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Since the 1984–1985 NHL season, 10 squads have defied the odds to win the Stanley Cup as underdogs. Roughly once every four years, the favorite going into the series comes out disappointed.
These teams, perhaps unexpectedly, often haven’t had to squeak out series wins in six or seven games. Data shows that among the winning underdog franchises, half claimed the Cup in just four or five games.
The New Jersey Devils finished the 1994–1995 lockout-shortened season 5th in the Eastern Conference. In the finals, they faced off against the Western Conference top-seeded Detroit Red Wings, who were heavy favorites based on their superior records in regular-season and playoffs, where they had gone 12–2. But the Devils, +200 underdogs, swept them on the back of goaltender Martin Brodeur, outscoring Detroit 16–7.
Some series do extend to seven games, such as in 2011, when the Stanley Cup Finals featured the Boston Bruins (3rd in the Eastern Conference) against the favored Vancouver Canucks, who finished first in the Western Conference. The Bruins (+200) dropped the first two games against Vancouver, making the oddsmakers look prophetic. Yet they won, outscoring the Canucks 9–2 in the final two games.
Since back-to-back upsets in 2018 and 2019, results went as expected until 2024–2025, when the Florida Panthers overcame +105 odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Ranking the Biggest Upsets Ever
Here is the list of every upset in a Stanley Cup Finals series since the 1984–85 season, in order of betting odds entering the finals. The list was compiled using historical odds from Sports Odds History.
2011: Bruins def. Canucks in 7 /+200
1995: Devils def. Red Wings in 4 / +200
1990: Oilers def. Bruins in 5 / +180
1986: Canadiens def. Flames in 5 / +160
2001: Avalanche def. Devils in 7 / +160
2019: Blues defeated Bruins in 7 / +140
2018: Capitals def. Golden Knights in 5 / +133
2009: Penguins def. Red Wings in 7 / +130
1997: Red Wings def. Flyers in 4 / +1152025: Panthers def. Oilers in 6 / +105
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