Lifting Lord Stanley: Most Stanley Cups in NHL History

Are you wondering which NHL team has hoisted the most Stanley Cups in NHL history? We have you covered!

Every professional sports league has a championship trophy with a distinct name. The NFL has the Lombardi trophy, the NBA the Larry O'Brien trophy, and even new leagues like MLP has the Pritchard Cup. However, no trophy is as distinct and iconic as the NHL's Stanley Cup.

Related: How Many NHL Games in a Season?

The Stanley Cup is awarded annually to the winner of the NHL playoffs and is possibly the most sought after piece of hardware in sports. Here are the teams with the most stanley cups throughout the NHL's robust history.

• 1916, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1944, 1946, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993

There is no team that has been as successful in the NHL's illustrious history than the Montreal Canadiens. They hold the record for the most Stanley Cups won by a wide margin. Their first cup came in 1916 after defeating the Portland Rosebuds. Their most recent cup came at the end of the 1992-93 season when they dominated the Los Angeles Kings, taking the series in five games.

• 1918, 1922, 1932, 1942, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967

The Toronto Maple Leafs may rank second in Stanley Cups won, but it has been a rough few decades for the franchise. The team hasn't won another Stanley Cup since 1967, giving them one of the longest championship droughts in hockey. The Leafs are defined by their dynasty run in the 40's, winning three straight cups from 1947-1949.

• 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008

The Detroit Red Wings have not only been one of the winningest teams in NHL history but they have given use some of the most iconic hockey players to put on skates. From Pavel Datsyuk to Steve Yzerman, the Red Wings are always cultivating superstars. Their most recent Stanley Cup came in 2008, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins in a tight six-game series.

• 1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, 2011

The city of Boston has distanced itself as maybe the greatest sports city in the United States. They have dominated in almost every sport, winning multiple World Series, NBA Finals, Super Bowls, and Stanley Cups. Their most recent Cup came in 2011 after an iconic seven game series against the Vancouver Canucks. The Bruins won game seven 4-0, lifting Lord Stanley's Cup for the sixth time.

• 1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, 2015

There are few dynasties that rival the likes of the 2010 Blackhawks. Winning three Stanley Cups over a five year period is quite a feat in the modern NHL, and the Blackhawks own those bragging rights.

They were fueled by legendary winger Patrick Kane and Captain Jonathan Toews. Notably, they won the 2010 cup with an overtime goal in game 6 and won the 2013 Cup after scoring 2 goals in 17 seconds down the stretch in one of the most exciting championship endings of all-time.

• Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins - 5
• New York Islanders, New York Rangers - 4
• Colorado Avalanche, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning - 3
• Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings - 2

Over the course of NHL history, 14 teams have won multiple Stanley Cups. The Oilers and Penguins have both won five respectively, with the Penguins most recent coming in 2017.

The New York/New Jersey market has seen total of eleven Cups, four each for the Rangers and Islanders and three for the team across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Devils. The Tampa Bay Lightning have been on fire of late, winning in 2003-04, and then back-to-back in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The Flyers and Kings claiming two each, with the Kings Cups coming in the early 2010's behind the exceptional goal keeping of Jonathan Quick.

• Dallas Stars - 1999
• St. Louis Blues - 2019
• Calgary Flames - 1989
• Anaheim Ducks - 2007

There are currently four teams in the NHL who have only won one Stanley Cup. The Flames won theirs in a six game series against the Montreal Canadiens in 1989. The most recent addition to the list is the St.Louis Blues who defeated the Boston Bruins in a tight seven game series in 2019.

• Buffalo Sabres
• Vancouver Canucks
• San Jose Sharks
• Florida Panthers
• Arizona Coyotes
• Nashville Predators
• Winnipeg Jets
• Minnesota Wild
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Vegas Golden Knights
• Ottawa Senators
• Seattle Kraken

There are twelve NHL teams to have never lifted Lord Stanley's Cup. The Seattle Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights were founded in 2017, so they still have some time to claim their first cup. Notably, the Knights made a cinderella run to a Stanley Cup Finals in 2018.

The Buffalo Sabres come in as the oldest franchise to have never claimed a Stanley Cup. Founded in 1970, the Sabres have gone 50+ years without claiming a Stanley Cup. They have reached the finals three times, with the most recent coming in 1999.

Shoot us a message on Twitter @137pm and let us know which team you think will be the next to hoist Lord Stanley's cup !