Top 10 Best NHL Franchises of All Time

The Top Ten
1 Montreal Canadiens

Yeah, it's been a quarter century since our last cup, but who the heck cares? We have the best fanbase in the league (sorry Hawks fans), and if we're referring to the past, hey, 24 cups. And if the future comes up, yeah, no cups but 3 division titles in 5 years. And finally, we've got Carey Price.

People always talk about the Pens winning two straight cups twice, and the Hawks winning 3 in 5 years. We won 5 in a row, the all-time record of consecutive Stanley cups won, and don't forget the much harder to pull off 70's dynasty. Montreal is the best team, no doubt. The Hawks fans will decrease after a few bad seasons, but Habs fans will stay however long it takes to see Lord Stanley return to Montreal. Go Habs Go!

How are the Canadiens not number 1? All these stupid bandwagon Blackhawks and Penguins fans take over. But the Montreal Canadiens are easily the best team in NHL history. 24 Stanley Cups doesn't lie, people. The Blackhawks are an Original Six team and only have 6 Stanley Cups, and only 3 in the Original Six era. What a joke the Hawks are. Then again, you can make the same case with the Bruins and the Rangers.

But Toronto and Detroit are also much more successful franchises than the Hawks and Pens. But come on, people. How can you think the team with 11 more Stanley Cups than the 2nd place team is not the best team in the NHL? I can see if you think it's Detroit or Toronto. But if you think it's any other team besides Montreal, Detroit, or Toronto, you are lying to yourself and you are a joke. And you don't know hockey.

2 Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. They have won six Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926.

Agreed! As far as the Penguins being the best modern era... that's debatable. Both teams have 3 cups over the last 10 years. It should come down to the average of teams' points over that course of time, and I believe the Hawks have them beat.

Kane, Toews, Keith - forget it! Their list of Hall of Fame players will stretch the length of the Bible! They are without a doubt the best NHL team. Winning 3 cups in 6 years is literally unthinkable. And who did it? Hawks.

The Blackhawks are the best. They have some of the top 10 best NHL players right now. Anyway, they are even better than the Penguins, the Capitals, and the Canadians. Never mind, they are the BEST TEAM EVER!

3 Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League and are one of the Original Six teams of the league.

Excuse me, but do the eleven cups mean anything to you? Or how about the six Presidents' Trophies, or the winningest season ever, or the four cups in 13 years, or the fourth greatest player of all time, or the second greatest defenseman of all time, or the only coach in the Triple Gold Club? Not to mention, they have more players in the Triple Gold Club than anybody, and the greatest captain of all time. At the very least, they should be ranked number three behind the Canadiens and the Leafs, and not behind a team that hasn't even won a Cup!

How in the world are the Blackhawks in the top list? How are the Penguins? I understand the Canadians, but when you have nearly double and triple these other teams and make record playoffs, you're the best. Period.

Everyone said they couldn't beat the Blackhawks, but they did. Three times. And who knows about tonight! They have sold out their stadium over 94 times in a row! Eleven Stanley Cups! In my opinion, the best team ever.

4 Pittsburgh Penguins

How are the Pens second to the Blackhawks? The Pittsburgh Penguins are the dominant and most successful franchise of the modern era. Counting back from today, for another team to beat them with the number of cups won, you have to go back before I was even born! Look at their playoff streak. It's twice the size of everyone else's. A bad season for the Pens is a good season for any other side.

There is no debate right now. The Pens are the indisputable leading light of the NHL and will be for a few more years yet.

Not just the premier NHL team of today, but one of the best franchises in hockey. Although the number of championships is fewer than others, no other franchise can boast the number of all-world stars Pittsburgh has deployed. The most popular team in hockey is certainly deserving to be recognized as one of the best. And they probably could be better without all of the injuries they sustained. Lemieux, Jagr, Francis, Barrasso, Pronovost, Crosby, Malkin, and now Fleury - the list goes on... What a franchise. It's hard to root against the Pens, unless you're from Washington or Philadelphia.

5 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are my favourite team, and they have been since I was small. Last year, they secured a playoff spot for the first time since, what, 2004? I feel that they're improving, becoming one of the top teams in the East. My most disliked team is the Bruins, and I think that a lot of Leafs fans feel the same way.

I say only pay attention to Canadian teams. And no, I am not suggesting that every hockey fan in the world should only pay attention to Canadian teams, but rather that every Canadian hockey fan should focus on the Canadian franchises.

Why are the Maple Leafs so low? I know this site is dominated by Americans, but the Leafs have won more than all but the Canadiens and have one of the most likable teams, names, and logos.

6 Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are an ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Everyone says that this team has always performed poorly, yet the Canucks have made it to the playoffs four times and nearly won! It's VERY HARD to make it to the playoffs in the NHL. I am an Ontarian, but I've liked the Canucks for a long time now. If you compare them to the Coyotes right now, they're actually kicking ass.

The Canucks had 117 points this season. How could the pathetic Maple Leafs be ahead? Canucks rock, Leafs are horrible.

Great team, making the playoffs five seasons in a row. Back-to-back Presidents' Trophies and almost won their first cup.

7 Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers should always be remembered for the amazing decade they had in the '80s. An expansion team that was able to put a stop to the Islanders dynasty and build one of their own. Never again will a team be put together like that.

They were voted #1 team in the league and were awarded with this honour, so they should be higher. The Oilers have also had some great players, from Gretzky to Anderson, from Messier to Kurri, from McDavid to Nuge. They shouldn't be this low.

The Oilers won 5 Stanley Cups with some of the greatest players in the 1980s. Probably will never see that magic ever again.

8 New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden in the borough of Manhattan, an arena they share with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They are one of three NHL teams... read more

How are the Leafs and Bruins ahead of the Rangers? The Rangers have been to the conference final three times in the past four years. Love them, hate them, they're an awesome team. A Rangers Cup is bound to happen in the next five years. I'm willing to bet on it.

The New York Rangers is one of the best hockey teams. Throughout the 90 years in the league, they have become one of the best and have made it to the playoffs almost every time.

The Rangers are a classic team and were the first American team to win the Cup. We also have the coolest logo because it is very simple, which is good.

9 Boston Bruins

Canadiens #1? The Bruins are putting up historical numbers as a team this year. Whoever made this list is obviously a Canadiens fan. I'm a Canadiens fan. I hate the Bruins, but there is no denying that they are the best team in the NHL. The Canadiens are having a terrible year this year, almost the worst in the NHL. The Bruins are coming off of a Stanley Cup victory (they beat the Canadiens on the way there) and they look as strong as ever. I don't really understand why people just can't be honest when they vote.

The Bruins are the best team ever! They have had Bobby Orr, they were one of the original six, and who doesn't love them? Don't forget about their comeback in the first round of the 2011 playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are a great team, and they will remain the best forever.

One of the original teams. Also, the team of Bobby Orr. Also, the team with a super strong mascot, a bruin (black bear). Also, the team of the tallest hockey player (Chara). Also, a team that has much more legendary stats and is just plain legendary. #4? Hell no. #1? HELL YES!

10 Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Love seeing the Kings up this high - Number 8 and moving! It's about time - 226 straight sellouts - that's 5 straight years of sellouts - in a highly competitive market. The reason is clear: this team outworks whoever they play, and their hard work is appreciated by Kings fans throughout Southern California and around the country. It's the closest thing to the Bruins 1970s teams that I can remember.

This is the only OLD SCHOOL NHL team. Easily the hardest hitting, hardest working, and most defensive minded. The fact that they have sold out every game - 225 in a row - since 2012 shows that LA hockey fans, unlike Laker fans, are the blue-collar variety. They love the fact this team gives 100 percent night in and night out. I would rather watch a Kings game that is 1-0 than some Penguins or Blackhawks no defense 6-5 game any day.

This is the hottest team in the league right now, and they don't even have Quick. Look out for the Kings. This is the team no one wants to meet in the first round of the playoffs.

The Contenders
11 Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (French: Sénateurs d'Ottawa) are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The Senators play their home games at the 18,652-seat Canadian Tire Centre, which opened in 1996 as the Palladium.

My jaw dropped when I saw this answer. How? HOW? The Sens are below the Leafs?! (Toronto doesn't even use proper grammar!) This is just plain embarrassing. What is wrong with you people?!

The Sens are the best team ever. Unlike the Maple Leafs, who haven't won a Stanley Cup in about 20 years. At least Ottawa has been to the Cup Finals. Maple Leafs? More like Maple Losers.

I can't believe that the Leafs are number one. They are so bad. It's been 8 years since they made the playoffs. They have probably forgotten what the playoffs are. Ottawa is the best, enough said.

12 Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Flames are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

How are the Edmonton Oilers ahead of the Calgary Flames in this list? The Calgary Flames have beaten the Edmonton Oilers more times than the Oilers have beaten the Flames. Plus, the Calgary Flames have the best hockey player in the world, Johnny Gaudreau!

Honestly, how are the Flames 15th? They should be in the top ten. The only reason they are not that good is because of the lack of experienced players.

The Flames suck. The franchise has only one Stanley Cup, whereas the Oilers have five. The players suck and they win out of luck. The Flames stink.

13 San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

They are one of the best teams. They make it to the playoffs every single year, and this year they were so close to winning the Stanley Cup.

The name of the team is good, and the logo is fascinating! They almost won the Stanley Cup every year. I love this team.

Amazing team, they work really hard and they have really great players. Love this team! Go Sharks!

14 New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The club was founded as the Kansas City Scouts in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1974. The Scouts moved to Denver, Colorado in 1976 and became the Colorado Rockies. In 1982, they moved to East Rutherford,... read more

Ok, so they haven't been good in a decade, but they did make it to the finals in 2012, which was the tail end of an approximately 18-year run of absolute domination. They won 3 cups and 25 playoff series. You younger fans might not remember it, but there was a time where it was just assumed that this team was going to make it deep into the playoffs.

Older fans remember how absolutely dominant their trap was with brick walls like Daneyko and Niedermeyer, and the freight train that is Scott Stevens, only to be backstopped by arguably the best goalie of all time, Martin Brodeur. You just did not score on these guys.

How are the Rangers ahead of the Devils? They haven't won the Cup since 1994, and before that, 1940. Sure, the Devils have struggled as of late, but they have been around for only 30 years, and the Rangers have been around for 90 years with only 4 Stanley Cups. New Jersey won three Stanley Cups in the thirty years they've been around, and they are still going to win Stanley Cups in the years to come!

15 Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. The Avalanche and Coyotes are the only two teams in their division not based in the Central Time Zone; the teams are situated in the Mountain Time Zone.

In one year, they have gone from 29th-30th in the league to being a force to be reckoned with, like they were in the first bunch of seasons after moving to Colorado. Patrick Roy forever!

I really like them. They have young guns, and they might, if they can make it work, be the most dominating NHL team.

How is this not top 5, and the freaking Red Wings, the current worst team in the NHL, are in the top 3? Or the Senators above them. The Senators can't score any goals.

16 St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

We all Bleed Blue! The Blues may not have the best chance at winning the cups, but they still have some of the best players around, with one of the best chances at getting into the playoffs, and being ranked high in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Look at their first three years. I mean, a rookie team making it into the playoffs every single year like that? A feat no severed Indian head wearer will understand.

The Blues' goal horn is one of the best in the league. It is easily the most diverse and underappreciated goal horn out there. The organs, which, unlike the rest, are just that: organs. There is no singing (could be, but there isn't), while the other teams, like the Blackhawks, Panthers, Stars, etc., all have singing and the most generic goal horn out there. It is amazing when you get those three blasts and then the Blues supporting organs.

The Players: We have had many greats, including Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, and Bernie Federko. Some of the best players (and one that is the best) around. And look at us now, a feared name: Vladimir Tarasenko. We also have the goalie, with a better SV% than Crawford, Brian Elliott (MOOSE!). Center and Captain, David Backes, Alex Pietrangelo, Jake Allen, and the list continues.

In conclusion, they might not have a cup, but they sure do have a good team. A very underappreciated team, especially for how good they are. (At least we don't have many bandwagoners... *Cough* Blackhawks *Cough*)

17 Tampa Bay Lightning

I was born in Tampa, as was my brother, along with other Lightning fans I know. We aren't fake fans, and we are in love with the game of hockey. I've been a fan since I was a baby. Hockey is big in Tampa. Unless you live in Tampa, you wouldn't know. The Lightning are a great team, and we have a lot of potential to win the Cup in the years to come. We are one of the better teams, and this list is bull. The Flames are trash, so I'm not sure why they are ahead of us. We beat them in 2004, and we make it to the playoffs. They don't. How's that for Florida?

I am a Tampa fan myself. My dad is a former NHL player. Tampa fans may not know the game like Canadians, but they are loyal to their team. This is unlike Vegas Golden Knights fans, who don't know what they're talking about and are also disloyal. The Tampa Bay Lightning have some of the best players in the league, such as Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Brayden Point, Ryan McDonagh, and our goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa is on their way to winning another Stanley Cup because the first one we won in '04, we did not deserve due to the overtime goal that was taken away from the Calgary Flames in Game 6 in Calgary.

18 New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York metropolitan area. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League.

The Islanders are amazing. They should be in the top 5 at least! The Rangers suck. They didn't even get into the 2nd round of the playoffs this year.

They should be replacing the Islanders in 20th place! The Islanders, on the other hand, beat an amazing Panthers team in the best of 7 series in the first round of the playoffs, so they are going into the second round, unlike the Rangers!

The 82-83 New York Islanders team was one of the greatest NHL teams ever to hit the ice. It was a team that reached the pinnacle of one of hockey's greatest dynasties, featuring future Hall of Famers Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier, Billy Smith, and Clark Gillies. The team was coached by Hall of Famer Al Arbour (the third all-time winningest coach) and managed by another Hall of Famer, Bill Torrey.

Their Cup win was legendary. They swept an Oilers team that included Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, Anderson, and Coffey. This Oilers team had scored a record 424 goals during the regular season and averaged over 6 goals per game in their playoff run leading up to the finals. In four games, the Oilers scored a total of 6 goals against Billy Smith, with none coming from Gretzky. The series concluded with Mike Bossy scoring the game-winning goal, his second Stanley Cup-winning goal, at 12:39 in the first period.

Anyway, yeah. LGI!

19 Washington Capitals

This list must be old. Capitals at #23? They currently have one of the best records in the league. And the team is filled with All-Stars: Ovechkin, Oshie, Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Holtby, Wilson, Orlov. The list goes on. They have the number one power play kill and they're number two in power play goals. Not to mention one of the best shootout lineups/records in the league. They are the best team in the league.

Go Caps! They are rising up through the ranks in the NHL very quickly and are a huge contender for the Stanley Cup. With Ovechkin and Backstrom, they can dominate the NHL, which they already are.

I'm a Caps fan, and they play some of the best hockey in the league. They are the best team to follow. All the fans are true to the team and haven't left, even though we do not have a Cup. By the way, the Leafs suck so bad, I'm shocked they won more than 3 face-offs this year.

20 Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. Since their inception, the Ducks have played their home games at the Honda Center.

The only reason the Habs are #2 is that they started earlier than any other team, which is why they have more Cups. Now, the entire California fanbase and organization are mostly dumbass LA fans. Ducks fans are much more loyal, and they're "smarter" in terms of hockey IQ.

The Ducks have the best fanbase of any NHL team that wasn't part of the original six. They deserve to move up on this list.

The Ducks are the best team, and they play harder than most other teams. They are a great team. Go Ducks!

21 Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Minnesota is the largest producer of American NHL players. Hockey is to Minnesota what football is to Texas. The 1980 Miracle on Ice? 70% Minnesota born players. Minnesota is long overdue to host a cup. Look at the roster of your favorite team, chances are that more than one of the key players is a Minnesota native. Those who have grown up in the State of Minnesota understand why it is the State of Hockey.

We were robbed of our heritage when the North Stars were moved to Texas and won the cup shortly after. Our time is coming, and we can all shed a tear of joy when we finally get the much-deserved banner hoisted into the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Yo, I'm from MN, so I was born a Wild fan, but you've got to admit, they're pretty awesome!

22 Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

Shea Weber is an amazing captain because he hits awesome and scores awesome!

I'm picking them to win this year (2017). I think we should start voting for them a bit!

23 Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

The Stars are amazing. They have Jamie Benn, Jason Spezza, and Tyler Seguin. They had an amazing 2016 regular season record and started off doing awesome at the beginning of the playoffs. This is why the Dallas Stars should be #1!

They have a cup, unlike the team at number 5.

Seriously, who made this list? Stars are way better than the Calgary... well, you know.

24 Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League.

How many teams lose their no. 1 center and in their first 5 games since Scheifele was hurt, gain 9 out of a possible 10 points? Depth on this team is the best we have seen yet! A Jets fan and friend of Bobby Hull for 45 years.

An incredible team, should be in the top 10. Very great players and fans! Surprised they aren't higher!

25 Carolina Hurricanes

At least they won the Cup in 2004. Unlike other teams that are ranked lower here. This is from a Rangers fan.

Great team. Great players. Eric Staal is a great captain. Jordan Staal is a good alternate.

Eric went to the Rangers. They didn't make it to the 2016 playoffs, but they worked hard for it.

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