The Nashville Predators are trying to do something that’s only been done once in the history of the National Hockey League.
And they’re halfway there.
When you think of eight-seeds winning the Stanley Cup, you think of the 2012 Los Angeles Kings. And, while they didn’t win the Cup, you may remember that the 2006 Edmonton Oilers were an eight-seed that went onto the Final. Even the 1991 Minnesota North Stars played into June that year despite finishing as the last team to qualify in the Norris Division.
What you probably don’t know is that, if you look at the history of the NHL, only one team since 1924 (the beginning of NHL-exclusive competition for the Stanley Cup) has ever been the lowest-qualifying playoff team to win it all.
It’s a little confusing so let me explain.
In my research, I looked at each year’s regular season standings to see which teams qualified for the playoffs. I then took note of the team with the lowest points earned in the regular season. If there was a tie, I followed that year’s tie-breaking procedure so I could truly discover who the “the lowest qualifying team” for that season was. I then followed that team’s post-season path. Here are the end results of that research:
2017 | Nashville Predators | ? |
2016 | Minnesota Wild | lost in second round |
2015 | Pittsburgh Penguins | lost in first round |
2014 | Dallas Stars | lost in first round |
2013 | NY Islanders | lost in first round |
2012 | Ottawa Senators | lost in first round |
2011 | NY Rangers | lost in first round |
2010 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in Conference Final |
2009 | Anaheim Ducks | lost in second round |
2008 | Nashville Predators | lost in first round |
2007 | NY Islanders | lost in first round |
2006 | Tampa Bay Lightning | lost in first round |
2005 | NHL LOCKOUT | |
2004 | Nashville Predators | lost in first round |
2003 | NY Islanders | lost in first round |
2002 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in second round |
2001 | Carolina Hurricanes | lost in first round |
2000 | Buffalo Sabres | lost in first round |
1999 | Edmonton Oilers | lost in first round |
1998 | San Jose Sharks | lost in first round |
1997 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in first round |
1996 | Winnipeg Jets | lost in first round |
1995 | Dallas Stars | lost in first round |
1994 | San Jose Sharks | lost in second round |
1993 | St. Louis Blues | lost in second round |
1992 | Hartford Whalers | lost in first round |
1991 | Vancouver Canucks | lost in first round |
1990 | NY Islanders | lost in first round |
1989 | Chicago Blackhawks | lost in Conference Final |
1988 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in first round |
1987 | LA Kings | lost in first round |
1986 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in second round |
1985 | Minnesota North Stars | lost in second round |
1984 | Chicago Blackhawks | lost in first round |
1983 | St. Louis Blues | lost in first round |
1982 | LA Kings | lost in second round |
1981 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in first round |
1980 | Edmonton Oilers | lost in first round |
START OF 16-TEAM PLAYOFF FORMAT | ||
1979 | Vancouver Canucks | lost in first round |
1978 | Colorado Rockies | lost in first round |
1977 | Chicago Blackhawks | lost in first round |
1976 | St. Louis Blues | lost in first round |
1975 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in second round |
START OF 12-TEAM PLAYOFF FORMAT | ||
1974 | Atlanta Flames | lost in first round |
1973 | St. Louis Blues | lost in first round |
1972 | Pittsburgh Penguins | lost in first round |
1971 | Minnesota North Stars | lost in second round |
1970 | Oakland Seals | lost in first round |
1969 | LA Kings | lost in second round |
1968 | Minnesota North Stars | lost in second round |
START OF “EXPANSION ERA” (8-TEAM FORMAT) | ||
1967 | NY Rangers | lost in Semifinals |
1966 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1965 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in Semifinals |
1964 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1963 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1962 | NY Rangers | lost in Semifinals |
1961 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1960 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Semifinals |
1959 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1958 | Boston Bruins | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1957 | NY Rangers | lost in Semifinals |
1956 | Toronto Maple Leafs | lost in Semifinals |
1955 | Boston Bruins | lost in Semifinals |
1954 | Boston Bruins | lost in Semifinals |
1953 | Boston Bruins | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1952 | Boston Bruins | lost in Semifinals |
1951 | Boston Bruins | lost in Semifinals |
1950 | NY Rangers | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1949 | Toronto Maple Leafs | WON STANLEY CUP |
1948 | NY Rangers | lost in Semifinals |
1947 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Semifinals |
1946 | Detroit Red Wings | lost in Semifinals |
1945 | Boston Bruins | lost in Semifinals |
1944 | Chicago Blackhawks | lost in Semifinals |
1943 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in Semifinals |
START OF “ORIGINAL SIX” ERA (4-TEAM FORMAT) | ||
1942 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in first round |
1941 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in first round |
1940 | NY Americans | lost in first round |
1939 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in first round |
1938 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in first round |
1937 | NY Rangers | lost in Stanley Cup Final |
1936 | NY Americans | lost in Semifinals |
1935 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1934 | Montreal Maroons | lost in Semifinals |
1933 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1932 | Montreal Maroons | lost in Semifinals |
1931 | Montreal Maroons | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1930 | NY Rangers | lost in Semifinals |
1929 | Detroit Cougars | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1928 | Pittsburgh Pirates | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1927 | Chicago Blackhawks | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
START OF 3-TEAM PLAYOFF FORMAT | ||
1926 | Pittsburgh Pirates | lost in 2-game, aggregate round |
1925 | Montreal Canadiens | lost in Semifinals |
START OF NHL-EXCLUSIVE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS |
Only one of those teams above ever went onto win the Stanley Cup. The Toronto Maple Leafs played the standard 60-game regular season slate in 1949, finishing with a 22-25-13 record to take the last playoff spot in the four-team field. They then beat the Bruins four games to one in the opening round and then took down the Red Wings in a clean sweep to hoist their third consecutive Cup.
What’s important to emphasize here is that, back in 1949 – and until expansion in 1967-68, actually – the playoff field was just two rounds. Only four teams qualified. That fact alone is a huge distinction in what the Predators are doing.
Since the League expanded the field to the current 16-team format in 1979-80, only two teams have ever been the “16-seed” and gone to the Conference Final. The 2010 Habs and the 1989 Blackhawks each got beat in their respective third round series’ in five games but remain the only “16-seed” clubs to ever flirt that much with destiny.
Even more ridiculous? No “lowest qualifying team” since expansion has ever gone onto play in the Stanley Cup Final.
Not one.
Having punched their ticket to either California or Alberta, the Preds have reached an extremely rare achievement as only the third team in the history of post-expansion NHL to make it to the Conference Final as the lowest-qualifying team entering the playoffs that same year. They can make a little history with just four more wins.
And a lot of history with eight more.
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PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy K. Gover