List of National Hockey League longest losing streaks
This is a list of the longest losing streaks in National Hockey League (NHL) history. The list includes streaks that started at the end of one season and carried over into the following season. There are two lists, streaks that consist entirely of regular-season games and streaks made up of playoff games only. The Pittsburgh Penguins hold the record for the longest losing streak in NHL history at 18 games, which was set in the 2003–04 season; that team finished last in the NHL with a 23–47–8–4 record (58 points).[1] The Chicago Blackhawks lost an NHL playoff record 16 straight games spanning five trips to the Stanley Cup playoffs between 1975 and 1979.[2] Only regular season losing streaks lasting fourteen or more games are included.
Prior to the 2005–06 season, tie games were abolished in favor of a shootout.
Key
| Italic score | Denotes streak ended with a tie | |
| ^ | Denotes streaks that spanned at least two seasons | |
| Denotes streaks that are currently in progress | ||
Streaks
Regular season
This list contains only the top streaks consisting entirely of regular-season games.
| Rank | Games | Team | Season(s) | Season record(s) |
Date | Score | Opponent | Date | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning (first defeat) | End (first victory or tie) | |||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2003–04 | 23–47–8–4 | January 13, 2004 | 1–3 | Tampa Bay Lightning | February 25, 2004 | 4–3 (OT) | Phoenix Coyotes |
| 2 (tie) | 17 | Washington Capitals | 1974–75 | 8–67–5 | February 18, 1975 | 1–6 | Los Angeles Kings | March 28, 1975 | 5–3 | California Golden Seals |
| 2 (tie) | 17 | San Jose Sharks | 1992–93 | 11–71–2 | January 4, 1993 | 1–4 | Montreal Canadiens | February 14, 1993 | 3–2 | Winnipeg Jets |
| 4 | 15 | Philadelphia Quakers | 1930–31 | 4–36–4 | November 29, 1930 | 3–6 | New York Rangers | January 10, 1931 | 4–3 (OT) | Montreal Maroons |
| 5 (tie) | 14 (10 + 4) |
Chicago Black Hawks | 1927–28^ 1928–29^ |
7–34–3 7–29–8 |
February 22, 1928 | 2–3 | Ottawa Senators | November 25, 1928 | 1–1 (OT) | Boston Bruins |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Kansas City Scouts | 1975–76 | 12–56–12 | December 30, 1975 | 2–5 | Vancouver Canucks | January 31, 1976 | 4–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Detroit Red Wings | 1981–82 | 21–47–12 | February 24, 1982 | 3–5 | Los Angeles Kings | March 27, 1982 | 2–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Quebec Nordiques | 1990–91 | 16–50–14 | October 21, 1990 | 2–3 | Vancouver Canucks | November 21, 1990 | 4–4 (OT) | Hartford Whalers |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Ottawa Senators | 1992–93 | 10–70–4 | March 2, 1993 | 2–3 (OT) | San Jose Sharks | April 10, 1993 | 5–3 | New York Islanders |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Carolina Hurricanes | 2009–10 | 35–37–10 | October 10, 2009 | 2–5 | Tampa Bay Lightning | November 15, 2009 | 5–4 (SO) | Minnesota Wild |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | New York Islanders | 2010–11 | 30–39–13 | October 23, 2010 | 3–4 | Florida Panthers | November 26, 2010 | 2–0 | New Jersey Devils |
| 5 (tie) | 14 (6 + 8) |
Columbus Blue Jackets | 2010–11^ 2011–12^ |
34–35–13 29–46–7 |
March 31, 2011 | 3–4 (OT) | Washington Capitals | October 25, 2011 | 4–1 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 5 (tie) | 14 | Buffalo Sabres | 2014–15 | 23–51–8 | December 29, 2014 | 2–5 | Ottawa Senators | February 3, 2015 | 3–2 | Montreal Canadiens |
Postseason
This is a list of streaks recorded only in the playoffs. The list only features losing streaks stretched through multiple seasons.
| Rank | Games | Team | Season started |
Season ended |
Number of years |
Date | Score | Opponent | Date | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning (first defeat) | End (first victory) | ||||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1974–75 | 1979–80 | 5 | April 20, 1975 | 2–6 | Buffalo Sabres | April 8, 1980 | 3–2 (OT) | St. Louis Blues |
| 2 | 14 | Los Angeles Kings | 1992–93 | 2000–01 | 8 | June 3, 1993 | 2–3 (OT) | Montreal Canadiens | April 15, 2001 | 2–1 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 3 | 12 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1978–79 | 1982–83 | 4 | April 16, 1979 | 2–5 | Montreal Canadiens | April 9, 1983 | 6–3 | Minnesota North Stars |
| 4 | 11 | Chicago Black Hawks/Blackhawks | 1984–85 | 1987–88 | 3 | May 14, 1985 | 5–10 | Edmonton Oilers | April 9, 1988 | 6–3 | St. Louis Blues |
| 5 (tie) | 10 | Chicago Black Hawks | 1943–44 | 1952–53 | 9 | April 4, 1944 | 1–5 | Montreal Canadiens | March 29, 1953 | 2–1 (OT) | Montreal Canadiens |
| 5 (tie) | 10 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 1953–54 | 1955–56 | 2 | March 27, 1954 | 1–3 | Detroit Red Wings | March 27, 1956 | 2–0 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 5 (tie) | 10 | New York Rangers | 1967–68 | 1969–70 | 2 | April 11, 1968 | 4–7 | Chicago Black Hawks | April 11, 1970 | 4–3 | Boston Bruins |
| 5 (tie) | 10 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1967–68 | 1972–73 | 5 | April 18, 1968 | 1–3 | St. Louis Blues | April 5, 1973 | 4–1 | Minnesota North Stars |
| 5 (tie) | 10 | Chicago Blackhawks | 1991–92 | 1993–94 | 2 | May 26, 1992 | 4–5 | Pittsburgh Penguins | April 23, 1994 | 5–4 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
References
- "NHL: Longest Losing Streaks/Regular Season Games". mcubed.net. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- "NHL: Longest Losing Streaks/Playoff Games". mcubed.net. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
