The Stanley Cup is the most prestigious trophy in the National Hockey League (NHL) and is awarded annually to the playoffs champions. Moreover, it is recognized as one of the "most important championships available to the sport", according to the International Ice Hockey Federation. The Stanley Cup holds the distinction of being North America's oldest trophy awarded to a professional sports franchise.
The Stanley Cup was introduced in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada. Since then, the Stanley Cup has been awarded 108 times in the NHL to 27 different teams, as of April 2025. The Florida Panthers are the present holders of the Stanley Cup, having won in 2024 after defeating the Edmonton Oilers.
Most Stanley Cup Final Appearances
The Montreal Canadiens have been to the most Stanley Cup finals with 33 appearances and 24 winning campaigns, as of April 2025. The Detroit Red Wings are second with 24 appearances. The two other teams with the most Stanley Cup final appearances are the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins. All four of the teams are a part of the "Original Six" in the NHL. The first Stanley Cup was won by the Montreal Hockey Club in the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) during the Challenge Cup Era, while the Toronto Hockey Club were the first team from the NHL to claim the Stanley Cup.
| Teams | Appearances | Wins |
| Montreal Canadiens | 35 | 24 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 24 | 11 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 21 | 13 |
| Boston Bruins | 20 | 6 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 13 | 6 |
| New York Rangers | 11 | 4 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 8 | 2 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 8 | 5 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 6 | 5 |
| New York Islanders | 5 | 4 |
| New Jersey Devils | 5 | 3 |
| Dallas Stars | 5 | 1 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 5 | 3 |
| St. Louis Blues | 4 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 3 | 2 |
| Calgary Flames | 3 | 1 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3 | - |
| Colorado Avalanche | 3 | 3 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 2 | 1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 2 | 1 |
| Washington Capitals | 2 | 1 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2 | - |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 2 | 1 |
| Florida Panthers | 3 | 1 |
| Ottawa Senators | 1 | - |
| San Jose Sharks | 1 | - |
| Nashville Predators | 1 | - |
Note: The Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, and the Arizona Coyotes have yet to reach the Stanley Cup finals, as of April 2025.
Most NHL Conference Final Appearances
The NHL Conference Finals consist of the Eastern and Western Conference championships series with the champions receiving the Prince of Wales Trophy and the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, respectively. Notably, the champions proceed to the Stanley Cup finals to face each other and claim the ultimate prize in the sport of ice-hockey, the Stanley Cup. The Chicago Blackhawks have the most Conference Final appearances at 12 and are followed by the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings at 10 each, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Colorado Avalanche following them very closely at nine appearances each.
| Team | Conference Final Appearances | Conference Final Wins |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 12 | 4 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 11 | 8 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 10 | 6 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 9 | 6 |
| Dallas Stars | 9 | 4 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 9 | 4 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 9 | 3 |
| Boston Bruins | 8 | 5 |
| New York Rangers | 8 | 2 |
| New Jersey Devils | 7 | 5 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 7 | 4 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 7 | 3 |
| New York Islanders | 5 | 3 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 5 | 2 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 5 | 2 |
| San Jose Sharks | 5 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 4 | 3 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 4 | 1 |
| St. Louis Blues | 4 | 1 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 4 | 0 |
| Calgary Flames | 3 | 3 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3 | 3 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 3 | 2 |
| Washington Capitals | 3 | 2 |
| Ottawa Senators | 3 | 1 |
| Florida Panthers | 3 | 3 |
| Nashville Predators | 1 | 1 |
| Minnesota Wild | 1 | 0 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 1 | 0 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 |
Note: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Seattle Kraken are yet to reach the conference finals, as of April 2025.
FAQs on Stanley Cup
A. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record for the most consecutive appearances with 10 Stanley Cup final appearances between 1951 and 1960.
A. The Boston Bruins have lost the most Stanley Cup finals with 14 losses, as of April 2025.
A. The Montreal Canadiens have appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals 35 times, as of April 2025.
A. The Vancouver Canucks are the oldest NHL with no Stanley Cups to their name, as of April 2025.
A. The Toronto Maple Leafs won their last Stanley Cup in the 1966–67 season and are on a 57-year drought, as of April 2025.
