What differentiates successful hockey teams from those achieving legendary status? Only a select few franchises in the NHL have developed true dynasties by being able to create rosters, able to win multiple championships encompassing years of superiority and could also be defined as changing the game of hockey for many subsequent decades.
Some of the classic examples of this include the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers, led by the incredible Wayne Gretzky.
These teams will always have a place in the history of sport.
Top 5 Greatest NHL Dynasties Ever
Here’s a ranking of the five greatest NHL dynasties of all time.
Read More
| Dynasty | Years | Stanley Cups |
|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 1968-1979 | 8 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 1984-1990 | 5 |
| New York Islanders | 1980-1983 | 4 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 2010-2015 | 3 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1997-2002 | 3 |
1. Montreal Canadiens
Key names: Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson
The Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s are one of history’s greatest teams. They were able to win eight Stanley Cups in that decade and set the standard for how to control hockey, unlike most people can recall.
In addition to being the most educated and fastest players, the Canadiens’ roster had great depth and were therefore more securely rounded than the majority of other teams at that time.
Read More
Guy Lafleur was one of the biggest stars in hockey, Ken Dryden was nearly impossible to beat as a goaltender, and Larry Robinson was one of the all-stars among the defense.
The depth of the Canadiens’ roster was the source of their distinction. Every one of their forwards was a threat, and every one of their defense required elite-level competition.
The Canadiens were not just a dynasty due to their championship titles, but were the dominant team of an entire age of NHL hockey.
For these reasons, the Montreal Canadiens from the 1970s are the best NHL dynasty of all time.
2. Edmonton Oilers
Key names: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey
The Oilers of the ’80s were unlike anything else ever seen in the NHL. The entire offensive philosophy of the NHL was changed when Wayne Gretzky led the Oilers to an unprecedented level of offensive dominance through a relentless attacking style, an outrageous rate of scoring, and a constant state of chaos for opposing teams.
Gretzky was the face of the Oilers’ success, but equally impressive was the Oilers’ support cast, which was composed of players who complemented Gretzky’s skills. Messier provided leadership, toughness, and a defensive edge to the offence; Coffey changed the game for offensive defencemen by providing speed and offensive ability from the back end; and Kurri was one of the most skilled goal-scorers in the league.
The Oilers won five Stanley Cups within seven seasons and stayed at the top of the NHL until they traded Gretzky to Los Angeles in 1988.
To many fans, this is the most entertaining dynasty in NHL history.
3. New York Islanders
Key names: Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith
The Islanders link the two major eras in hockey history with their connection to the Oilers.
As the last team to win four consecutive Stanley Cup championships (before the Oilers), the Islanders were a very strong competitor for the championship up until that point.
Not only did Mike Bossy have amazing goal-scoring ability, but Denis Potvin controlled how the game was played from defence, and Billy Smith was one of the most difficult goaltenders to compete against during the playoffs.
What makes this dynasty so widely acknowledged as “iconic” is that when they defeated the Oilers’ extremely young team, with Wayne Gretzky as their captain, before the Oilers became champions, they were showing the Oilers what it took to become an accomplished team.
Fans of the Islanders who followed them in the early 1980’s continue to identify those teams as great.
4. Chicago Blackhawks
Key names: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith
The NHL franchise identified by financial restrictions, the Chicago Blackhawks, are perhaps the best example of an organization succeeding under circumstances of major change, both economically and socially.
They had great success by winning three Stanley Cups within their first six seasons together – they built a strong foundation with a dynamic group of players who were both offensive and defensive at the same time. Patrick Kane had several memorable moments; Jonathan Toews was not only a great leader, but he was also among the best in his position; Duncan Keith was an elite defenceman who captained the ship.
What was even scarier for the opposition was the Black Hawks’ versatility. They could overpower their competitors with offence, then defensively shut down the same team… and always had the talent to bring their A game to the playoffs.
In today’s salary-cap NHL, winning championships is extremely difficult; therefore, having the ability to keep your core group of players together over an extended period of time in an environment of uncertainty has made Chicago’s success storyline so unique.
5. Detroit Red Wings
Key names: Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Scotty Bowman
During one of the most fiercely competitive eras in NHL history, the Red Wings displayed an unprecedented old-school level of dominance.
In just six years, Detroit had won three Stanley Cups and developed arguably one of the NHL’s most talented rosters of all-time. Aided by General Manager Ken Holland and Hall of Fame Coach Scotty Bowman, the Red Wings became a franchise whose roster consisted of multiple future Hall of Famers.
Looking at the roster of Detroit’s 2002 Championship team, it was clear that this Edition of the Red Wings had an unfair amount of star power with names such as Yzerman, Lidstrom, Shanahan, Hasek, Fedorov, and Robitaille.
Beyond the star power and accolades of Detroit’s dynasty, another impressive aspect of that era was how competitive all of the NHL teams were at the time; in addition to the expansion of the NHL and a sizeable increase in the number of teams, many of Detroit’s best players would have likely been All-Stars with their new team if they hadn’t had so many other players of equal caliber on the same team.
Also Read: 11 Youngest Players In The NHL Right Now
