The Stanley Cup was first commissioned in 1891 as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup and is named after former Governor General of Canada, Lord Stanley of Canada, who donated it as an award to Canada's top-ranking amateur ice hockey club. Since then, the cup has gone through various changes and has been awarded 107 times till now.
Unlike, any other trophies awarded by the other major professional sports of North America, a new Stanley Cup is not awarded every year, instead the winning teams get to keep it for a limited number of days before the league takes it back and repeats the process. However, some teams aren't that lucky and have to settle without the coveted trophy. This includes some of the most notable teams of the league who have come close but have agonisingly fallen short.
List of teams with most losses in the Stanley Cup Finals
Throughout its history, the Stanley Cup has been awarded 107 times till now to 26 different teams. However, only 21 of those teams are still in existence today. Out of them, the Boston Bruins hold the record of most losses in the Stanley Cup finals, with 14 losses till now. Moreover, they are followed by the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens on the list with most losses. On the other hand, the Colorado Avalanche have never lost in the finals till now, winning in all their three appearances till now.
The below tables looks at the teams who have appeared in the most Stanley Cup finals alongside their losses:
| Team | Losses | Appearances |
| Boston Bruins | 14 | 20 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 13 | 24 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 10 | 35 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 8 | 21 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 7 | 13 |
| New York Rangers | 7 | 11 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 6 | 8 |
| Dallas Stars | 4 | 5 |
| St. Louis Blues | 3 | 4 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 3 | 3 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 2 | 7 |
| New Jersey Devils | 2 | 5 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 2 | 5 |
| Calgary Flames | 2 | 3 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 2 | 2 |
| Florida Panthers | 2 | 2 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 | 6 |
| New York Islanders | 1 | 5 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 1 | 3 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 1 | 2 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 1 | 2 |
| Washington Capitals | 1 | 2 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 1 | 2 |
| Ottawa Senators | 1 | 1 |
| San Jose Sharks | 1 | 1 |
| Nashville Predators | 1 | 1 |
Note: The Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets and the Arizona Coyotes have never been to the Stanley Cup finals yet.
FAQ's On Most losses in the Stanley Cup Finals
A. Teams like the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken have never won the Stanley Cup till now.
A. The Montreal Canadiens have been to the most Stanley Cup Finals with 35 appearances till date.
A. The Boston Bruins have the most losses in the NHL playoffs, with 22 losses till now.
A. The Boston Bruins have lost the most Stanley Cup finals since 1915, with 14 losses till date. They are followed by the Detroit Red Wings with 13 losses and Montreal Canadiens with 10 losses till now.
A. Yes, the Montreal Canadiens have won five Stanley Cup five in a row (1956-1960).
