The NHL plays 82 regular season games, and out of 32 teams, only 16 advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one of professional sports’ most challenging tournaments to win a league championship. Even though 21 of the league’s current franchises have won the Stanley Cup, it’s not so easy qualifying for the postseason consistently as the current teams with the longest playoff streak is only eight seasons. Here’s a look at the 16 current teams skating in the league’s second season and their recent successes.
Washington Capitals – One Season (2024)
Since Alex Ovechkin made his NHL debut in 2005-06, the Washington Capitals have only missed the playoffs on four occasions: 2006, 2007, 2014, and 2023. As he approaches Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, he’s led the Capitals to one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, which they won in 2018. Their longest playoff streak of the salary cap era is from 2015 to 2022.
Nashville Predators – One Season (2024)
The Nashville Predators returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024 after missing last season, ending an eight-season streak from 2015 to 2022. During the franchise’s best stretch of postseason hockey, they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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Unfortunately, they only advanced out of the first round on three occasions, winning a single series the same season (2017-18) that they captured the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best team.
Vancouver Canucks – One Season (2024)
In 2024, the Vancouver Canucks just qualified for the playoffs for only the third time in the past decade. Despite reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, the British Columbia-based franchise has won just one series in 13 seasons. Once the Sedin brothers (Henrik and Daniel) retired in 2018, the organization turned a page with a young core playing their first postseason games in front of fans. Since 2015, their only playoff games were in the bubble in Edmonton, without spectators.
Winnipeg Jets – Two Seasons (2023, 2024)
The Winnipeg Jets just compiled one of the best regular season campaigns in franchise history, advancing to the postseason for the second consecutive season and the sixth time in the past seven years. Initially, this recent success started in the Western Conference Final in 2018, a spot the Jets would like to return to in 2024, hopefully skating in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. Since relocating to Manitoba in 2011, the franchise has played postseason hockey in seven out of 13 seasons.
Vegas Golden Knights – Two Seasons (2023, 2024)
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in June 2023, just six seasons into existence. Moreover, the franchise has yet to advance to the postseason once, in 2022, ending their four-year streak, which included appearances in the Final (2018) and the Western Conference Final (2020).
Now, the reigning champions are back in the playoffs, this time as a wildcard, and are looking to be the first team to repeat since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021.
New York Islanders – Two Seasons (2023, 2024)
The New York Islanders are the last true dynasty in the NHL, winning four consecutive Stanley Cup titles from 1980 to 1984. In four decades since the previous championship, the franchise has yet to return to the Stanley Cup Final and has been in and out of the playoffs since dropping out of contention by the late 1980s. Even though they were a final-four team in 2020 and 2021, they couldn’t advance and are now playing the Carolina Hurricanes for the second consecutive postseason.
Los Angeles Kings – Three Seasons (2022, 2023, 2024)
The Los Angeles Kings are the most recent Stanley Cup champion (2014) to not qualify for the playoffs the season following their championship. The organization has had its greatest run during the salary cap era, with two titles. With three straight playoff appearances, starting in 2022, the Kings are looking to get past the first round in a decade.
Dallas Stars – Three Seasons (2022, 2023, 2024)
The Dallas Stars have a spotty history of qualifying for the playoffs, having achieved most of their success before the salary cap era in the late 1990s. After 2008, they skated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs just four times, losing in the 2020 Final to the Lightning. In 2024, the club won the Central Division for the first time and is in the postseason for the third straight season, something they have not achieved since a run from 2003 to 2008.
New York Rangers – Three Seasons (2022, 2023, 2024)
The New York Rangers were contenders from 2006 to 2017, with Henrik Lundqvist as the backbone of the franchise, missing the postseason just once in 2010. However, things fell apart after 2018, and the Original Six franchise only advanced up to the NHL Qualifying Round in 2020, their only appearance over four years.
Related: 10 NHL Players with the Most Stanley Cups
Now, with Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers claimed their first Presidents’ Trophy in almost a decade and want to return to at least the Eastern Conference Final, a spot they were in in 2022.
Edmonton Oilers – Five Seasons (2020 – 2024)
The Edmonton Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in the first season of the salary cap era but then fell on hard times. They landed the top pick at the NHL Entry Draft four times, including Connor McDavid in 2015.
Even though it was tough sledding in the first few seasons of his career, the Oilers have now played in five consecutive playoffs, skating in the Western Conference Final in 2022. The franchise’s ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup for the sixth time, but it has only won four playoff series with McDavid at the helm.
Florida Panthers – Five Seasons (2020 – 2024)
The Florida Panthers were founded in 1993-94 and qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs just five times between 1994 and 2016. In 2024, the club has advanced to its fifth consecutive postseason, a franchise record that matches all previous playoff appearances combined. As 2023-24 Stanley Cup Finalists, the Panthers won the Atlantic Division and are poised to finish their story from last season.
Carolina Hurricanes – Six Seasons (2019 – 2024)
Since hiring Rod Brind’Amour as head coach for the 2018-19 season, the Carolina Hurricanes have not missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, skating in the Eastern Conference Final in 2019 and 2023.
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Interestingly, in the salary cap era, Carolina was crowned the first champions and only had one playoff appearance between 2007 and 2019, going three rounds deep in 2009. In the past 18 seasons, the Hurricanes have yet to win another game in the Eastern Conference Final, getting swept all three times since
Colorado Avalanche – Seven Seasons (2018 – 2024)
During Nathan MacKinnon‘s 11-year career with the Colorado Avalanche, he’s only missed the playoffs in 2015, 2016, and 2017, winning the Stanley Cup in 2022. Outside of head coach Jared Bednar’s first season behind the bench (2017), he’s guided the club to the postseason for seven seasons, winning three division titles and the Presidents’ Trophy (2021), but only advancing past the second round on one occasion.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Seven Seasons (2018 – 2024)
The Lightning recently became only the fourth franchise since the Islanders dynasty (1980-1984) to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. In the past ten seasons, the Lightning won two titles in 2020 and 2021, appeared in the Final in 2015 and 2022, skated in six Eastern Conference Finals, and missed the playoffs just once in 2017. Before the NHL lockout in 2005, the Lightning won the Stanley Cup in Game 7 against the Calgary Flames in the last game of over a calendar year.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Eight Seasons (2017 – 2024)
The Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, failing to advance to the Final outside of the Original Six era. Despite reliving that history with every playoff loss, the franchise is now in its eighth consecutive season of advancing to the postseason, a period of success unseen in Toronto since the teams from 1974 to 1981. Before this stretch, the Maple Leafs qualified only once for the playoffs between 2006 and 2017, in 2013.
Boston Bruins – Eight Seasons (2017 – 2024)
The Boston Bruins have become one of the most successful teams of the salary cap era. Besides capturing the Stanley Cup in 2011, they have lost in the Final in 2013 and 2019. Although they did not qualify for the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, they have only failed to advance twice in the past 18 seasons, in 2015 and 2016.
During the 2022-23 season, the Bruins captured their second Presidents’ Trophy in three seasons, setting NHL records for wins (65) and points (135). Since 2016-17, Boston has advanced to the postseason for eight consecutive years.
