50 best teams in NHL history

39 min readOct 18, 2017

It would be cool to grab our time machine, pick up some of the all‐time great teams in NHL history, and have a tournament to decide who is the best. While we wait for Elon Musk to perfect time travel, we can use some math and analytics to tackle the question. So, that’s what we did: we looked at the last 74 NHL seasons ‐ from 1943 to 2017 ‐ to try to determine the greatest NHL team ever. We took the data and ran it through our Elo rating system in order to compare teams across different seasons. By the way, thanks hockey-reference.com!

Why Elo?

You can skip this part if you already read our 50 most dominant teams in NBA history list ‐ you’re already up to speed on the benefits of the Elo ratings system.

Before getting into why, it’s probably helpful to at least mention how the Elo rating system works. An Elo rating system distills a team’s performance to a single score ‐ the higher the score, the better. A team’s performance is converted to a score by first calculating the probability of Team A beating Team B and then increasing Team A’s score if it beats Team B, or decreasing Team A’s score if it loses to Team B. The probability calculation is where the magic happens. If Team A is heavily favored to beat Team B, Team A’s score is not going to improve a lot if it wins; however, if Team A is heavily favored to beat Team B and Team A loses, Team A’s score is going to decrease a lot. Totally clear, I know. The easiest way to think about Elo ratings is: you get rewarded for beating good teams, punished for losing to bad teams, and your score only changes marginally if you win (lose) games where you are the favorite (underdog). The best part about an Elo ratings system is the fact that it doesn’t treat all wins and losses the same ‐ it looks at the quality of the wins and losses (is there such a thing as a quality loss?) This fact makes it perfect to compare Wayne Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers to Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins because it looks at the quality of the opponents each team faced, and converts this quality assessment to a number. Enough about methodology and why it makes sense, and on to what I learned.

The extra point

The NHL determined that tie games were bad so, for the 2000 season, the league decided to award an extra point in tie games. The theory was: if both teams in a tie game were guaranteed at least one point, they would be less likely to play it safe in overtime. Sounded good in theory, but the change didn’t have the desired effect and the NHL eliminated tie games completely, by introducing a shootout for the 2006 season. Thanks for the history lesson, what does this have to do with the rankings? A lot. We ran all of the NHL games for the last 74 years through our Elo ratings system without adjusting for the extra point (from the 2000 season forward) and lack of tie games (for the 2006 season forward). As expected, the rankings were heavily skewed to modern teams ‐ 40 of the top 50 teams played in the 2000 season or later. There have been some good teams in the modern era, but 80% of the top 50 teams in history? Probably not. We thought we were going to need to make an adjustment and our thoughts were confirmed when we ran the numbers. So, we eliminated the overtime loss ‐ you don’t get a point for losing ‐ and we eliminated the shootout ‐ a tie at the end of overtime counts as a tie. As a result, all teams are playing on a level playing field; regardless of when they played.

Habs rule

It’s kind of fitting that the team with the most Stanley Cup wins also has the most entries in the ‘greatest teams of all time’ list. Eleven Montreal Canadiens teams are in the top 50. The next closest franchise is the Detroit Red Wings with 6, followed by the Boston Bruins with 5, and the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers with 4 entries each in the top 50. Overall, 17 franchises are represented in the top 50.

Almost every decade is represented, but the ’70s and ’80s rule

Our hesitation when we put these ‘all time’ rankings together is that older teams will be disadvantaged. We started with the 1943 season ‐ the first Original Six season ‐ when there were 6 teams who played a maximum of 43 games (regular season and playoffs). Compare that to the 2017 season when we had 31 teams who played a maximum of 98 games (regular season and playoffs). More games can be a double-edged sword, but we assume that, for good teams, more games = more opportunities to improve their Elo score. In general, the ‘more games, higher Elo rating’ theory seems to hold up ‐ 44 of the top 50 teams played after 1970. The good news is: there is a limit to the ‘more games, higher Elo rating’ theory. Despite playing between 71 and 88 games vs the 98 played by the 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins, a near majority (48%) of the top 50 teams played in the ’70s and ’80s. There were some very good Flyers, Bruins, and Canadiens teams in the ’70s and some very good Islanders and Oilers teams in the ’80s, so the large number of top 50 teams from these decades is not really a surprise. Overall, the top 50 contains a pretty good mix of older teams and modern teams ‐ there is at least 1 team from each decade between 1950–2017. Here is the breakdown of the top 50 teams by decade:

1943 to 1949: 0 teams
1950 to 1959: 4 teams
1960 to 1969: 2 teams
1970 to 1979: 14 teams
1980 to 1989: 10 teams
1990 to 1999: 9 teams
2000 to 2009: 7 teams
2010 to 2017: 4 teams

A Stanley Cup’s not necessary, but it helps a lot

The age old philosophical question: do you need to win a Stanley Cup to be considered a great team? Probably. In our list of the 50 greatest teams, 44 have won Stanley Cups, and 6 were Stanley Cup finalists. So it is possible to make the list without winning a Stanley Cup, but it’s pretty tough and you’re definitely not making the top 25ish without winning a Cup.

The rankings

50. New York Rangers — 1972

Biggest win: at home to Boston Bruins on May 04, 1972 (38.14% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Jan 22, 1972 (81.27% win probability)
Led by the third, fourth and fifth leading scores in the NHL — Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, and Rod Gilbert — and some stellar goaltending, the Rangers finished the regular season as the 2nd seed in the East Division. The Rangers defeated the defending Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens in 6 games in the opening round of the playoffs. New York then swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the Semi-finals to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1950. Things didn’t go as planned in the Finals, as the Bruins won in 6 games.

49. Anaheim Ducks — 2003

Biggest win: at home to Ottawa Senators on Jan 29, 2003 (31.25% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to New York Rangers on Feb 21, 2003 (65.06% win probability)
This team was actually known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim but, yeah. Fitting for a team owned by the Walt Disney Company, the team’s 2003 season reads like a Hollywood script: despite finishing the regular season as the 7th seed in the Western Conference, the Ducks swept the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Detroit Red Wings, in the first round of the playoffs and then went to 5 OTs in the first game of the Western Conference Semifinals against the heavily favoured Dallas Stars, before taking the series in 6 games. The Ducks then swept the Minnesota Wild in the Western Conference Finals to qualify for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Finals. Amazingly, JS Giguere only allowed 1 goal in the entire series! Unfortunately, the clock struck midnight for the Cinderella Ducks and Rob Niedermayer’s Ducks were defeated by Scott Niedermayer’s New Jersey Devils in 7 games in the Stanley Cup Finals. You can’t make this stuff up!

48. New Jersey Devils — 2003

Biggest win: at home to Ottawa Senators on May 13, 2003 (38.96% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb 15, 2003 (78.11% win probability)
The New Jersey Devils finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference and had a relatively easy time in the playoffs — defeating the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning in 5 games — before meeting the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Devils appeared to be in control after taking a 3–1 series lead over the Senators, but there was something about 3–1 series leads in the playoffs. The Vancouver Canucks came back from being down 3–1 and the Minnesota Wild accomplished the feat twice. The Senators almost did it as well; pushing the series to 7 games before falling to the Devils. New Jersey made it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the 3rd time in 4 years to face first time Finalist, the upstart Anaheim Ducks (I’m not calling them the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim). The Devils ended the Ducks’ Cinderella story to win the franchise’s 3rd Stanley Cup in 10 years. The Devils, Detroit Red Wings, and Colorado Avalanche dominated the NHL between 1995 and 2003 — winning 8 of the 9 Stanley Cup Finals contested between 1995 and 2003.

47. Boston Bruins — 1974

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on May 16, 1974 (42.43% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to California Golden Seals on Mar 10, 1974 (84.98% win probability)
The Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr-led Boston Bruins finished first in the East Division, swept the Maple Leafs in the quarterfinals, and defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in 6 games to set up a Stanley Cup Final against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers won the Stanley Cup, becoming the first expansion team to win a Stanley Cup and the first expansion team to defeat an Original Six team in a playoff round.

46. Boston Bruins — 1977

Biggest win: at home to Montreal Canadiens on Jan 17, 1977 (31.37% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Colorado Rockies on Jan 27, 1977 (75.12% win probability)
The Don Cherry-coached Boston Bruins finished the 1977 regular season with the best record in the Adams Division. This was Boston’s first season without Bobby Orr, who signed with Chicago in the offseason. In the playoffs, the Bruins defeated the Los Angeles Kings in 6 games, swept the Flyers, and were then swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals.

45. Montreal Canadiens — 1971

Biggest win: at home to Boston Bruins on Jan 16, 1971 (29.54% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Feb 22, 1971 (75.12% win probability)
After missing the playoffs in the previous season, the 1971 Montreal Canadiens finished 3rd in the East Division. Rookie goaltender and future Hall of Famer, Ken Dryden, was named starting goalie for the playoffs, despite playing in only 6 regular season games as a late season call-up. Montreal coach, Al MacNeil, must have seen something in those 6 games, as Dryden went on the win the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP and the Canadiens won their 17th Stanley Cup Championship.

44. Buffalo Sabres — 1980

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Feb 27, 1980 (39.37% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Winnipeg Jets on Mar 12, 1980 (85.98% win probability)
The Sabres finished the regular season with the best record in the Prince of Wales Conference and the 2nd best record in the NHL. In the playoffs, Buffalo defeated the Vancouver Canucks and swept the Chicago Blackhawks before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion, New York Islanders, in the Conference Finals (called the Semi-Finals at the time).

44. Detroit Red Wings — 1955

Biggest win: at home to Montreal Canadiens on Nov 14, 1954 (37.87% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to New York Rangers on Jan 19, 1955 (79.92% win probability)
Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Terry Sawchuk led the Detroit Red Wings to the NHL’s best regular season record. After sweeping the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals and defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals. This would be the start of a 42 year drought, as the Red Wings would not win another Stanley Cup until 1997.

42. Edmonton Oilers — 1987

Biggest win: at home to Quebec Nordiques on Oct 15, 1986 (43.42% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Buffalo Sabres on Jan 18, 1987 (78.7% win probability)
After being denied a 3rd straight Stanley Cup by the Calgary Flames in the previous season, 1987 was a pretty good bounce back year for the Oilers. Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, and way too many other stars to name, led the Oilers to the best regular season record in the NHL and the Presidents’ Trophy. The Oilers only lost 2 games on their way to the Stanley Cup Final, but they were pushed to seven games by the Los Angeles Kings. Edmonton eventually prevailed, winning their 3rd Stanley Cup in 4 years. The Oilers would go on to win repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in 1988, making it 4 Stanley Cups in 5 years.

41. Detroit Red Wings — 2008

Biggest win: at home to Edmonton Oilers on Oct 08, 2007 (47.41% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb 09, 2008 (80.65% win probability)
The Red Wings finished the regular season with the best record in the league, winning the franchise’s 6th Presidents’ Trophy. After losing 2 straight games to Nashville, Coach Mike Babcock replaced Dominik Hasek with Chris Osgood in net. The switch worked — Osgood led Detroit to 9 straight wins and a Stanley Cup Finals matchup with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Detroit won their 11th Stanley Cup, defeating the Penguins in 6 games.

40. Tampa Bay Lightning — 2004

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Jan 03, 2004 (33.51% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Carolina Hurricanes on Mar 13, 2004 (76.29% win probability)
Martin St. Louis won the Art Ross Trophy while leading the Tampa Bay Lightning to the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, the Lightning had a fairly easy time in the early rounds — only losing 1 game before being taken to 7 games by the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Eastern Conference Finals win set up a meeting of two teams who hadn’t spent a lot of time in the Stanley Cup Finals — the Lightning had never been to the Finals before, while this was the Calgary Flames’ first Stanley Cup Finals since 1989. Tampa Bay would go on to win their first Stanley Cup Championship. Lightning owner, William Davidson, also made history as the first owner to win 2 major sports championships in the same year, when his Detroit Pistons became NBA Champions 8 days after the Lightning victory.

39. Toronto Maple Leafs — 1951

Biggest win: at home to Detroit Red Wings on Dec 31, 1950 (37.33% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Montreal Canadiens on Mar 01, 1951 (74.03% win probability)
The Canadian band, The Tragically Hip, do a good job of telling the 1951 Toronto Maple Leafs’ story in their song, 50 Mission Cap. Bill Barilko scored the game winning and Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime of game 5 against the Montreal Canadiens. Barilko disappeared after going on a fishing trip shortly after the 1951 Stanley Cup Finals. As the song says: “The last goal he ever scored, won the Leafs the Cup.” Barilko’s body was discovered 11 years later in 1962 — the same year the Leafs won their first Stanley Cup since Barilko’s Cup winning goal and disappearance in 1951. This is the only Leafs team in the top 50, which is surprising for a team with 13 Stanley Cup wins.

38. Chicago Blackhawks— 2010

Biggest win: at home to San Jose Sharks on Nov 15, 2009 (42.01% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to New York Islanders on Mar 02, 2010 (75.12% win probability)
Chicago finished the regular season with the 2nd best record in the Western Conference and qualified for the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1997 season. The Blackhawks defeated the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks before sweeping the San Jose Sharks to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals. Chicago downed the Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games to win the franchise’s 1st Stanley Cup Championship since 1961 and 4th overall. The 2010 Blackhawks were voted one of the NHL’s 20 Greatest Teams in a fan poll on NHL.com in May, 2017.

37. Pittsburgh Penguins — 2009

Biggest win: at home to San Jose Sharks on Feb 11, 2009 (27.43% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec 23, 2008 (69.37% win probability)
The 2009 Penguins got off to a poor start — a record of 27–25–5 and outside of a playoff position — which resulted in the firing of head coach, Michel Therrien. Dan Bylsma was hired to replace Therrien and the Penguins responded — going 18–3–2 over the remaining 23 games and only losing at home once — and qualified for the playoffs as the 4th seed in the East. In the playoffs, the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and Carolina Hurricanes to set up a Stanley Cup Finals rematch with the Detroit Red Wings. Unlike the previous matchup, the Penguins came out on top — downing the Red Wings to capture the franchise’s 3rd, and Sidney Crosby’s 1st Stanley Cup Championship.

36. Detroit Red Wings — 1997

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Jan 22, 1997 (31.49% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Toronto Maple Leafs on Mar 05, 1997 (70.82% win probability)
Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, and Sergei Fedorov led the Detroit Red Wings to a 3rd place finish in the Western Conference. The playoffs were fairly uneventful — the Red Wings only lost 2 games on their way to the Western Conference Finals — but that changed with the series against the Colorado Avalanche. The teams had built a rivalry after meeting in the playoffs in the previous year (when Claude Lemieux hit Kris Draper face first in the dasher board) and brawling in a March game in the regular season. After beating Claude Lemieux physically in the regular season brawl, the Detroit Red Wings exacted further revenge by defeating the Avalanche in 6 games, setting up a Stanley Cup Final vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. The Red Wings swept a punchless Flyers team on their way to winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship since 1955.

35. Dallas Stars — 1999

Biggest win: at home to Colorado Avalanche on Jun 01, 1999 (45.69% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Calgary Flames on Jan 08, 1999 (85.12% win probability)
The Dallas Stars, led by Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Brett Hull, and Ed Belfor, finished the regular season with the best record in the NHL, winning the Presidents’ Trophy. Looking back, the Stars seemed to cruise past the Edmonton Oilers with a sweep in the first round of the playoffs, but I remember these Stars vs. Oilers series — they were all decided by a goal late in the third period or in overtime. After getting past the Oilers, the road to the Finals only got tougher, with the St. Louis Blues taking the Stars to 6 games and the Colorado Avalanche taking the Stars to a full 7 games. Dallas met the Buffalo Sabres in the Finals where Brett Hull netted the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the Stars in triple overtime of game 6. The win did not come without controversy, as Brett Hull’s skate was in the goal crease before the puck. Sabres fans were up in arms about the ‘No goal’ and some Dallas sports reporters questioned the call on the goal. The NHL claimed that Hull’s initial shot on Hasek and the rebound that he put in the net were a single possession, which made the goal legal. Despite their confidence in the call, the NHL changed the rule for the following season. This was the first and only Stanley Cup win for the Stars (in Dallas and Minnesota) and the Sabres have not made it back to the Finals since the infamous goal.

34. New York Rangers — 1994

Biggest win: at home to New Jersey Devils on Oct 31, 1993 (38.96% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Winnipeg Jets on Mar 27, 1994 (76.6% win probability)
The New York Rangers managed to build a mini-Oilers, with Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Craig MacTavish, Glenn Anderson, and Jeff Beukeboom. Mike Keenan was hired as head coach for the 1994 season and the Iron Mike + mini-Oilers formula seemed to work — the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy for best regular season record and managed to finish the season without being shut out. The Rangers dismantled the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs, outscoring the Islanders 22–3 in a 4-game sweep. The Washington Capitals were no match for the Rangers, either, dropping the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in 5 games. The Rangers faced their first adversity in the Eastern Conference Finals, when they found themselves in a 3–2 hole. Maybe it was being in New York, where Joe Namath made a famous guarantee, but Mark Messier guaranteed a game 6 win. The Rangers won game 6 and game 7 and punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals. New York defeated the Vancouver Canucks in 7 games to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

33. Los Angeles Kings — 2012

Biggest win: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Dec 31, 2011 (32.37% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Minnesota Wild on Mar 31, 2012 (71.64% win probability)
The Kings scraped into the playoffs, clinching the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference (in their 2nd to last game of the regular season.) In the playoffs, the Kings became only the 2nd team to eliminate a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd seeded team in the same playoffs. Facing the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Kings continued to add their name to the history books: becoming the first #8 seed team to win a major professional sports championship.

32. Pittsburgh Penguins — 2016

Biggest win: at home to Florida Panthers on Feb 06, 2016 (38.69% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Calgary Flames on Mar 05, 2016 (74.36% win probability)
After a lacklustre start to the season, the Penguins fired coach Mike Johnston in December and promoted Mike Sullivan from the team’s American Hockey League affiliate. Pittsburgh responded well to the change, finishing the regular season with the 2nd best regular season record in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. The playoffs weren’t exactly easy for the Penguins; after defeating the New York Rangers in 5 games, the Penguins were taken to 6 games by Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, and were taken to 7 games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. In the Stanley Cup Finals, Pittsburgh defeated San Jose to win the franchise’s 4th Stanley Cup and Sidney Crosby’s 2nd of his career.

31. Detroit Red Wings — 2002

Biggest win: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Apr 21, 2002 (31.49% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb 08, 2002 (83.92% win probability)
The Red Wings put the equivalent of a wire to wire win together in the 2002 season. The team won 22 of its first 27 games and ended up winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the 3rd time in franchise history. Aside from an early scare against the Vancouver Canucks and a hard fought 7 game series against the Colorado Avalanche, the Red Wings had a fairly easy time in the playoffs and won the franchise’s 10th Stanley Cup Championship. With 10 future Hall of Fame players, a Hall of Fame coach, and three 500 goal scorers, it’s not hard to see why the Red Wings had so much success in 2002.

30. Chicago Blackhawks — 2013

Biggest win: at home to Detroit Red Wings on May 25, 2013 (47.7% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Edmonton Oilers on Mar 10, 2013 (81.19% win probability)
This one was a bit of a surprise and shows that teams can still score well in an Elo rating system even with a short season. Chicago led from wire-to-wire in a season that was shortened from 82 games to 48 games due to a lockout. After defeating the Boston Bruins in 6 games in the Stanley Cup Finals, Chicago become the 8th team in NHL history to win both the Presidents’ Cup and Stanley Cup in the same season. This was Chicago’s 5th Stanley Cup Championship.

29. Montreal Canadiens — 1989

Biggest win: at home to Hartford Whalers on Nov 01, 1988 (43.42% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to New York Islanders on Mar 13, 1989 (84.9% win probability)
The Montreal Canadiens finished the regular season with the best record in the Prince of Wales Conference. Montreal made it to the Stanley Cup Finals by sweeping the Hartford Whalers, defeating the Boston Bruins in 5 games, and downing the Philadelphia Flyers in 6 games. The Canadiens met the Calgary Flames in the Stanley Cup Finals for the 2nd time in the 80’s, after defeating the Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 1986. The tables were turned in 1989, as the Flames got the better of the Canadiens to win the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup. This was also the first time Montreal had lost in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1967. The Flames and Canadiens were 2 of only teams to win the Stanley Cup in the 80’s — the others being the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders.

28. Boston Bruins — 1978

Biggest win: at home to Montreal Canadiens on May 18, 1978 (32.88% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Washington Capitals on Mar 28, 1978 (90.02% win probability)
Boston finished the regular season with the best record in the Adams Division and cruised through to the Stanley Cup Finals — sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks and defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the Montreal Canadiens dominated the NHL in the late 70’s — winning 3 straight Stanley Cup Championships. Boston was a very good team (28th all time and the best team to not win a Stanley Cup) that suffered from poor timing; losing to the Canadiens in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 1977 and 1978.

27. Colorado Avalanche — 2001

Biggest win: at home to Detroit Red Wings on Mar 17, 2001 (43.99% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Nashville Predators on Dec 26, 2000 (72.34% win probability)
The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best regular season record and Patrick Roy broke Terry Sawchuk’s record for most career wins by an NHL goaltender. In the playoffs, the Avalanche swept the Vancouver Canucks, defeated the Los Angeles Kings in 7 games, and downed the St. Louis Blues in 5 games to qualify for the Stanley Cup Finals. Colorado met the New Jersey Devils — the 50th best team of all time and defending Stanley Cup Champion — in the Stanley Cup Finals. This was the 6th time that 2 top 50 teams had met in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Finals had a fairy tale ending for the Avalanche, as Colorado won its 2nd Stanley Cup and Ray Bourque’s first and only Stanley Cup in his 22 year playing career.

26. Montreal Canadiens — 1993

Biggest win: at home to Quebec Nordiques on Apr 22, 1993 (35.73% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Tampa Bay Lightning on Mar 03, 1993 (83.45% win probability)
The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, the Montreal Canadiens were hot and cold during the regular season, finishing 4th in the Prince of Wales Conference (the former Eastern Conference). The Canadiens had four 30+ goal scorers and Patrick Roy in goal. After going down 2 games to none against the Quebec Nordiques, the Montreal Canadiens would tie an NHL playoff record by winning their next 11 games in a row, eliminating the Nordiques, sweeping the Buffalo Sabres, and going up 3 games to none on the New York Islanders. After eliminating the Islanders in 5 games, the Montreal Canadiens faced Stanley Cup Finals’ rookie, Los Angeles Kings. The Canadiens prevailed in 5 games but, along the way, set another NHL record by winning 10 overtime games in a row.

25. Detroit Red Wings — 1998

Biggest win: at home to New Jersey Devils on Dec 19, 1997 (38.55% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to New York Islanders on Jan 12, 1998 (78.79% win probability)
Restricted free agent, Sergei Fedorov, held out for most of the season, but signed an offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes in February. The offer sheet was constructed to create problems for the Red Wings, with a $12 million signing bonus and a $12 million payment that was escalated if Fedorov played in the Conference Finals (more likely if Fedorov was a member of the Red Wings than if he was a member of the Hurricanes). Despite the problematic offer sheet, the Red Wings matched and, because Detroit made the Conference Finals, ended up paying Fedorov $28 million for the 1998 season — the highest single season salary paid to an NHL player. Given the bad blood between Red Wings’ owner, Mike Ilitch, and Hurricanes’ owner, Peter Karmanos, you have to wonder if the business transaction got a little personal? Without Fedorov for most of the regular season, the Red Wings finished the regular season with the 3rd best record in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Detroit was taken to 6 games by the Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars on their way to advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Finals were a non-event, as the Red Wings swept the first time finalist, Washington Capitals, in 4 games to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions.

24. Colorado Avalanche — 1996

Biggest win: at home to New York Rangers on Feb 03, 1996 (38.14% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to San Jose Sharks on Mar 05, 1996 (83.53% win probability)
The 1996 season was a big year for hockey exports from the province of Quebec to the state of Colorado — the Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado to become the Colorado Avalanche and Patrick Roy was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Colorado Avalanche during the 1996 season. The Quebec Nordiques finished the 1995 season with the best record in the Eastern Conference, so the team was already very good and adding Patrick Roy in the 1996 season pushed the team over the edge and helped to secure the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship. Colorado’s 1996 Stanley Cup win sparked a run of dominance by the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche (also a bitter rivalry), as both teams went on to win 5 Stanley Cups over the 7 seasons between 1996 and 2002.

23. New York Islanders — 1980

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Mar 06, 1980 (27.78% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Los Angeles Kings on Apr 09, 1980 (74.69% win probability)
Prior to the 1980 season, the Islanders had a string of 5 straight seasons with 100+ points in the regular season. Despite the strong regular seasons, New York was unable to break through and win a Stanley Cup. That changed with the trade for Butch Goring prior to the playoffs during the 1980 season. The trade gave the Islanders legitimate scoring from the second line and meant that opposing teams could no longer focus all of their defensive efforts on the Islanders’ first line of Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, and Clark Gillies. New York met the top seeded, Philadelphia Flyers, in the Stanley Cup Finals and, thanks to Bob Nystrom’s overtime heroics, secured the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship. The 1980 season also marked the beginning of the Islanders dynasty, as the team went on to win Stanley Cups in each of the next 3 seasons and 4 in a row. The only thing stopping the Islanders from winning 5 in a row was the start of the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasty.

22. Montreal Canadiens— 1979

Biggest win: at home to Atlanta Flames on Nov 04, 1978 (35.86% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Detroit Red Wings on Mar 03, 1979 (84.68% win probability)
The final season of the Montreal Canadiens’ late 1970s dynasty led to the team’s 4th consecutive Stanley Cup Championship. Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Larry Robinson, and too many other great Montreal players to mention, finished the regular season with the 2nd best record in the regular season (2nd to the New York Islanders who were building a dynasty of their own.) Montreal swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs and were taken to 7 games by a very good Boston Bruins team before defeating the New York Rangers in 5 games to win the Stanley Cup. There wasn’t a lot of parity in the league during this time, as the Montreal Canadiens dominated the late 1970s, the New York Islanders dominated the early 1980s, and the Edmonton Oilers dominated the mid to late 1980s.

21. New York Islanders — 1983

Biggest win: at home to Buffalo Sabres on Jan 04, 1983 (36.13% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Hartford Whalers on Feb 12, 1983 (80.29% win probability)
The end of the dynasty. It feels like I have written the word ‘dynasty’ way too much in this section, but there’s nothing I can do about that — I actually learned that the NHL has an official list of recognized dynasties and the last few spots in the rankings have been filled by teams that are officially recognized dynasties. The Islanders’ Stanley Cup victory over the Edmonton Oilers represented a ‘passing of the torch’, as the Oilers would go on to defeat the Islanders in the 1984 Stanley Cup Finals and win 4 of the next 5 Stanley Cups.

20. Detroit Red Wings — 1952

Biggest win: at home to Chicago Blackhawks on Oct 18, 1951 (47.27% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Chicago Blackhawks on Jan 26, 1952 (78.79% win probability)
Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Terry Sawchuk led the Detroit Red Wings to a 100 point season, good for 1st in the NHL. Detroit continued their dominance into the playoffs, sweeping the defending Stanley Cup Champion Toronto Maple Leafs. In the Stanley Cup Final, the Red Wings were even harder on the Montreal Canadiens — sweeping the Haps and only allowing 2 goals in the 4 game series. In the process, Detroit became the first team to go perfect through the playoffs.

19. Pittsburgh Penguins — 1992

Biggest win: at home to Washington Capitals on Apr 23, 1992 (38.82% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Hartford Whalers on Mar 22, 1992 (67.5% win probability)
The defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins got off to a good start, but the team struggled to qualify for the playoffs, needing a 12–5–1 finish to end up 3rd in their division. The early rounds of the playoffs were a struggle as well — the Washington Capitals pushed the Penguins to 7 games in the opening round and the New York Rangers took Pittsburgh to 6 games in the Division Finals. Just to put a cap on the roller coaster season, the Penguins then went on to sweep the Boston Bruins in the Conference Finals and then swept the Chicago Blackhawks to secure back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships. Nine members of the 1992 Pittsburgh Penguins — including GM, Craig Patrick, and coaches, Scotty Bowman and Bob Johnson — were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. In addition, the roster boasted five 30+ goal scorers.

18. Philadelphia Flyers — 1974

Biggest win: at home to Boston Bruins on Dec 09, 1973 (43.28% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan 20, 1974 (82.39% win probability)
The Broad Street Bullies, led by Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent, finished the regular season with the best record in the West Division. The Flyers swept the Atlanta Flames in the first round of the playoffs before getting pushed to 7 games by the New York Rangers in the Semi-Finals. Philadelphia’s Semi-Finals win set up a Stanley Cup Final versus Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins (47th ranked team in NHL history.) The underdog, Flyers, defeated the Bruins in 6 games, becoming the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup and the first expansion team to defeat an Original Six team in a playoff round.

17. Montreal Canadiens — 1968

Biggest win: at home to Boston Bruins on Dec 13, 1967 (29.66% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Minnesota North Stars on Mar 02, 1968 (81.36% win probability)
Despite losing 18 players in the expansion draft, held prior to the start of the season, the Canadiens managed to finish 1st in the East Division and repeat as Stanley Cup Finalists. What’s really puzzling is how the Canadiens lost 18 players when the team’s GM, Sam Pollock, helped write the rules for the draft. Montreal swept the St. Louis Blues to secure the team’s 3rd Stanley Cup Championship in 4 seasons.

16. New Jersey Devils — 1995

Biggest win: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb 05, 1995 (34.29% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Tampa Bay Lightning on Apr 18, 1995 (68.26% win probability)
Sometimes, when I look at the rankings our system generates, there are times when I think: “how did that happen?” The 1995 New Jersey Devils are a ‘how did that happen?’ moment. A lockout shortened the season to 48 games and the Devils didn’t exactly tear up the league, finishing 5th in the Eastern Conference with a 22–18–8 record. At the end of the regular season, New Jersey had an Elo rating of 1555, which would be good for about 330th all time. After beating a fairly evenly matched — based on Elo rating — Boston Bruins team in 5 games, New Jersey’s Elo rating jumped to 1584 (about 205th all time.) After beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in 5 games, the Devils’ Elo rating jumped to 1626 (about 105th all time.) I’m starting to see a pattern. In the Eastern Conference Finals, New Jersey faced a very good Philadelphia Flyers team — Elo rating of 1668, which would be good for about 54th all time — and, after defeating the Flyers in 6 games, New Jersey’s Elo rating improved again to 1661. The Devils faced a very good Detroit Red Wings team — Elo rating of 1700 at the start of the series, which would be good for about 30th all time — in the Stanley Cup Finals. A sweep of the Red Wings left the Devils with a Stanley Cup and an Elo rating of 1722. Looking at future years confirms that these were very good Devils and Red Wings teams — the core group of Devils players went on to win Stanley Cups in 2000 and 2003, while the core group of Red Wings players went on to win Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998.

15. Philadelphia Flyers — 1975

Biggest win: at home to Montreal Canadiens on Mar 23, 1975 (41.73% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Minnesota North Stars on Feb 08, 1975 (83.53% win probability)
The Philadelphia Flyers enjoyed winning the Stanley Cup so much in 1974, that they went back out and did it again in 1975. Unlike the 16th ranked New Jersey Devils, this is a result that doesn’t require any further digging. The Flyers improved on their regular season record from 1974 and ended up with the best record in the NHL. Philadelphia then went on to sweep the Toronto Maple Leafs before getting taken to 7 games by the New York Islanders and then defeated the Buffalo Sabres in 6 games to capture back-to-back Stanley Cups. The 1975 Philadelphia Flyers team was the last Stanley Cup Champion with a 100% Canadian-born roster.

14. Edmonton Oilers — 1988

Biggest win: at home to Calgary Flames on Dec 26, 1987 (41.31% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Minnesota North Stars on Mar 20, 1988 (82.05% win probability)
I’m just going to say it: the Oilers were really good in the mid to late 80s. Led by Wayne Gretzky and a ton of other really good players — Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, and lots of others — the Oilers won 5 Stanley Cups between 1984 and 1990. Not surprisingly, there are 4 Oilers teams from that era in the top 50 teams of all time. In the regular season, the Oilers faced a little adversity (it’s all relative): the 1985 season was the first time since 1981 that the Oilers did not finish the regular season with more than 100 points, lead the NHL in goals, or win their division. The playoffs didn’t offer much in the way of adversity, aside from the fact that game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals was canceled halfway through the 3rd period due to a power outage at the Boston Garden. Again, it’s all relative, as the Oilers only lost 2 playoff games on their way to winning a 4th Stanley Cup in 5 years.

13. Edmonton Oilers — 1985

Biggest win: at home to Winnipeg Jets on Apr 18, 1985 (40.89% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Dec 08, 1984 (86.85% win probability)
This team was voted as the Greatest NHL Team by fans in a poll conducted by NHL.com in June, 2017. I, respectfully, disagree. Don’t get me wrong; this was a great team, but I think there are 12 teams ahead of this Oilers team in the ‘Greatest NHL Team’ rankings. It was a typical 80s Oilers regular season: score lots of goals (401 — the most in the NHL) and win the Smythe Division (for the 4th year in a row.) The Oilers were not the top team in the NHL in the regular season, though. That honour went to the Philadelphia Flyers, who the Oilers would meet in the Stanley Cup Finals, a rare meeting of the top seed from each Conference. In the playoffs, the Oilers won 9 straight games before dropping 2 games to the Chicago Blackhawks. Edmonton quickly righted the ship and won the next 2 games to dispatch Chicago and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals vs. the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers embarrassed the Oilers in game 1 — winning 4–1 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. That loss lit a fire under the Oilers, particularly Gretzky, Coffey, and Meesier, and the Oilers went on to win the next 4 games to capture back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships.

12. Anaheim Ducks — 2007

Biggest win: at home to Vancouver Canucks on Mar 11, 2007 (39.51% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Phoenix Coyotes on Dec 23, 2006 (82.47% win probability)
Other than winning the Stanley Cup, nothing about this team stands out as ‘great’. So, I had to dig into the numbers. The Anaheim Ducks finished the regular season with a meh Elo rating of 1569 (good for about 260th all time) and they opened the playoffs against a sneaky good Minnesota Wild team with an Elo rating of 1626 (good for about 105th all time). Minnesota’s SRS (Simple Rating System) was 5th in the NHL, which confirms that the Wild were much better than their record suggests (11th best in the NHL.) Anaheim defeated the Wild in 5 games to improve their Elo rating to 1618 (good for about 117th all time.) The Ducks then defeated the Vancouver Canucks in 5 games to improve their Elo rating to 1658 (about 60th all time.) In the Western Conference Finals, Anaheim faced a Detroit Red Wings team that had finished the regular season with the 2nd best record and had finished 1st overall in the previous year. Defeating the Red Wings in 6 games helped improve Anaheim’s Elo rating to 1687 (about 35th all time.) The Ottawa Senators and their Elo rating of 1701 (about 30th all time) were waiting for the Ducks in the Stanley Cup Finals. Anaheim defeated Ottawa in 5 games to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup and improve the Ducks’ Elo rating to 1730. So, Anaheim’s greatness came from beating a sneaky good Minnesota Wild team, a very good Red Wings team, and a very good Ottawa Senators team in the playoffs.

11. Boston Bruins — 1972

Biggest win: at home to Minnesota North Stars on Oct 31, 1971 (41.87% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Los Angeles Kings on Mar 05, 1972 (90.42% win probability)
Another great Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito-led Boston Bruins team that finished first in the NHL The Bruins went on to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs in 5 games and then sweep the St. Louis Blues to advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the New York Rangers. This was the Bruins’ 2nd Stanley Cup Final in 3 seasons and also resulted in the Bruins’ 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 seasons. Unlike previous years, when a circus at Madison Square Garden forced the Rangers to play home games at a neutral site, the Rangers were able to play all of their home games at Madison Square Garden.

10. Montreal Canadiens — 1973

Biggest win: at home to New York Rangers on Feb 14, 1973 (47.27% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Buffalo Sabres on Apr 08, 1973 (80.56% win probability)
We now enter the Montreal Canadiens section of the rankings; Montreal teams occupy 5 of the top 10 spots. A stacked team featuring Jacques Lemaire, Frank Mahovlich, Yvan Cournoyer, Pete Mahovlich, Guy Lafleur, and too many others to mention, led the Canadiens to the best regular season record in the NHL. Montreal was so dominant in the regular season that, at the end of the regular season, the team had an Elo rating of 1727 (good for about 14th all time.) In the playoffs, the Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres in 6 games, the Philadelphia Flyers in 5 games, and the Chicago Blackhawks in 6 games to win the Stanley Cup. Montreal’s playoff performance was nowhere near as dominant as the regular season but, regardless, it was always going to be difficult to move the needle, given the team’s high Elo rating at the end of the regular season.

9. Boston Bruins — 1970

Biggest win: at home to Chicago Blackhawks on Apr 19, 1970 (35.33% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Los Angeles Kings on Feb 18, 1970 (86.79% win probability)
After setting a franchise record for points (100 points), but losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final, the Bruins bounced back nicely and finished the regular season tied in first place with the Chicago Blackhawks with 99 points. Bobby Orr, a defenceman, led the NHL in scoring in the 1970 season. After defeating the New York Rangers in 6 games in the first round of the playoffs, the Bruins would not lose another game on their way to capturing the franchise’s 4th Stanley Cup. Bobby Orr scored the Stanley Cup winning goal in OT of game 4 — you’ve probably seen the picture of the goal with Bobby Orr airborne and celebrating the puck going in the net.

8. Edmonton Oilers — 1984

Biggest win: at home to New York Rangers on Oct 30, 1983 (49.42% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Los Angeles Kings on Jan 28, 1984 (82.47% win probability)
Despite the fan vote on NHL.com in June, 2017, this was the best Oilers team based on Elo ratings. The 1984 Oilers also scored more goals than the 1985 team — 446 to 401 — and won more games — 57 to 49. Plus, the 1984 team had 4 100+ point scorers — Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, and Mark Messier — and 3 50+ goal scorers — Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, and Glenn Anderson. The 1985 team only had 3 100+ point scorers and 2 50+ goal scorers (only, I know.) The playoffs were comparable; the 1984 and 1985 teams both swept 2 series’, while the 1984 team lost 1 more game in the playoffs than the 1985 team.

7. Calgary Flames — 1989

Biggest win: at home to Montreal Canadiens on Jan 23, 1989 (40.34% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb 22, 1989 (83.84% win probability)
The Flames followed up their Presidents’ Trophy win for having the best regular season record in the 1988 season by winning another Presidents’ Trophy in 1989. The 1989 team was even better than the 1988 team after adding Doug Gilmour in a trade and rookie, Theoren Fleury. The result was a franchise record 54 regular season wins — a franchise record and only the fifth team to win 50+ games in a season. Unlike the previous year, the Flames were not going to be denied in the playoffs. After being taken to 7 games by the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames swept the Los Angeles Kings and defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in 5 games to qualify for the franchise’s second Stanley Cup Final. The Montreal Canadiens were Calgary’s opponent and, unlike when the two teams met in the 1986 Final, the Flames came out victorious and won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. If you’re an Oilers fan, you’re probably thinking: how did the Flames win less regular season games than the 1984 Oilers and lose more playoff games than the same Oilers, and still finish ahead of the Oilers in the rankings? Both teams finished the regular season with comparable Elo ratings — 1659 for the Oilers and 1666 for the Flames — and played opponents with similar Elo ratings through to the Stanley Cup Final. The big difference was the quality of opponent each team faced in the Stanley Cup Final — the Flames faced a Montreal Canadiens team with an Elo rating of 1736, while the Oilers faced a Philadelphia Flyers team with an Elo rating of 1635. So, Calgary beat a much tougher opponent in the Stanley Cup Final, which is reflected in the team’s higher ranking vs the 1984 Oilers.

6. New York Islanders — 1981

Biggest win: at home to St. Louis Blues on Feb 14, 1981 (41.31% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Quebec Nordiques on Jan 31, 1981 (79.55% win probability)
Here we go with the dynasty talk again. According to the NHL, there are 8 dynasties: 1) 1947–51 Toronto Maple Leafs; 2) 1950–55 Detroit Red Wings; 3) 1956–1960 Montreal Canadiens; 4) 1962–64 Toronto Maple Leafs; 5) 1965–69 Montreal Canadiens; 6) 1976–79 Montreal Canadiens; 7) 1980–83 New York Islanders; and 8) 1984–90 Edmonton Oilers. At least one team from each of the dynasties is represented, except for the 1956–60 Montreal Canadiens and 1962–64 Toronto Maple Leafs — what happened in the late 50s and early 60s? All 4 of the 1976–79 Montreal Canadiens teams and all 4 of the 1980–83 New York Islanders teams are represented in the top 50. This Islanders team is the 2nd best Islanders team from the 1980s dynasty, which is fitting because this team won the 2nd most regular season games (49) of the 4 teams. In addition, the 1981 Islanders only lost 3 games in the playoffs, while winning the franchise’s 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup.

5. Montreal Canadiens — 1969

Biggest win: at home to Boston Bruins on Feb 15, 1969 (41.45% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan 02, 1969 (78.6% win probability)
Led by Yvan Cournoyer and Jean Beliveau, the 1969 Montreal Canadiens finished the regular season with the best record in the NHL. Montreal then went on to win the Stanley Cup and only dropped 2 games in the playoffs. While facing the teams with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best regular season records.

4. New York Islanders — 1982

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Jan 07, 1982 (47.27% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb 21, 1982 (84.15% win probability)
The highest ranked Islanders team from the early 80s dynasty years and the only non-Montreal Canadiens team in the top 5. This is the best Islanders team because it won the most regular season games (54 games), adding the Islanders to the list of only 5 NHL franchises to win 50+ regular season games. The Islanders only lost 4 games in the playoffs and swept 2 series, including the Stanley Cup Final, on their way to winning a 3rd consecutive Stanley Cup. With two 1980–83 Isles teams in the top 6, it’s probably safe to award them the title of ‘2nd best dynasty in NHL history’…

3. Montreal Canadiens — 1978

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Dec 18, 1977 (37.74% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Washington Capitals on Apr 02, 1978 (93.17% win probability)
The 1978 Montreal Canadiens were dominant: winning 59 regular season games, while outscoring opponents by 2.2 goals per game. Of the 3 best NHL teams ever/3 best Montreal Canadiens teams ever (same thing), this team won the 2nd most regular season games, but they lost 3 playoff games in their 3 playoff series (including series against teams with the 2nd and 6th best regular season records), and swept 1 playoff series. It would be pretty easy to make a case for this team being the best ever…if the #1 and #2 teams didn’t exist.

2. Montreal Canadiens — 1976

Biggest win: at home to Philadelphia Flyers on Oct 18, 1975 (45.55% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to Detroit Red Wings on Jan 25, 1976 (85.7% win probability)
The 1976 Montreal Canadiens were dominant: winning 58 regular season games, while outscoring opponents by 2 goals per game. Of the 3 best NHL teams ever/3 best Montreal Canadiens teams ever (same thing), this team won the 3rd most regular season games, but they only lost 1 playoff game in their 3 playoff series (including series against teams with the 2nd and 5th best regular season records), and swept 2 playoff series. It would be pretty easy to make a case for this team being the best ever…if the #1 team didn’t exist.

1. Montreal Canadiens — 1977

Biggest win: at home to Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct 07, 1976 (47.7% win probability)
Worst loss: at home to St. Louis Blues on Jan 12, 1977 (81.62% win probability)
The 1977 Montreal Canadiens were dominant: winning 60 regular season games, while setting the record for most regular season points and outscoring opponents by 2.7 goals per game. Of the 3 best NHL teams ever/3 best Montreal Canadiens teams ever (same thing), this team won the most regular season games, only lost 2 playoff games in their 3 playoff series (including series against teams with the 3rd and 4th best regular season records), and swept 2 playoff series. It’s pretty tough to argue that this was not the best NHL team ever. The Montreal Canadiens get to boast about having the best NHL team ever AND the best dynasty — all 4 of the 1976–79 Canadiens teams are in this top 50 ranking and 3 are in the top 3!

Originally published at tierify.com.