Skip to content

How long is Canada’s Stanley Cup drought?

How long is Canada’s Stanley Cup drought? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Hockey might be Canada’s game, but the Stanley Cup resides in the United States.

The NHL’s top prize will be lifted in the US once again in 2023. Canada’s quest for the Cup came to an end when the Edmonton Oilers fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. With the Golden Knights matched up against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, the Great White North will have to wait until next year to make another run at a championship.

It’s something Canada has grown accustomed to over recent decades. Despite dominating the early days of the NHL and all the way into the 1980s, the US has taken complete control over the league and the Stanley Cup.

Just seven of the 32 NHL teams call Canada home, giving the country slim chances of hosting a champion. Toss in those seven teams’ recent playoff history, and the reasons for a significant championship lull become even clearer.

Here’s a breakdown of Canada’s ongoing Stanley Cup drought:

When was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?

It’s now been 30 years since a Canadian team lifted the Stanley Cup. The Montreal Canadiens beat the Los Angeles Kings four games to one in the 1993 Cup Final, and an American team has won it every time since.

Here’s when each Canadian organization last earned the Stanley Cup:

When was the last time a Canadian team appeared in the Stanley Cup Final?

The Canadiens came close to snapping the skid in 2021, but they fell to the defending-champion Lightning in a gentleman’s sweep during the Cup Final. Prior to that, the Canucks were the last Canadian team to reach the Cup Final, doing so in 2011.

Here’s each Canadian team’s last Cup Final appearance:

  • Montreal Canadiens: 2021 (lost to Lightning in five games)

  • Vancouver Canucks: 2011 (lost to Bruins in seven games)

  • Ottawa Senators: 2007 (lost to Ducks in five games)

  • Edmonton Oilers: 2006 (lost to Hurricanes in seven games)

  • Calgary Flames: 2004 (lost to Lightning in seven games)

  • Toronto Maple Leafs: 1967 (beat Canadiens in six games)

  • Winnipeg Jets: Never

How many times has a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?

Since 1918, Canadian teams have won 49 Stanley Cups. Along with the four active NHL teams from Canada that have lifted the Cup, the country’s tally also includes two championships from the Montreal Maroons, who existed from 1924 to 1938.

US teams will be up to 55 following the 2023 Cup Final. It wasn’t until the Washington Capitals’ triumph in 2018 that the US surpassed Canada in the overall tally.