16 seasons old; one other franchise (the Florida Panthers) has a longer win drought (19 seasons). The Panthers had not appeared in the playoffs at all for 10 seasons, the longest such streak in NHL history, which ended in 2012. This streak was tied by the Edmonton Oilers when they missed their tenth straight postseason in 2016.
Longest active droughts
Post-season appearance droughts
A post-season appearance drought is continued by not making the NHL playoffs after the regular season. Since the first round of the playoffs consists of 8 series (16 teams) and there are 30 teams in the NHL, there will always be 14 teams that did not make the most recent playoffs on this list.
The other 16 teams – Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals – all qualified for the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.
| Team | Last appearance in post-season | Post-season drought |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | 2005–06 | 10 seasons |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 2008–09 | 7 seasons |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2010–11 | 5 seasons |
| Arizona Coyotes1 | 2011–12 | 4 seasons |
| New Jersey Devils | 2011–12 | 4 seasons |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 2012–13 | 3 seasons |
| Boston Bruins | 2013–14 | 2 seasons |
| Colorado Avalanche | 2013–14 | 2 seasons |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2013–14 | 2 seasons |
| Calgary Flames | 2014–15 | 1 season |
| Montreal Canadiens | 2014–15 | 1 season |
| Ottawa Senators | 2014–15 | 1 season |
| Vancouver Canucks | 2014–15 | 1 season |
| Winnipeg Jets | 2014–15 | 1 season |
- 1 the Arizona Coyotes last qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2012 as the Phoenix Coyotes
Post-season series win droughts
A post-season series win drought is continued either by not making the playoffs in a season or by making the playoffs in a season but subsequently losing the first round series. Since the first round of the NHL playoffs consist of 8 series (16 teams), there will always be 22 teams in this list – the 14 teams that do not qualify for the post-season, plus the 8 teams that lose their first round series.
The other 8 teams – the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals – all won a post-season series in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.
- 1 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 5 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2015–16)
- 2 the Arizona Coyotes last won a post-season series in 2012 as the Phoenix Coyotes
Stanley Cup Final droughts
This is a list of the teams and the number of seasons since they have reached the Stanley Cup Final. This list does not include the two teams that made the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- 1 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 18 seasons for Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2014–15)
- 2 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 4 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2014–15)
Stanley Cup droughts
This is a list of the teams and the number of seasons since they have won the Stanley Cup.
| Team | Last Stanley Cup | Subsequent Stanley Cup Final losses |
Stanley Cup drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1966–67 | 48 seasons | |
| St. Louis Blues | never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) | 3 : 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 | 47 seasons |
| Buffalo Sabres | never (inception of franchise in 1970–71) | 2 : 1974–75, 1998–99 | 45 seasons |
| Vancouver Canucks | never (inception of franchise in 1970–71) | 3 : 1981–82, 1993–94, 2010–11 | 45 seasons |
| Washington Capitals | never (inception of franchise in 1974–75) | 1 : 1997–98 | 40 seasons |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1974–75 | 6 : 1975–76, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1996–97, 2009–10 | 40 seasons |
| Arizona Coyotes | never (franchise entered the NHL in 1979–80) | 36 seasons1 | |
| New York Islanders | 1982–83 | 1 : 1983–84 | 31 seasons |
| Calgary Flames | 1988–89 | 1 : 2003–04 | 26 seasons |
| Edmonton Oilers | 1989–90 | 1 : 2005–06 | 25 seasons |
| San Jose Sharks | never (inception of franchise in 1991–92) | 23 seasons | |
| Ottawa Senators | never (inception of franchise in 1992–93) | 1 : 2006–07 | 23 seasons |
| Montreal Canadiens | 1992–93 | 22 seasons | |
| Florida Panthers | never (inception of franchise in 1993–94) | 1 : 1995–96 | 22 seasons |
| New York Rangers | 1993–94 | 1 : 2013–14 | 21 seasons |
| Nashville Predators | never (inception of franchise in 1998–99) | 16 seasons | |
| Winnipeg Jets | never (inception of franchise in 1999–2000) | 16 seasons2 | |
| Dallas Stars | 1998–99 | 1 : 1999–2000 | 15 seasons |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) | 15 seasons | |
| Minnesota Wild | never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) | 15 seasons | |
| Colorado Avalanche | 2000–01 | 14 seasons | |
| New Jersey Devils | 2002–03 | 1 : 2011–12 | 12 seasons |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 2003–04 | 1 : 2014–15 | 11 seasons |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 2005–06 | 9 seasons | |
| Anaheim Ducks | 2006–07 | 8 seasons | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 2007–08 | 1 : 2008–09 | 7 seasons |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 2008–09 | 6 seasons | |
| Boston Bruins | 2010–11 | 1 : 2012–13 | 4 seasons |
| Los Angeles Kings | 2013–14 | 1 season | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 2014–15 | 0 seasons |
- 1 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 18 seasons for Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2014–15)
- 2 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 4 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2014–15)
Closest approaches without winning
| Team | Conference Quarter-Final Appearances1 | Conference Semi-Final Appearances2 | Conference Final Appearances3 | Stanley Cup Final Appearances | Fewest Wins Short of Stanley Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | 25 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 1 win short : 1993–94a, 2010–11b |
| Buffalo Sabres | 27 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 2 wins short : 1974–75, 1998–99 |
| Ottawa Senators | 14 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 wins short : 2006–07 |
| St. Louis Blues | 31 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 4 wins short : 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 |
| Florida Panthers | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 wins short : 1995–96 |
| Washington Capitals | 24 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 wins short : 1997–98 |
| San Jose Sharks | 17 | 12 | 3 | 6 wins short : 2003–04 | |
| Arizona Coyotes4 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 7 wins short : 2011–12 | |
| Minnesota Wild | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 wins short : 2002–03 | |
| Nashville Predators | 4 | 3 | 10 wins short : 2010–11, 2015–16 | ||
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2 | 14 wins short : 2013–14 | |||
| Winnipeg Jets5 | 2 | 16 wins short : 2006–07, 2014–15 |
- 1 includes Preliminary Rounds from 1974–75 through to 1980–81 and Division Semi-Finals from 1981–82 through to 1993–94
- 2 includes Quarter-Finals from 1967–68 through to 1980–81 and Division Finals from 1981–82 through to 1993–94
- 3 includes Semi-Finals up to and including 1980–81
- 4 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 18 seasons for Arizona Coyotes/Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2014–15).
- 5 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 4 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2014–15).
- a In game 7 of 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, New York opened the scoring at 11:02 of the 1st period and never relinquished the lead. The game-winning goal scored at 13:29 of the 2nd period.
- b Vancouver had a 3-2 series lead in 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. In game 6, Boston opened the scoring at 05:31 of the 1st period and never relinquished the lead. The game-winning goal scored at 08:35 of the 1st period. In game 7, Boston opened the scoring with the game-winning goal at 14:37 of the 1st period and went on to win the game 4-0.
Longest all-time droughts
Post-season appearance droughts
| Team | Previous post-season appearance | Next post-season appearance | Post-season drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | 1999–2000 | 2011–12 | 10 seasons |
| Edmonton Oilers | 2005–06 | 10 seasons | |
| Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils | 1977–78 | 1987–88 | 9 seasons1 |
| California Golden Seals/Cleveland Barons2 | 1969–70 | never | 8 seasons3 |
| Boston Bruins | 1958–59 | 1967–68 | 8 seasons |
| Washington Capitals | never (inception of franchise in 1974–75) | 1982–83 | 8 seasons |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1969–70 | 1977–78 | 7 seasons |
| New York Islanders | 1993–94 | 2001–02 | 7 seasons |
| Calgary Flames | 1995–96 | 2003–04 | 7 seasons |
| New York Rangers | 1996–97 | 2005–06 | 7 seasons |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) | 2008–09 | 7 seasons |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 2003–04 | 2012–13 | 7 seasons |
| Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets | 2006–07 | 2014–15 | 7 seasons4 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 2008–09 | 7 seasons | |
- 1 includes 4 seasons for Colorado Rockies (1978–79 through to 1981–82) + 5 seasons for New Jersey Devils (1982–83 through to 1986–87)
- 2 franchise dissolved in 1978 in a merger with the Minnesota North Stars (current Dallas Stars)
- 3 includes 6 seasons for California Golden Seals (1970–71 through to 1975–76) + 2 seasons for Cleveland Barons (1976–77, 1977–78)
- 4 includes 4 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (2007–08 through to 2010–11) + 3 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2013–14)
Post-season series win droughts
- 1 franchise renamed in 2014 as Arizona Coyotes
- 2 includes 9 seasons of the Winnipeg Jets (1987–88 through to 1995–96) + 14 seasons of the Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2010–11)
- 3 includes 11 seasons of the Hartford Whalers (1986–87 through to 1996–97) + 4 season of the Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) through to 2000–01)
- 4 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 5 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2015–16)
- 5 includes 2 seasons of the Kansas City Scouts (1974–75, 1975–76) + 6 seasons for Colorado Rockies (1976–77 through to 1981–82) + 5 seasons of the New Jersey Devils (1982–83 through to 1986–87)
Stanley Cup Final droughts
| Team | Previous Stanley Cup Final | Next Stanley Cup Final | Stanley Cup Final drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1966–67 | 47 seasons | |
| St. Louis Blues | 1969–70 | 44 seasons | |
| Winnipeg Jets / Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes | never (franchise entered the NHL in 1979–80) | 35 seasons1 | |
| New York Islanders | 1983–84 | 30 seasons | |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1965–66 | 1994–95 | 28 seasons |
| Los Angeles Kings | never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) | 1992–93 | 25 seasons |
| Buffalo Sabres | 1974–75 | 1998–99 | 23 seasons |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) | 1990–91 | 23 seasons |
| Washington Capitals | never (inception of franchise in 1974–75) | 1997–98 | 23 seasons |
| San Jose Sharks | never (inception of franchise in 1991–92) | 23 seasons |
- 1 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 18 seasons for Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2014–15)
- 2 includes 18 seasons for Hartford Whalers (1979–80 through to 1996–97) + 4 seasons for Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98 through to 2000–01)
- 3 includes 2 seasons for Kansas City Scouts (1974–75, 1975–76) + 6 seasons for Colorado Rockies (1976–77 through to 1981–82) + 12 seasons for New Jersey Devils (1982–83 through to 1993–94)
Stanley Cup droughts
| Team | Previous Stanley Cup | Intervening Stanley Cup Final losses |
Next Stanley Cup | Stanley Cup drought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Rangers | 1939–40 | 3 : 1949–50, 1971–72, 1978–79 | 1993–94 | 53 seasons1 |
| Chicago Black Hawks2 | 1960–61 | 5 : 1961–62, 1964–65, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1991–92 | 2009–10 | 47 seasons |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1966–67 | 47 seasons | ||
| St. Louis Blues | never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) | 3 : 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 | 47 seasons | |
| Buffalo Sabres | never (inception of franchise in 1970–71) | 2 : 1974–75, 1998–99 | 44 seasons | |
| Vancouver Canucks | never (inception of franchise in 1970–71) | 3 : 1981–82, 1993–94, 2010–11 | 44 seasons | |
| Los Angeles Kings | never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) | 1 : 1992–93 | 2011–12 | 43 seasons |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1954–55 | 6 : 1955–56, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1994–95 | 1996–97 | 41 seasons |
| Washington Capitals | never (inception of franchise in 1974–75) | 1 : 1997–98 | 40 seasons | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1974–75 | 6 : 1975–76, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1996–97, 2009–10 | 39 seasons |
- 1 it is common to refer to the duration of the New York Rangers' record Stanley Cup drought as 54 "years" (1940 to 1994), but that only encompasses 53 seasons (1940–41 to 1992–93).
- 2 the name of the team was Black Hawks for a majority of the drought (25 of the 47 seasons) before being renamed to Blackhawks in 1986.
Cities/regions awaiting first Stanley Cup
This list only includes cities/regions currently hosting an NHL franchise.
| City/Region | Seasons waiting | Stanley Cup Final appearances |
Current NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | 491 | 1967–682, 1968–692, 1969–702 | St. Louis Blues |
| Buffalo | 45 | 1974–75, 1998–99 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Minneapolis–Saint Paul | 413 | 1980–814, 1990–914 | Minnesota Wild |
| Washington, D.C. | 41 | 1997–98 | Washington Capitals |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 335 | never | San Jose Sharks |
| South Florida | 22 | 1995–96 | Florida Panthers |
| Phoenix | 19 | never | Arizona Coyotes |
| Nashville | 17 | never | Nashville Predators |
| Ohio | 176 | never | Columbus Blue Jackets |
- 1 includes 1 season of the St. Louis Eagles (1934–35) + 48 seasons of the St. Louis Blues (1967–68 through to 2014–15).
- 2 all three Stanley Cup Final appearances by the St. Louis Blues.
- 3 includes 26 seasons of the Minnesota North Stars (1967–68 through to 1992–93) + 15 seasons of the Minnesota Wild (2000–01 through to 2015–16).
- 4 both Stanley Cup Final appearances by the Minnesota North Stars.
- 5 includes 9 seasons of the California Seals, Oakland Seals, California Golden Seals franchise (1967–68 through to 1975–76) + 24 seasons of the San Jose Sharks (1991–92 through to 2015–16).
- 6 includes 2 seasons of the Cleveland Barons franchise (1976–77 through to 1977–78) + 15 seasons of the Columbus Blue Jackets (2000–01 through to 2015–16).
- Although the Vancouver Canucks have not won a Stanley Cup in their 44 seasons of play (inception of franchise in 1970–71 through to 2014–15), Vancouver has one Stanley Cup to its credit - the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association won the Stanley Cup in 1915 prior to the founding of the NHL in 1917.
- While the current Ottawa Senators have never won the Stanley Cup in their 22 seasons of play (inception of franchise in 1992–93 through to 2014–15), Ottawa celebrated 11 Stanley Cup championships with the original era Ottawa Senators, the last one in 1927.
- While neither team called the Winnipeg Jets ever won the Stanley Cup in their combined 21 seasons playing in Winnipeg (as of 2014–15), the city celebrated three Stanley Cup championships by the Winnipeg Victorias, the last in 1902, prior to the founding of the NHL in 1917.
See also
- List of National Hockey League (NHL) franchise post-season appearance streaks
- List of Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise post-season droughts
- List of National Football League (NFL) franchise post-season droughts
| ||||||||||||||||||||||