Every NHL Stanley Cup Final Matchup, Results, and Playoff MVP Since 1918
There's nothing quite like playoff hockey and the lore of the Stanley Cup, the oldest existing North American pro sports championship trophy.
It was first awarded in 1893, though the NHL didn't come into the picture until 1918. In fact, today's best-of-seven series format between the Eastern and Western Conference champs has only been around since 1982.
A lot of history has been made throughout the years, so Athlon Sports has put together a snapshot of the key facts for hockey fans to know, including every Stanley Cup Final matchup, result, and Conn Smythe Award winner (a.k.a the playoffs MVP).
Stanley Cup Final Fast Facts
- Teams With Most Stanley Cup Appearances: Montreal Canadiens (33), Detroit Red Wings (24)
- Most Consecutive Stanley Cup Appearances: Canadiens (10 from 1950-1960)
- Teams With Most Stanley Cup Championships: Canadiens (23), Toronto Maple Leafs (13)
- Players With Most Stanley Cup Championships: Henri Richard (11), Jean Beliveau and Yvan Cournoyer (10)
- Most Stanley Cup Goals in History: Maurice Richard (34)
- Most Stanley Cup Points in History: Jean Beliveau (62)
- Most Points in One Stanley Cup Final: Wayne Gretzky (47 in 1985)
- Most Conn Smythe Trophies: Patrick Roy (3), five players (2)
Every Stanley Cup Matchup and Conn Smythe Trophy Winner in NHL History
| Year | Result | Playoff MVP |
|---|---|---|
2025 | Panthers def. Oilers | Sam Bennett |
2024 | Panthers def. Oilers | Connor McDavid |
2023 | Golden Knights def. Panthers | Jonathan Marchessault |
2022 | Avalanche def. Lightning | Cale Makar |
2021 | Lightning def. Canadiens | Andrei Vasilevskiy |
2020 | Lightning def. Stars | Victor Hedman |
2019 | Blues def. Bruins | Ryan O'Reilly |
2018 | Capitals def. Golden Knights | Alex Ovechkin |
2017 | Penguins def. Predators | Sidney Crosby |
2016 | Penguins def. Sharks | Sidney Crosby |
2015 | Blackhawks def. Lightning | Duncan Keith |
2014 | Kings def. Rangers | Justin Williams |
2013 | Blackhawks def. Bruins | Patrick Kane |
2012 | Kings def. Devils | Jonathan Quick |
2011 | Bruins def. Canucks | Tim Thomas |
2010 | Blackhawks def. Flyers | Jonathan Toews |
2009 | Penguins def. Red Wings | Evgeni Malkin |
2008 | Red Wings def. Penguins | Henrik Zetterberg |
2007 | Ducks def. Senators | Scott Niedermayer |
2006 | Hurricanes def. Oilers | Cam Ward |
2005 | Season canceled | - |
2004 | Lightning def. Flames | Brad Richards |
2003 | Devils def. Mighty Ducks | Jean-Sebastien Giguere |
2002 | Red Wings def. Hurricanes | Niklas Lindstrom |
2001 | Avalanche def. Devils | Patrick Roy |
2000 | Devils def. Stars | Scott Stevens |
1999 | Stars def. Sabres | Joe Nieuwendyk |
1998 | Red Wings def. Capitals | Steve Yzerman |
1997 | Red Wings def. Flyers | Mike Vernon |
1996 | Avalanche def. Panthers | Joe Sakic |
1995 | Devils def. Red Wings | Claude Lemieux |
1994 | Rangers def. Canucks | Brian Leetch |
1993 | Canadiens def. Kings | Patrick Roy |
1992 | Penguins def. Blackhawks | Mario Lemieux |
1991 | Penguins def. North Stars | Mario Lemieux |
1990 | Oilers def. Bruins | Bill Ranford |
1989 | Flames def. Canadiens | Al MacInnis |
1988 | Oilers def. Bruins | Wayne Gretzky |
1987 | Oilers def. Flyers | Ron Hextall |
1986 | Canadiens def. Flames | Patrick Roy |
1985 | Oilers def. Flyers | Wayne Gretzky |
1984 | Oilers def. Islanders | Mark Messier |
1983 | Islanders def. Oilers | Billy Smith |
1982 | Islanders def. Canucks | Mike Bossy |
1981 | Islanders def. North Stars | Butch Goring |
1980 | Islanders def. Flyers | Bryan Trottier |
1979 | Canadiens def. Rangers | Bob Gainey |
1978 | Canadiens def. Bruins | Larry Robinson |
1977 | Canadiens def. Bruins | Guy Lafleur |
1976 | Canadiens def. Flyers | Reggie Leach |
1975 | Flyers def. Sabres | Bernie Parent |
1974 | Flyers def. Bruins | Bernie Parent |
1973 | Canadiens def. Black Hawks | Yvan Cournoyer |
1972 | Bruins def. Rangers | Bobby Orr |
1971 | Canadiens def. Black Hawks | Ken Dryden |
1970 | Bruins def. Blues | Bobby Orr |
1969 | Canadiens def. Blues | Serge Savard |
1968 | Canadiens def. Blues | Glenn Hall |
1967 | Maple Leafs def. Canadiens | Dave Keon |
1966 | Canadiens def. Red Wings | Roger Crozier |
1965 | Canadiens def. Black Hawks | Jean Béliveau |
1964 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1963 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1962 | Maple Leafs def. Black Hawks | - |
1961 | Black Hawks def. Red Wings | - |
1960 | Canadiens def. Maple Leafs | - |
1959 | Canadiens def. Maple Leafs | - |
1958 | Canadiens def. Bruins | - |
1957 | Canadiens def. Bruins | - |
1956 | Canadiens def. Red Wings | - |
1955 | Red Wings def. Canadiens | - |
1954 | Red Wings def. Canadiens | - |
1953 | Canadiens def. Bruins | - |
1952 | Red Wings def. Canadiens | - |
1951 | Maple Leafs def. Canadiens | - |
1950 | Red Wings def. Rangers | - |
1949 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1948 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1947 | Maple Leafs def. Canadiens | - |
1946 | Canadiens def. Bruins | - |
1945 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1944 | Canadiens def. Black Hawks | - |
1943 | Red Wings def. Bruins | - |
1942 | Maple Leafs def. Red Wings | - |
1941 | Bruins def. Red Wings | - |
1940 | Rangers def. Maple Leafs | - |
1939 | Bruins def. Maple Leafs | - |
1938 | Black Hawks def. Maple Leafs | - |
1937 | Red Wings def. Rangers | - |
1936 | Red Wings def. Maple Leafs | - |
1935 | Maroons def. Maple Leafs | - |
1934 | Black Hawks def. Red Wings | - |
1933 | Rangers def. Maple Leafs | - |
1932 | Maple Leafs def. Rangers | - |
1931 | Canadiens def. Black Hawks | - |
1930 | Canadiens def. Bruins | - |
1929 | Bruins def. Rangers | - |
1928 | Rangers def. Maroons | - |
1927 | Senators def. Bruins | - |
1926 | Maroons def. Senators | - |
1925 | Canadiens def. Tigers | - |
1924 | Canadiens def. Senators | - |
1923 | Senators def. Canadiens | - |
1922 | St. Patricks def. Senators | - |
1921 | Senators def. St. Patricks | - |
1920 | No NHL playoffs | - |
1919 | Canadiens def. Senators | - |
1918 | Arenas def. Canadiens | - |
Related: Every NHL Team Payroll in 2026: Who Spends the Most?
Related: NHL's Highest-Paid Players: Top 25 Salaries in 2025-26 by Average Annual Value
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 9:09 AM.