Since the Stanley Cup Final expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1939, there have been 20 sweeps in which the Stanley Cup champion won four straight games and losing none.
The first 4–0 sweep is credited to the Boston Bruins who defeated the Detroit Red Wings in four straight games in the 1941 Stanley Cup Final. The most recent sweep occurred in the 1998 Stanley Cup Final, when the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals.
In the best-of-seven era, only two teams have ever completed a perfect postseason run: the Detroit Red Wings in 1952 and the Montreal Canadiens in 1960, with each winning all eight Stanley Cup playoff games.
List of sweeps Pre-NHL division alignment (1939–1967) The National Hockey League's playoff format, and determining which teams advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, has changed multiple times. Prior to the 1966–67 season, the league had no divisions or conferences.
Year Winning team Head coaches Losing team Head coaches Conn Smythe Ref. Boston Bruins Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
East Division vs. West Division (1968–1971) For three seasons after the 1967 NHL Expansion, the Final was competed between the East Division champion and the West Division champion. All three of those Finals ended with the East champion sweeping the West champion.
Year Winning team Head coaches Losing team Head coaches Conn Smythe Ref. Montreal Canadiens St. Louis Blues Montreal Canadiens St. Louis Blues Boston Bruins St. Louis Blues
Division and conference cross-overs (1971–1981) From 1971 to 1981, the league used playoff systems in which teams crossed over between the divisions and conferences, with the last two remaining teams meeting in the Final regardless. This was maintained through the 1974 realignment and the establishment of the Prince of Wales Conference and Campbell Conference.
Year Winning team Head coaches Losing team Head coaches Conn Smythe Ref. Montreal Canadiens Philadelphia Flyers Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
Wales/Eastern Conference vs. Campbell/Western Conference (1982–present) Since 1982, the champions of each of the league's two conferences have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. The names of the conferences were changed for the 1993-94 season to reflect their geographic locations, with the Wales becoming the Eastern Conference, and the Campbell becoming the Western Conference.
Year Winning team Head coaches Losing team Head coaches Conn Smythe Ref. New York Islanders Vancouver Canucks New York Islanders Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers Boston Bruins Pittsburgh Penguins Chicago Blackhawks New Jersey Devils Detroit Red Wings Colorado Avalanche Florida Panthers Detroit Red Wings Philadelphia Flyers Detroit Red Wings Washington Capitals
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