Worst Hockey Teams To Make Stanley Cup Finals

Who is the worst team to make the Stanley Cup Finals?

Based on regular season winning percentage, the 1938 Chicago Black Hawks were the worst team to make the Stanley Cup Finals. They finished the regular season with only a 14-25-9 record, but in the Stanley Cup Final they beat the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Has a team with a losing record ever made the Stanley Cup Finals?

Yes, this has happened 18 times in history. The 1920 Seattle Metropolitans (0-0), 1938 Chicago Black Hawks (14-25-9), 1991 Minnesota North Stars (27-39-14), 2021 Montreal Canadiens (24-21-11), 1942 Detroit Red Wings (19-25-4), 1959 Toronto Maple Leafs (27-32-11), 1951 Montreal Canadiens (25-30-15), 1961 Detroit Red Wings (25-29-16), 1968 St. Louis Blues (27-31-16), 1949 Toronto Maple Leafs (22-25-13), 1950 New York Rangers (28-31-11), 1982 Vancouver Canucks (30-33-17), 2012 Los Angeles Kings (40-27-15), 1939 Toronto Maple Leafs (19-20-9), 1937 New York Rangers (19-20-9), 1944 Chicago Black Hawks (22-23-5), 1953 Boston Bruins (28-29-13) and 1958 Boston Bruins (27-28-15) all made the Stanley Cup Finals with a losing record.

Has a team with a losing record ever made the Stanley Cup Finals the next season?

Yes, this has happened 37 times in history. The 1925 Montreal Maroons (9-19-2), 1945 Boston Bruins (16-30-4), 1937 Chicago Black Hawks (14-27-7), 1924 Hamilton Tigers (9-15), 1958 Toronto Maple Leafs (21-38-11), 1949 New York Rangers (18-31-11), 2002 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (29-42-8-3), 1940 Detroit Red Wings (16-26-6), 1918 Ottawa Senators (9-13), 2003 Calgary Flames (29-36-13-4), 1956 Boston Bruins (23-34-13), 1962 Detroit Red Wings (23-33-14), 2020 Montreal Canadiens (31-31-9), 1942 Detroit Red Wings (19-25-4), 1990 Pittsburgh Penguins (32-40-8), 1946 Toronto Maple Leafs (19-24-7), 1978 New York Rangers (30-37-13), 1997 Washington Capitals (33-40-9), 1947 Detroit Red Wings (22-27-11), 1933 Chicago Black Hawks (16-20-12), 2011 New Jersey Devils (38-39-5), 1959 Toronto Maple Leafs (27-32-11), 1951 Montreal Canadiens (25-30-15), 1935 Detroit Red Wings (19-22-7), 1993 New York Rangers (34-39-11), 1952 Boston Bruins (25-29-16), 1968 St. Louis Blues (27-31-16), 1990 Minnesota North Stars (36-40-4), 1981 Vancouver Canucks (28-32-20), 2010 Boston Bruins (39-30-13), 1960 Detroit Red Wings (26-29-15), 1995 Florida Panthers (20-22-6), 1974 Buffalo Sabres (32-34-12), 2015 San Jose Sharks (40-33-9), 1939 Toronto Maple Leafs (19-20-9), 1943 Chicago Black Hawks (17-18-15) and 1960 Chicago Black Hawks (28-29-13) all made the Stanley Cup Finals the next season after having a losing record.

Worst NHL Regular Season Records To Make Stanley Cup Finals

Team Year Regular Season Record Result
1 Chicago Black Hawks 1938 14-25-9 Won Final
2 Minnesota North Stars 1991 27-39-14 Lost Final
3 Montreal Canadiens 2021 24-21-11 Lost Final
4 Detroit Red Wings 1942 19-25-4 Lost Final
5 Toronto Maple Leafs 1959 27-32-11 Lost Final
6 Montreal Canadiens 1951 25-30-15 Lost Final
7 Detroit Red Wings 1961 25-29-16 Lost Final
8 St. Louis Blues 1968 27-31-16 Lost Final
9 Toronto Maple Leafs 1949 22-25-13 Won Final
10 New York Rangers 1950 28-31-11 Lost Final
11 Vancouver Canucks 1982 30-33-17 Lost Final
12 Los Angeles Kings 2012 40-27-15 Won Final
13 New York Rangers 1937 19-20-9 Lost Final
Toronto Maple Leafs 1939 19-20-9 Lost Final
15 Chicago Black Hawks 1944 22-23-5 Lost Final
16 Boston Bruins 1953 28-29-13 Lost Final
17 Boston Bruins 1958 27-28-15 Lost Final
18 Philadelphia Flyers 2010 41-35-6 Lost Final
19 Nashville Predators 2017 41-29-12 Lost Final
20 Edmonton Oilers 2006 41-28-13 Lost Final
21 Vancouver Canucks 1994 41-40-3 Lost Final
22 Detroit Red Wings 1964 30-29-11 Lost Final
23 Boston Bruins 1927 21-20-3 Lost Final
24 Florida Panthers 2023 42-32-8 Lost Final
25 Toronto Maple Leafs 1945 24-22-4 Won Final
26 Los Angeles Kings 1993 39-35-10 Lost Final
27 Detroit Red Wings 1966 31-27-12 Lost Final
28 Carolina Hurricanes 2002 35-26-16-5 Lost Final
29 Chicago Black Hawks 1934 20-17-11 Won Final
30 New York Rangers 1928 19-16-9 Won Final
31 Toronto Maple Leafs 1967 32-27-11 Won Final
32 Chicago Black Hawks 1962 31-26-13 Lost Final
33 Chicago Black Hawks 1961 29-24-17 Won Final
34 Montreal Canadiens 1953 28-23-19 Won Final
35 Dallas Stars 2020 37-24-8 Lost Final
36 Toronto Maple Leafs 1936 23-19-6 Lost Final
37 New Jersey Devils 1995 22-18-8 Won Final
38 Montreal Canadiens 1924 13-11 Won Final
39 Chicago Black Hawks 1965 34-28-8 Lost Final
40 Detroit Red Wings 1956 30-24-16 Lost Final
41 Montreal Canadiens 1986 40-33-7 Won Final
42 Pittsburgh Penguins 1992 39-32-9 Won Final
43 Chicago Blackhawks 1992 36-29-15 Lost Final
44 Minnesota North Stars 1981 35-28-17 Lost Final
45 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2003 40-27-9-6 Lost Final
46 New York Rangers 2014 45-31-6 Lost Final
47 Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 45-28-9 Won Final
St. Louis Blues 2019 45-28-9 Won Final
49 Pittsburgh Penguins 1991 41-33-6 Won Final
Team Year Regular Season Record Result
1 Vancouver Canucks 1994 41-40-3 Lost Final
2 Minnesota North Stars 1991 27-39-14 Lost Final
3 Philadelphia Flyers 2010 41-35-6 Lost Final
4 Los Angeles Kings 1993 39-35-10 Lost Final
5 Vancouver Canucks 1982 30-33-17 Lost Final
6 Montreal Canadiens 1986 40-33-7 Won Final
7 Pittsburgh Penguins 1991 41-33-6 Won Final
8 Toronto Maple Leafs 1959 27-32-11 Lost Final
9 Florida Panthers 2023 42-32-8 Lost Final
10 Pittsburgh Penguins 1992 39-32-9 Won Final
11 St. Louis Blues 1968 27-31-16 Lost Final
12 New York Rangers 1950 28-31-11 Lost Final
13 New York Rangers 2014 45-31-6 Lost Final
14 Montreal Canadiens 1951 25-30-15 Lost Final
15 Detroit Red Wings 1961 25-29-16 Lost Final
16 Boston Bruins 1953 28-29-13 Lost Final
17 Nashville Predators 2017 41-29-12 Lost Final
18 Detroit Red Wings 1964 30-29-11 Lost Final
19 Chicago Blackhawks 1992 36-29-15 Lost Final
20 Boston Bruins 1958 27-28-15 Lost Final
21 Edmonton Oilers 2006 41-28-13 Lost Final
22 Chicago Black Hawks 1965 34-28-8 Lost Final
23 Minnesota North Stars 1981 35-28-17 Lost Final
24 Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 45-28-9 Won Final
St. Louis Blues 2019 45-28-9 Won Final
26 Los Angeles Kings 2012 40-27-15 Won Final
27 Detroit Red Wings 1966 31-27-12 Lost Final
28 Toronto Maple Leafs 1967 32-27-11 Won Final
29 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 2003 40-27-9-6 Lost Final
30 Carolina Hurricanes 2002 35-26-16-5 Lost Final
31 Chicago Black Hawks 1962 31-26-13 Lost Final
32 Chicago Black Hawks 1938 14-25-9 Won Final
33 Detroit Red Wings 1942 19-25-4 Lost Final
34 Toronto Maple Leafs 1949 22-25-13 Won Final
35 Chicago Black Hawks 1961 29-24-17 Won Final
36 Dallas Stars 2020 37-24-8 Lost Final
37 Detroit Red Wings 1956 30-24-16 Lost Final
38 Chicago Black Hawks 1944 22-23-5 Lost Final
39 Montreal Canadiens 1953 28-23-19 Won Final
40 Toronto Maple Leafs 1945 24-22-4 Won Final
41 Montreal Canadiens 2021 24-21-11 Lost Final
42 New York Rangers 1937 19-20-9 Lost Final
Toronto Maple Leafs 1939 19-20-9 Lost Final
44 Boston Bruins 1927 21-20-3 Lost Final
45 Toronto Maple Leafs 1936 23-19-6 Lost Final
46 New Jersey Devils 1995 22-18-8 Won Final
47 Chicago Black Hawks 1934 20-17-11 Won Final
48 New York Rangers 1928 19-16-9 Won Final
49 Montreal Canadiens 1924 13-11 Won Final

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