# What is the greatest NHL team of all time?

> From Original Six dynasties that defined the sport to modern powerhouses who dominated with back-to-back titles, the NHL's franchise history is full of greatness. Beloved relics of the past and current giants alike — which team is the greatest ever?

*By YPB Team · Published April 16, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-greatest-nhl-team-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Montreal Canadiens**
   The most storied franchise in NHL history, with 24 Stanley Cup championships and a dynasty that defined the sport through the mid-20th century.
2. **Toronto Maple Leafs**
   Canada's most passionately followed team and an Original Six institution whose devoted fanbase has endured decades of heartbreak and hope.
3. **Detroit Red Wings**
   The flagship of Hockeytown whose back-to-back 1997-98 Cups and 25 consecutive playoff appearances built one of the great modern dynasties.
4. **Boston Bruins**
   One of the NHL's Original Six teams whose blend of toughness, skill, and clutch performance has produced six Stanley Cup championships.
5. **Chicago Blackhawks**
   An Original Six powerhouse whose three Stanley Cups in six years from 2010-2015 created one of the most celebrated dynasties of the modern era.
6. **Edmonton Oilers**
   The 1980s dynasty built around Wayne Gretzky that won five Stanley Cups and is widely considered the greatest offensive team in hockey history.
7. **New York Rangers**
   The marquee franchise of Madison Square Garden whose century of history includes four Stanley Cups and the electrifying 1994 championship run.
8. **Pittsburgh Penguins**
   The franchise of Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby whose five Stanley Cup titles span two distinct dynastic eras.
9. **New York Islanders**
   The dynasty that shocked the hockey world by winning four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983 behind captain Denis Potvin and Mike Bossy.
10. **Philadelphia Flyers**
   The infamous Broad Street Bullies who won back-to-back Cups in 1974-75 by combining elite skill with physical intimidation that changed the game.
11. **Colorado Avalanche**
   The franchise that relocated from Quebec and immediately won championships, cementing a legacy anchored by Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic.
12. **Dallas Stars**
   Born from the Minnesota North Stars, the Stars captured the 1999 Stanley Cup and have remained one of the Sun Belt's most competitive franchises.
13. **New Jersey Devils**
   The trap-system pioneers who won three Stanley Cups in nine years, built around Martin Brodeur's goaltending and a suffocating defensive identity.
14. **Los Angeles Kings**
   The franchise that transformed Southern California into a hockey market by winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2012 and 2014.
15. **Quebec Nordiques**
   The beloved WHA transplant that rivaled Montreal in fierce provincial battles and built a championship core — only to relocate and become the Avalanche.
16. **Hartford Whalers**
   The fan-adored New England franchise whose whale logo became one of hockey's most iconic designs before relocating to become the Carolina Hurricanes.
17. **Minnesota North Stars**
   A founding expansion team and 1991 Stanley Cup finalist whose passionate fanbase was devastated by the franchise's move to Dallas in 1993.
18. **Mighty Ducks of Anaheim**
   The Disney-born franchise that overcame its novelty origins to win the 2007 Stanley Cup and produce stars like Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne.
19. **Vancouver Canucks**
   Western Canada's beloved franchise whose two Finals appearances and passionate fanbase have defined hockey culture on the Pacific coast.
20. **Ottawa Senators**
   The revived franchise that rebuilt into a perennial contender in the 2000s, reaching the 2007 Stanley Cup Final behind Daniel Alfredsson.
21. **St. Louis Blues**
   An Original expansion franchise that appeared in three straight Finals in their first three seasons before finally winning their first Cup in 2019.

Tags: sports, hockey, canada, nhl, teams