A legacy of champions: The complete list of Stanley Cup winners

There’s no greater symbol of hockey glory than the Stanley Cup. For over a century, it’s been the dream of every NHL player—a silver trophy etched with the names of legends who left it all on the ice.

From dynasties to Cinderella stories, the journey to lift the Cup is as thrilling as the game itself. Each year, one team writes its name into the sport’s most sacred history book, while fans around the world hold their breath.

But who has reached the summit? Which franchises built legacies—and which had their moment in the sun? Dive into our full year-by-year breakdown and relive the triumphs that shaped hockey’s past and present.

The history and significance of the Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is more than a trophy, it’s a hallowed artifact in the world of sports, steeped in over a century of tradition, fierce competition, and iconic history. Its origins date back to 1892, when Lord Frederick Stanley, then Governor General of Canada, purchased a modest silver bowl for ten guineas in Sheffield, England.

His vision was to award it to the best amateur hockey team in Canada. That team, in 1893, was the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, the first to etch its name into what would become a living piece of history.

Over time, the Cup evolved from an amateur prize into a professional conquest. By 1915, it was contested by champions of rival pro leagues. In 1926, after the dissolution of competing associations, the NHL assumed full control, transforming the Stanley Cup into its ultimate prize.

Today, it’s not just North America’s oldest professional sports trophy—it’s an icon of hockey culture, passed from generation to generation, player to player, with white gloves and reverence.

Chronological list of Stanley Cup winners

Year	Champion	Coach
2025	Florida Panthers	Paul Maurice
2024	Florida Panthers	Paul Maurice
2023	Vegas Golden Knights	Bruce Cassidy
2022	Colorado Avalanche	Jared Bednar
2021	Tampa Bay Lightning	Jon Cooper
2020	Tampa Bay Lightning	Jon Cooper
2019	St. Louis Blues	Craig Berube
2018	Washington Capitals	Barry Trotz
2017	Pittsburgh Penguins	Mike Sullivan
2016	Pittsburgh Penguins	Mike Sullivan
2015	Chicago Blackhawks	Joel Quenneville
2014	Los Angeles Kings	Darryl Sutter
2013	Chicago Blackhawks	Joel Quenneville
2012	Los Angeles Kings	Darryl Sutter
2011	Boston Bruins	Claude Julien
2010	Chicago Blackhawks	Joel Quenneville
2009	Pittsburgh Penguins	Dan Bylsma
2008	Detroit Red Wings	Mike Babcock
2007	Anaheim Ducks	Randy Carlyle
2006	Carolina Hurricanes	Peter Laviolette
2004	Tampa Bay Lightning	John Tortorella
2003	New Jersey Devils	Pat Burns
2002	Detroit Red Wings	Scotty Bowman
2001	Colorado Avalanche	Bob Hartley
2000	New Jersey Devils	Larry Robinson
1999	Dallas Stars	Ken Hitchcock
1998	Detroit Red Wings	Scotty Bowman
1997	Detroit Red Wings	Scotty Bowman
1996	Colorado Avalanche	Marc Crawford
1995	New Jersey Devils	Jacques Lemaire
1994	New York Rangers	Mike Keenan
1993	Montreal Canadiens	Jacques Demers
1992	Pittsburgh Penguins	Scotty Bowman
1991	Pittsburgh Penguins	Bob Johnson
1990	Edmonton Oilers	John Muckler
1989	Calgary Flames	Terry Crisp
1988	Edmonton Oilers	Glen Sather
1987	Edmonton Oilers	Glen Sather
1986	Montreal Canadiens	Jean Perron
1985	Edmonton Oilers	Glen Sather
1984	Edmonton Oilers	Glen Sather
1983	New York Islanders	Al Arbour
1982	New York Islanders	Al Arbour
1981	New York Islanders	Al Arbour
1980	New York Islanders	Al Arbour
1979	Montreal Canadiens	Scotty Bowman
1978	Montreal Canadiens	Scotty Bowman
1977	Montreal Canadiens	Scotty Bowman
1976	Montreal Canadiens	Scotty Bowman
1975	Philadelphia Flyers	Fred Shero
1974	Philadelphia Flyers	Fred Shero
1973	Montreal Canadiens	Scotty Bowman
1972	Boston Bruins	Tom Johnson
1971	Montreal Canadiens	Al MacNeil
1970	Boston Bruins	Harry Sinden
1969	Montreal Canadiens	Claude Ruel
1968	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1967	Toronto Maple Leafs	Punch Imlach
1966	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1965	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1964	Toronto Maple Leafs	Punch Imlach
1963	Toronto Maple Leafs	Punch Imlach
1962	Toronto Maple Leafs	Punch Imlach
1961	Chicago Black Hawks	Rudy Pilous
1960	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1959	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1958	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1957	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1956	Montreal Canadiens	Toe Blake
1955	Detroit Red Wings	Jimmy Skinner
1954	Detroit Red Wings	Tommy Ivan
1953	Montreal Canadiens	Dick Irvin
1952	Detroit Red Wings	Tommy Ivan
1951	Toronto Maple Leafs	Joe Primeau
1950	Detroit Red Wings	Tommy Ivan
1949	Toronto Maple Leafs	Hap Day
1948	Toronto Maple Leafs	Hap Day
1947	Toronto Maple Leafs	Hap Day
1946	Montreal Canadiens	Dick Irvin
1945	Toronto Maple Leafs	Hap Day
1944	Montreal Canadiens	Dick Irvin
1943	Detroit Red Wings	Jack Adams
1942	Toronto Maple Leafs	Hap Day
1941	Boston Bruins	Cooney Weiland
1940	New York Rangers	Frank Boucher
1939	Boston Bruins	Art Ross
1938	Chicago Black Hawks	Bill Stewart
1937	Detroit Red Wings	Jack Adams
1936	Detroit Red Wings	Jack Adams
1935	Montreal Maroons	Tommy Gorman
1934	Chicago Black Hawks	Tommy Gorman
1933	New York Rangers	Lester Patrick
1932	Toronto Maple Leafs	Dick Irvin
1931	Montreal Canadiens	Cecil Hart
1930	Montreal Canadiens	Cecil Hart
1929	Boston Bruins	Art Ross
1928	New York Rangers	Lester Patrick
1927	Ottawa Senators	George Gill

Unforgettable finals and legendary moments

Certain Stanley Cup Finals transcend sport and become cultural moments. One of the most talked-about in recent memory were the 2024 and 2025 series between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers.

In 2024, it went the full seven games, a nail-biting, emotionally charged battle that ended with a 2–1 victory for the Panthers. For Florida, it was a franchise-first championship, and for Aleksander Barkov, it marked his place in history as the first Finnish-born captain to lift the Cup.

On the other side, Edmonton’s Connor McDavid delivered a jaw-dropping performance throughout the postseason, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP despite falling short in the final game, a rare feat, last achieved in 2003.

In 2025, the Panthers got the job done again, only that this time, it took them six games instead of seven. Despite not having home-ice advantage, the Cats proved they were serious about repeating and got to lift their second Stanley Cup at home, joining the list of back-to-back champions in NHL history.

Of course, not every historic moment ends with a celebration. In 1919, the Final was canceled due to the deadly Spanish flu, leaving the Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans with an unfinished series—and a tragic asterisk in Cup history.

Meanwhile, in 1993, the Montreal Canadiens claimed what remains the last Stanley Cup for a Canadian team, extending their own record to 24 championships, a figure untouched to this day.

These Finals are more than wins and losses. They’re etched in the hearts of fans and written into the mythology of the sport—battles of endurance, heartbreak and glory that define what it means to chase the Cup.

Which team owns the most Stanley Cups?

The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful team in the history of the NHL, with an impressive 24 Stanley Cup championships to their name. Their first Cup win came in 1916, and they’ve continued to add to their trophy collection over the years, with their most recent title in 1993.

Much of the Canadiens’ success can be attributed to their dominance in the mid-20th century, particularly during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. This was the era when they built their reputation as a hockey dynasty, capturing multiple championships in short periods.

Their ability to develop elite talent, both homegrown and acquired, helped them maintain their place at the top for decades. Even with changes in the game over the years, including the introduction of the salary cap in the 2000s, Montreal’s rich history continues to be a point of pride for its passionate fan base.