Steve Yzerman, won theConn Smythe Trophy with theDetroit Red Wings in 1998, the most recent series to occur in a sweep.
Joe Sakic, won theConn Smythe Trophy with theColorado Avalanche in 1996, their first championship infranchise's history.In theStanley Cup Final, asweep refers to aNational Hockey League (NHL) team winning four straight games and losing none in abest-of-seven format. There have been 20sweeps in Stanley Cup Final history.[1]
The first sweep is credited to theBoston Bruins who defeated theDetroit Red Wings in four straight games in the1941 Stanley Cup Final. The most recent sweep occurred in the1998 Stanley Cup Final, when theDetroit Red Wings defeated theWashington Capitals.
Conference realignment
[edit]Starting in the1974-75 NHL season, the National Hockey League expanded to 18 teams, installing new conferences and divisions and reorganizing its playoff format.[12] In the1993-94 NHL season, TheEastern Conference andWestern Conference became officially formed and are both tied for 2 sweeps each conference, with theDetroit Red Wings account for half of those, with two. As of the2013-2014 NHL season, the National Hockey League uses these methods today with 2 Eastern Conference divisions (Atlantic &Metropolitan) and 2 in the Western Conference (Central &Pacific).[13]
Key | Western Conference |
|---|
| Eastern Conference |
|---|
The1977 Series between theCanadiens andBruins was unique due to both teams partaking in the finals as members of the same conference (Wales).
- ^TheConn Smythe Trophy started being awarded out to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs since the1964–65 NHL season.
- ^The Red Wings were present in the Western Conference from 1993-94 until 2013-14.
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