Stanley Cup fever is here with the playoffs happening and the best teams in the NHL battling for the elusive trophy. Since the playoffs are here, now’s the time to bet on your favorite team and maybe even sign up at a reputable sportsbook to get a free bet bonus, which you can read about if you click here.
Throughout the history of the NHL, there have been teams that have dominated on the ice for years. However, the debate rages on about which team has had the best hockey dynasty. Here are our picks for the top three dynasties in NHL history.
- Montreal Canadiens 1970-1979
It’s not hard to see why the Canadiens are the top pick since they won six Stanley Cups from 1970-1979. Of those, they won four titles in a row from 1976-79 and they won five titles in a row in the 1950s when there were only six teams in the league. The team boasted 11 Hall of Famers in the first win in the decade in 1971 and then 10 of them in the last one in 1979. Legendary players such as Guy Lafleur and Henri Richard were on those teams and during their run in the 70’s they were 6-0 in the finals. In Montreal’s illustrious history, they have won the most Stanley Cups by far with 24 trophies while the team with the second most is the Toronto Maple Leafs with “only” 13.
- Edmonton Oilers 1983-1990
While the 1970s only produced one dynasty the 1980s ushered in two of them. There is often debate about which was better but we are going with the Edmonton Oilers who featured the best to ever lace the skates up with Wayne Gretzky. Along with the Great One, players like Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, and Jari Kurri helped the Oilers win five Stanley Cups from 1984 to 1990. What’s even more impressive is that they did the last title of their run after sending Gretzky to the LA Kings in the biggest trade in the history of the NHL. That had to be an even sweeter title run, as in the previous season they lost to Gretzky and the Kings in the first round of the playoffs despite having a 3-1 series lead.
3.New York Islanders 1980-1984
The Islanders won four straight Stanley Cups at the beginning of the 1980s after failing to get past the semifinals after coming into the league in 1972. Since their run, no team has won more than two titles in a row. During their dominating streak, they won 19 straight playoff series, which is a feat that will likely never be duplicated. The Islanders nearly made it five in a row losing to the Great One and the Oilers in the finals in 1984 after sweeping them in the finals in 1983. Players such as Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, and Mike Bossy anchored the Islanders. The glory years in the first part of the 1980s are the only thing Islanders’ fans can hold onto as they haven’t advanced past the semifinals since then. Still, they are one of only two teams to ever win four Stanley Cups in a row.
