Biggest Playoff Upsets in NHL History

The Ultimate Comeback

1942 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Detroit Red Wings

Down 3-0 in Finals, won four straight to capture Cup.

The Impossible:

• Only team ever to complete 0-3 Finals comeback
• Detroit dominated first three games
• Toronto won Games 4, 5, 6, 7 consecutively
• Changed hockey history

Why It's #1: No team has repeated this feat in 80+ years. Coming back from 0-3 in Finals remains NHL's greatest upset accomplishment.

Context: Wartime rosters created parity that allowed such comebacks, but achievement remains unprecedented.

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Modern Eighth-Seed Miracles

Lower seeds shocking favorites:

2012 Los Angeles Kings: First 8-Seed to Win Cup

Quick went 16-4, swept top two seeds en route to championship.

The Run:

• First eighth seed to win Stanley Cup
• 16-4 playoff record
• Swept Vancouver Canucks (Presidents' Trophy)
• Swept St. Louis Blues (second seed)
• Beat New Jersey in Finals

Jonathan Quick: Elite goaltending carried Kings through impossible run.

Why It Matters: Proved eighth seeds could win everything, not just upset one round. Changed how teams viewed playoff seeding.

2006 Edmonton Oilers: Eighth Seed to Game 7 of Finals

Barely made playoffs, nearly won Cup.

The Upset Path:

• Finished 29 points behind Detroit in standings
• Upset Red Wings in Round 1
• Beat San Jose after trailing 2-0 in series
• Swept Anaheim Ducks
• Lost Game 7 of Finals to Carolina

Chris Pronger: Dragged Oilers to brink of miracle championship.

Context: Edmonton shouldn't have made playoffs, let alone reached Finals. Pronger's dominance made difference.

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Seventh-Seed Shockers

Lower seeds reaching Finals:

2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Seventh Seed Reaches Finals

Upset defending champion Red Wings despite being outshot massively.

The Upset:

• Upset Detroit in Round 1
• Outshot 238-155 by Red Wings but won series
• Swept Minnesota Wild in Conference Finals
• Lost to New Jersey in seven-game Finals

Jean-Sebastien Giguere: Won Conn Smythe despite losing Finals, .945 save percentage.

Legacy: Launched Anaheim's playoff reputation, won Cup four years later (2007).

2010 Philadelphia Flyers: 0-3 Comeback vs. Boston

Became third NHL team ever to complete 0-3 series comeback.

The Miracle:

• Down 3-0 to Boston Bruins in Round 2
• Won Games 4, 5, 6, 7 consecutively
• Reached Finals as seventh seed
• Lost to Chicago in six games

Historical Context: Only third team in NHL history to erase 0-3 deficit, nearly won Cup afterward.

Wildcard Wonders

Recent playoff format upsets:

2017 Nashville Predators: Wildcard to Finals

Swept Blackhawks dynasty, reached first Finals.

The Run:

• Swept Chicago Blackhawks in Round 1
• Upset St. Louis Blues
• Beat Anaheim Ducks
• Lost to Pittsburgh in six-game Finals
• Ryan Johansen injured in Conference Finals

Significance: Ended Blackhawks' dynasty, established Nashville as contender.

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The Ultimate Underdog Story

2019 St. Louis Blues: Last Place to Stanley Cup

Dead last in NHL standings on January 3, 2019, won Cup in June.

The Impossible Run:

• Last place in entire NHL mid-season
• Made playoffs on final day
• Upset Winnipeg Jets
• Beat Dallas Stars
• Defeated Boston Bruins in seven-game Finals

Jordan Binnington: Rookie goalie's emergence turned season around.

Ryan O'Reilly: Conn Smythe Trophy winner led championship run.

Why It's Legendary: No team has ever gone from last place to Cup in same season. Ultimate worst-to-first story.

First-Round Sweeps of Favorites

Elite teams eliminated quickly:

2017 Chicago Blackhawks Swept by Nashville

Blackhawks dynasty ended in four games by eighth seed.

The Shock:

• Chicago won three Cups in six years
• Swept in Round 1 by Nashville
• Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane eliminated
• Dynasty officially over

1993 Pittsburgh Penguins Swept by New York Islanders

Defending champions eliminated immediately.

The Upset:

• Pittsburgh won back-to-back Cups (1991-1992)
• Mario Lemieux and team swept in Round 1
• Islanders barely made playoffs
• Shocking end to potential dynasty

Series Comebacks

Teams erasing large deficits:

0-3 Series Comebacks: Only three teams have completed 0-3 comebacks:

1. 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs (Finals)
2. 1975 New York Islanders
3. 2010 Philadelphia Flyers

3-1 Series Comebacks: More common but still rare, requiring three consecutive elimination game wins.

Game 7 Shockers

Winner-take-all upsets:

Lower seeds winning Game 7s on road create ultimate upset moments. Home teams typically win 55% of Game 7s, making road victories significant.

Notable Road Game 7 Wins:

• 2019 Blues in Boston (won Cup)
• 2006 Oilers multiple road Game 7s
• Various eighth seeds stunning favorites

Betting Perspective

Historical upset probabilities:

8-Seed vs. 1-Seed Win Rates: Eighth seeds win approximately 20% of series against first seeds, though 2012 Kings proved championship possible.

Futures Odds Shifts: 2019 Blues went from 250-1 odds in January to Cup champions. Largest single-season shift in NHL history.

Upset Patterns: Lower seeds perform better in playoffs than regular season records suggest due to goaltending and momentum.

The Verdict

The 1942 Maple Leafs' 0-3 Finals comeback remains NHL's greatest upset, unrepeated in 80+ years. The 2012 Kings proved eighth seeds can win Cups, while 2019 Blues showed last-place teams can become champions in same season.

2010 Flyers' 0-3 series comeback against Boston and 2017 Predators sweeping Blackhawks dynasty show upsets define playoff hockey. Regular season dominance guarantees nothing when postseason starts.

These upsets prove why playoffs remain unpredictable despite analytics and regular season records.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

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