Longest Stanley Cup Final Droughts in NHL History
The Stanley Cup Final is back on Tuesday night, with the Hurricanes set to host the Golden Knights in Game 1 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Golden Knights have experienced unprecedented early success in the NHL, already reaching three Cup Finals in nine seasons since joining the league in 2017-18. The Canes, however, haven't been to the Stanley Cup Final in two decades, when they won the franchise's lone championship in 2006 against the Oilers.
Carolina's two-decade gap wasn't even close to the longest Stanley Cup title drought among NHL teams. There are still several teams that have never even experienced the glory of hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup, and some who have been seeking their chance to win the league's ultimate prize for several decades. This year's series is the 133rd edition of the Stanley Cup Final. Lord Stanley's Cup is the oldest North American championship trophy in existence, and as such, some teams have been in pursuit of it for a very long time.
We're going to take a look at the longest active and all-time Stanley Cup title droughts in league history, as well as what teams have not yet won a championship.
Longest active Stanley Cup title droughts
| Team | Length of Drought | Last Championship Season | Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 59 years | 1966-67 | 1967 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 56 years | N/A (Joined NHL in 1970) | 2011 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 56 years | N/A (Joined NHL in 1970) | 1999 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 51 years | 1974-75 | 2010 |
| New York Islanders | 43 years | 1982-83 | 1984 |
| Calgary Flames | 37 years | 1988-89 | 2004 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 36 years | 1989-90 | 2025 |
| San Jose Sharks | 35 years | N/A (Joined NHL in 1991) | 2016 |
| Ottawa Senators | 34 years | N/A (Joined NHL in 1992) | 2007 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 33 years | 1992-93 | 2021 |
Notably, six of the 10 longest Stanley Cup title droughts belong to Canadian teams, as a team from Canada has not won the championship since the Canadiens lifted the Cup in 1993.
No team has experienced as much postseason pain as the Maple Leafs, who are pushing 60 years without a championship while playing under the spotlight as the NHL's biggest market. Now, fans in Toronto will be forced to watch one of their former stars and franchise greats in Mitch Marner as he competes for a Cup with the Golden Knights.
The Maple Leafs' drought is both the league's longest active title drought and the longest in NHL history. Here's how is stacks up against the other historic droughts:
| Team | Length of Drought | Start Year | End Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 59 years | 1968 | Ongoing |
| Vancouver Canucks | 56 years | 1971 | Ongoing |
| Buffalo Sabres | 56 years | 1971 | Ongoing |
| New York Rangers | 53 years | 1941 | 1994 |
| St. Louis Blues | 51 years | 1968 | 2019 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 51 years | 1976 | Ongoing |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 48 years | 1962 | 2010 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 45 years | 1980 | 2024 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 44 years | 1968 | 2012 |
| New York Islanders | 43 years | 1984 | Ongoing |
There have been six franchises that have experienced Stanley Cup Final droughts of more than 50 years. Two of those Cup-less streaks have since been snapped, with the Rangers winning the title in 1994 and the Blues in 2019. Five of the league's 10 longest title droughts remain active, however, with the Maple Leafs, Canucks, Sabres, Flyers and Islanders still seeking to end their respective misfortunes.
Teams that have never won a Stanley Cup Final
| Team | Date of Entry to NHL | Last Stanley Cup Final Appearance | Total Playoff Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | 1970 | 1998-99 | 30 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 1970 | 2010-11 | 29 |
| San Jose Sharks | 1991 | 2015-16 | 21 |
| Ottawa Senators | 1992 | 2006-07 | 18 |
| Nashville Predators | 1998 | 2016-17 | 16 |
| Minnesota Wild | 2000 | N/A | 15 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1999 | N/A | 9 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2000 | N/A | 6 |
| Seattle Kraken | 2021 | N/A | 1 |
| Utah Mammoth | 2024 | N/A | 1 |
10 of the NHL's 32 teams have never won the Stanley Cup. The longest-tenured franchises still without a championship are the Sabres and Canucks, who entered the league in 1970. Over half a century has passed since their debut campaigns, yet both organizations are still seeking their first Cup.
Unfortunately for those 10 teams, they'll have to wait at least another year for a chance to end their title droughts, as none have qualified for this year's Stanley Cup Final.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Longest Stanley Cup Final Droughts in NHL History.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 3:05 PM.