April 13, 2025, 09:33 PM ET
The original six US-based teams have a rich history combining 27 Stanley Cup titles.
And now they share unwanted distinctions.
Detroit, Boston, Chicago and the New York Rangers miss the playoffs in the same year for the first time in NHL history.
The Red Wings won 11 league championships to trail Montreal’s 23 and Toronto’s 13, and the Canadian-based franchise won a spot in the playoffs that begin Saturday.
Editor’s Pick
2 Related
Detroit had been slowly improving under general manager Steve Izelmann up until this season. The Hall of Fame player was hired from Tampa Bay in 2019, and the patience he sought is running thin.
A year after losing a tiebreaker at the last spot in the Eastern Conference, the Red Wings have stepped back this season and were eliminated from Saturday’s postseason contest.
The Blackhawks are the final team in the central division for their third straight win, and will only prevail after the NHL’s San Jose. Earlier in this century, Chicago was 3 cup league power from 2010 to 2015, offering franchise 4.
The Red Wings and Blackhawks were expected to have another inactive season, while the Rangers and Bruins were expected to become playoff teams.
In the season after winning the Presidential Trophy with 114 points at the NHL High and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers wanted to hoist their fifth cup for the first time in more than 30 years in franchise history. Peter Laviolett’s second season as New York coach did not guide the team he was fighting for about .500 in the final week of the regular season.
Boston began the season in hopes of a season, finishing it with the fewest points in the Eastern Conference, which has missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
