The wait is over. Following a long regular season like in pre-pandemic times, the much anticipated 2022 NHL playoffs have finally begun and the battle for the highly desired Stanley Cup is on.
Only 16 teams are still in contention for the biggest prize in the National Hockey League, which is also the oldest trophy in the history of professional sports in North America. Donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, the Stanley Cup has seen all kinds of winners, from amateur teams to wealthy franchises in the modern era.
It wasn't until 1926 that the NHL took control of the trophy. Until then, it was contested between amateur hockey clubs in Canada before it became an interleague title. Here, let's look back at all the Stanley Cup winners ordered by year.
NHL winners: List of Stanley Cup champions by year
The most successful team in NHL history are the Montreal Canadiens, who have won the Stanley Cup on 24 occasions. However, it's been 29 years since their last success, which has also been the last time a Canadian team won the trophy.
Since Lord Stanley's donation in 1892, the Stanley Cup was not awarded only twice. First, in 1919 because of the influenza pandemic, and later in 2005 because of the NHL lockout. These are the all-time Stanley Cup winners by year, from the early amateur days to the current NHL times.
| Year | Winner |
| 1893 | Montreal Amateur Athletic Association |
| 1894 | Montreal Amateur Athletic Association |
| 1895 | Montreal Victorias |
| 1896 | Montreal Victorias / Winnipeg Victorias |
| 1897 | Montreal Victorias |
| 1898 | Montreal Victorias |
| 1899 | Montreal Shamrocks / Montreal Victorias |
| 1900 | Montreal Shamrocks |
| 1901 | Winnipeg Vitorias |
| 1902 | Montreal Amateur Athletic Association / Winnipeg Vitorias |
| 1903 | Ottawa Silver Seven / Montreal Amateur Athletic Association |
| 1904 | Ottawa Silver Seven |
| 1905 | Ottawa Silver Seven |
| 1906 | Montreal Wanderers / Ottawa Silver Seven |
| 1907 | Montreal Wanderers / Kenora Thistles |
| 1908 | Montreal Wanderers |
| 1909 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1910 | Montreal Wanderers / Ottawa Senators |
| 1911 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1912 | Quebec Bulldogs |
| 1913 | Quebec Bulldogs |
| 1914 | Toronto Blueshirts |
| 1915 | Vancouver Millionaires |
| 1916 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1917 | Seattle Metropolitans |
| 1918 | Toronto Arenas |
| 1919 | *Not awarded - season canceled due to influenza pandemic |
| 1920 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1921 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1922 | Toronto St. Pats |
| 1923 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1924 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1925 | Victoria Cougars |
| 1926 | Montreal Maroons |
| NHL takes control of the Stanley Cup trophy | |
| 1927 | Ottawa Senators |
| 1928 | New York Rangers |
| 1929 | Boston Bruins |
| 1930 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1931 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1932 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1933 | New York Rangers |
| 1934 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1935 | Montreal Maroons |
| 1936 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1937 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1938 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1939 | Boston Bruins |
| 1940 | New York Rangers |
| 1941 | Boston Bruins |
| 1942 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1943 |
Detroit Red Wings |
| 1944 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1945 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1946 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1947 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1948 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1949 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1950 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1951 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1952 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1953 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1954 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1955 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1956 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1957 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1958 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1959 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1960 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1961 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1962 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1963 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1964 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1965 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1966 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1967 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1968 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1969 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1970 | Boston Bruins |
| 1971 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1972 | Boston Bruins |
| 1973 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1974 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1975 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1976 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1977 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1978 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1979 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1980 | New York Islanders |
| 1981 | New York Islanders |
| 1982 | New York Islanders |
| 1983 | New York Islanders |
| 1984 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1985 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1986 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1987 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1988 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1989 | Calgary Flames |
| 1990 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1991 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1992 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1993 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1994 | New York Rangers |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1996 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1997 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1998 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1999 | Dallas Stars |
| 2000 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2001 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2002 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2003 | New Jersey Devils |
| 2004 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2005 | *Season canceled due to 2004-05 NHL lockout |
| 2006 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2007 | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2008 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2009 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2011 | Boston Bruins |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2013 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2015 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals |
| 2019 | St. Louis Blues |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
