NHL’s Most Disastrous Postseason Performances: A Historical Perspective
As the NHL postseason navigates yet another thrilling chapter, fans are reminded of their teams’ worst playoff runs. While a first-round sweep tends to be the nadir, a deeper look into goal differential reveals even darker histories.
The analysis, presented in chronological order, begins with the Vegas Golden Knights, whose worst playoff series was last year’s loss to the Stars, finishing with a neutral goal differential of 0. In contrast, the Seattle Kraken made history with a -1 differential in their inaugural playoff run in 2023, despite defeating the avowed favorites, the Stars.
As the list continues, the Buffalo Sabres’ -8 differential in 1984 highlights a swept series against the Nordiques, while the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers both finished with a -9 during their disappointing postseasons.
Teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche are also mentioned, with both having posted -9 in select years. The Montreal Canadiens are one of the few teams to have three postseason runs reflecting a -11 differential.
However, the real focus lands on the historic lows. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks both suffered -19 differentials in their worst playoff years. Yet, the runaway leader in postseason failures is the San Jose Sharks, who, despite winning a round in 1995, suffered a staggering -27 goal differential.
The striking conclusion? Only one team, the 1945 Leafs, has ever captured the Stanley Cup with a negative playoff goal differential, showcasing just how critical both performance and resilience are in the quest for NHL glory.
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