List of NHL franchise post-season droughts

For an explanation of the NHL season and post-season, see Season structure of the NHL.

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 (48 seasons and counting). With the San Jose Sharks winning the Western Conference in 2016, there are only five franchises that have never reached the Stanley Cup Final. Of those five, the oldest is the Arizona Coyotes (previously the Winnipeg Jets) (35 seasons), while the Maple Leafs and the Blues have even longer droughts (48 and 45 seasons, respectively). The longest Stanley Cup championship drought in history was that of the New York Rangers, broken in 1994 after 53 seasons. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the current longest active Stanley Cup championship drought (and second-longest) at 48 seasons and counting. The Chicago Blackhawks had the third-longest ever Stanley Cup championship drought at 47 seasons, which was broken in 2010. The end of that drought was the first of three consecutive years in which one of the eleven longest such droughts was broken (Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, Boston Bruins in 2011, and Los Angeles Kings in 2012).

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.

Team Last post-season
series win		 Subsequent post-season
series losses		 Post-season
series win drought
Florida Panthers 1995–96 4 : 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2011–12, 2015–16 19 seasons
Winnipeg Jets never (inception of franchise in 1999–2000) 2 : 2006–07, 2014–15 16 seasons1
Columbus Blue Jackets never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) 2 : 2008–09, 2013–14 15 seasons
Toronto Maple Leafs 2003–04 1 : 2012–13 11 seasons
Edmonton Oilers 2005–06 10 seasons
Buffalo Sabres 2006–07 2 : 2009–10, 2010–11 9 seasons
Colorado Avalanche 2007–08 2 : 2009–10, 2013–14 8 seasons
Carolina Hurricanes 2008–09 7 seasons
Vancouver Canucks 2010–11 3 : 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15 5 seasons
Arizona Coyotes2 2011–12 4 seasons
New Jersey Devils 2011–12 4 seasons
Philadelphia Flyers 2011–12 2 : 2013–14, 2015–16 4 seasons
Detroit Red Wings 2012–13 3 : 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16 3 seasons
Ottawa Senators 2012–13 1 : 2014–15 3 seasons
Boston Bruins 2013–14 2 seasons
Los Angeles Kings 2013–14 1 : 2015–16 2 seasons
Anaheim Ducks 2014–15 1 : 2015–16 1 season
Calgary Flames 2014–15 1 season
Chicago Blackhawks 2014–15 1 : 2015–16 1 season
Minnesota Wild 2014–15 1 : 2015–16 1 season
Montreal Canadiens 2014–15 1 season
New York Rangers 2014–15 1 : 2015–16 1 season
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 2016 Stanley Cup Finals, the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Team Last appearance
in Stanley Cup Final		 Subsequent Conference
Final losses		 Stanley Cup
Final drought
Toronto Maple Leafs 1966–67 5: 1977–78, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02 48 seasons
St. Louis Blues 1969–70 4: 1971–72, 1985–86, 2000–01, 2015–16 45 seasons
Arizona Coyotes never (franchise entered the NHL in 1979–80) 1: 2011–12 36 seasons1
New York Islanders 1983–84 1: 1992–93 31 seasons
Montreal Canadiens 1992–93 2: 2009–10, 2013–14 22 seasons
Florida Panthers 1995–96 19 seasons
Nashville Predators never (inception of franchise in 1998–99) 17 seasons
Washington Capitals 1997–98 17 seasons
Buffalo Sabres 1998–99 2: 2005–06, 2006–07 16 seasons
Winnipeg Jets never (inception of franchise in 1999–2000) 16 seasons2
Columbus Blue Jackets never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) 15 seasons
Dallas Stars 1999–2000 1: 2007–08 15 seasons
Minnesota Wild never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) 1: 2002–03 15 seasons
Colorado Avalanche 2000–01 14 seasons
Calgary Flames 2003–04 11 seasons
Carolina Hurricanes 2005–06 1: 2008–09 10 seasons
Edmonton Oilers 2005–06 10 seasons
Anaheim Ducks 2006–07 1: 2014–15 9 seasons
Ottawa Senators 2006–07 9 seasons
Detroit Red Wings 2008–09 7 seasons
Philadelphia Flyers 2009–10 6 seasons
Vancouver Canucks 2010–11 5 seasons
New Jersey Devils 2011–12 4 seasons
Boston Bruins 2012–13 3 seasons
Los Angeles Kings 2013–14 2 season
New York Rangers 2013–14 1: 2014–15 2 season
Chicago Blackhawks 2014–15 1 season
Tampa Bay Lightning 2014–15 1: 2015–161 season
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 48 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 41 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 32 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) 1 : 2015–16 24 seasons
Ottawa Senators never (inception of franchise in 1992–93) 1 : 2006–07 23 seasons
Florida Panthers never (inception of franchise in 1993–94) 1 : 1995–96 22 seasons
Montreal Canadiens 1992–93 22 seasons
New York Rangers 1993–94 1 : 2013–14 21 seasons
Nashville Predators never (inception of franchise in 1998–99) 17 seasons
Dallas Stars 1998–99 1 : 1999–2000 16 seasons
Winnipeg Jets never (inception of franchise in 1999–2000) 16 seasons2
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 10 seasons
Anaheim Ducks 2006–07 9 seasons
Detroit Red Wings 2007–08 1 : 2008–09 8 seasons
Boston Bruins 2010–11 1 : 2012–13 5 seasons
Los Angeles Kings 2013–14 2 seasons
Chicago Blackhawks 2014–15 1 season
Pittsburgh Penguins 2015-16 0 seasons
1 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 19 seasons for Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2015–16)
2 includes 11 seasons for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 5 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2015–16)

Closest approaches without winning

Team First Round Appearances1 Second Round Appearances2 Conference Final Appearances3 Stanley Cup Final Appearances Fewest Wins Short of Stanley Cup
Vancouver Canucks 26 11 3 3 1 win short : 1993–94, 2010–11
Buffalo Sabres 27 15 6 2 2 wins short : 1974–75, 1998–99
San Jose Sharks 18 13 4 1 2 wins short : 2015–16
Ottawa Senators 15 6 2 1 3 wins short : 2006–07
St. Louis Blues 33 23 7 3 4 wins short : 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70
Florida Panthers 5 1 1 1 4 wins short : 1995–96
Washington Capitals 26 14 2 1 4 wins short : 1997–98
Arizona Coyotes4 19 3 1 7 wins short : 2011–12
Minnesota Wild 7 3 1 8 wins short : 2002–03
Nashville Predators 9 3 9 wins short : 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, Division Semi-Finals from 1981–82 through to 1992–93 and Conference Quarterfinals from 1993–94 through to 2012–13
2 includes Quarter-Finals from 1967–68 through to 1980–81, Division Finals from 1981–82 through to 1992–93 and Conference Semifinals from 1993–94 through to 2012–13
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).

Longest all-time droughts

Post-season appearance droughts

  Active franchise streak is highlighted
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

  Active franchise streak is highlighted
Team Previous post-season
series win		 Intervening post-season
series losses		 Next post-season
series win		 Post-season
series win drought
Winnipeg Jets / Phoenix Coyotes1 1986–87 12 : 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2009–10, 2010–11 2011–12 25 seasons2
New York Islanders 1992–93 7 : 1993–94, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2012–13, 2014–15 2015–16 23 seasons
New York Rangers 1949–50 8 : 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 1970–71 20 seasons
Florida Panthers 1995–96 4 : 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2011–12, 2015–16 19 seasons
Chicago Black Hawks 1943–44 4 : 1945–46, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1959–60 1960–61 16 seasons
Atlanta Thrashers / Winnipeg Jets never (inception of franchise in 1999–2000) 2 : 2006–07, 2014–15 16 seasons3
Hartford Whalers / Carolina Hurricanes 1985–86 8 : 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1998–99, 2000–01 2001–02 15 seasons4
Columbus Blue Jackets never (inception of franchise in 2000–01) 2 : 2008–09, 2013–14 15 seasons
Calgary Flames 1988–89 6 : 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 2003–04 14 seasons
Kansas City Scouts / Colorado Rockies / New Jersey Devils never (inception of franchise in 1974–75) 1 : 1977–78 1987–88 13 seasons5
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 for Atlanta Thrashers (1999–2000 through to 2010–11) + 5 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (2011–12 through to 2015–16)
4 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)
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

  Active franchise streak is highlighted
Team Previous Stanley Cup Final Next Stanley Cup Final Stanley Cup Final drought
Toronto Maple Leafs 1966–67 48 seasons
St. Louis Blues 1969–70 45 seasons
Winnipeg Jets / Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes never (franchise entered the NHL in 1979–80) 36 seasons1
New York Islanders 1983–84 31 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) 2015–16 23 seasons
1 includes 17 seasons for Winnipeg Jets (1979–80 through to 1995–96) + 19 seasons for Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97 through to 2015–16)

Stanley Cup droughts

  Active franchise streak is highlighted
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
Toronto Maple Leafs 1966–67 48 seasons
St. Louis Blues never (inception of franchise in 1967–68) 3 : 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70 48 seasons
Chicago Black Hawks2 1960–61 5 : 1961–62, 1964–65, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1991–92 2009–10 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
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 41 seasons
Philadelphia Flyers 1974–75 6 : 1975–76, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1996–97, 2009–10 40 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 2015-16 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 2015–16).
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).

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/4/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.