List of NHL franchise post-season appearance streaks

For a explanation of the NHL season and post-season, see Season structure of the NHL.

This is a list of the active and all-time NHL franchise post-season appearance streaks up to and including the 2007–08 NHL season and subsequent 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. These lists do not include the canceled 2004–05 NHL season.

Active post-season appearance streaks

Team	Post-season streak	Last missed post-season
Detroit Red Wings	17 seasons	1989–90
New Jersey Devils	11 seasons	1995–96
Ottawa Senators	11 seasons	1995–96
Dallas Stars	5 seasons	2001–02
Calgary Flames	4 seasons	2002–03
Nashville Predators	4 seasons	2002–03
San Jose Sharks	4 seasons	2002–03
Anaheim Ducks	3 seasons	2003–04
New York Rangers	3 seasons	2003–04
Minnesota Wild	2 seasons	2005–06
Pittsburgh Penguins	2 seasons	2005–06
Boston Bruins	1 season	2006–07
Colorado Avalanche	1 season	2006–07
Montreal Canadiens	1 season	2006–07
Philadelphia Flyers	1 season	2006–07
Washington Capitals	1 season	2006–07

All-time post-season appearance streaks

     Active franchise streak is highlighted

Team	Post-season streak	Consecutive post-season appearances	Stanley Cup Championships during streak
Boston Bruins	29 seasons	1967–68 through to 1995–96	2 : 1969–70, 1971–72
Chicago Blackhawks	28 seasons	1969–70 through to 1996–97	none
St. Louis Blues	25 seasons	1979–80 through to 2003–04	none
Montreal Canadiens	24 seasons	1970–71 through to 1993–94	8 : 1970–71, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1992–93
Montreal Canadiens	21 seasons	1948–49 through to 1968–69	10 : 1952–53, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69
Detroit Red Wings	20 seasons	1938–39 through to 1957–58	5 : 1942–43, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55
Philadelphia Flyers	17 seasons	1972–73 through to 1988–89	2 : 1973–74, 1974–75
Detroit Red Wings	17 seasons	1990–91 to present	4: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2007–08
Atlanta Flames / Calgary Flames	16 seasons	1975–76 through to 1990–91	1 : 1988–89
Toronto Maple Leafs	15 seasons	1930–31 through to 1944–45	3 : 1931–32, 1941–42, 1944–45
New York Islanders	14 seasons	1974–75 through to 1987–88	4 : 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83
Washington Capitals	14 seasons	1982–83 through to 1995–96	none
Edmonton Oilers	13 seasons	1979–80 through to 1991–92	5 : 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90
Buffalo Sabres	11 seasons	1974–75 through to 1984–85	none
Pittsburgh Penguins	11 seasons	1990–91 through to 2000–01	2 : 1990–91, 1991–92
Philadelphia Flyers	11 seasons	1994–95 through to 2005–06	none
Quebec Nordiques / Colorado Avalanche	11 seasons	1994–95 through to 2005–06	2 : 1995–96, 2000–01
New Jersey Devils	11 seasons	1996–97 to present	2 : 1999–2000, 2002–03
Ottawa Senators	11 seasons	1996–97 to present	none
Chicago Blackhawks	10 seasons	1958–59 through to 1967–68	1 : 1960–61
New York Rangers	10 seasons	1977–78 through to 1986–87	none

• An interesting note is that the Montreal Canadiens only missed the playoffs once between the 1948–49 to 1993–94 seasons. In the 1969–70 NHL season, they placed tied for fourth (and last playoff place) with the New York Rangers, but were eliminated on total goals scored (they scored 244 to the NYRs' 246 goals). If they had made the playoffs that year, they would have had a post-season appearance streak of 46 seasons.

• The Detroit Red Wings' 17 season streak of making the post-season is the longest active streak of any of the four major professional sports leagues (NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB).