Geography creates some NHL rivalries, playoff agony creates others, and some simply come from the same two teams meeting each other when the pressure is greatest. These matchups have given us fights, overtime winners, controversial calls and series that fans remember long after the final horn over the decades.
The best NHL rivalries are more than just two teams meeting multiple times a season. They make you feel like every game counts, even when the standings say it doesn’t. From the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens to the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche, these rivalries have defined different eras of hockey history.
What makes an NHL rivalry great?
There must be more to rivalry than just two teams that just happen to be near each other. The strongest rivalries are often born from repeated playoff matchups, star players, contrasting styles of play or a history of controversial events.
Geography, of course, may help. The two teams are close enough so fans mix more, and the games are more important locally. But many of the NHL’s most memorable rivalries developed between teams that were far apart because they kept meeting in important playoff series.
The intensity can vary with time as well. Rivalries die when teams stop competing for championships, only to return years later when both organizations are contenders again.
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Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
There are few rivalries with as long of a history as the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins. The two Original Six franchises first met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1946, and their playoff history has been filled with memorable series and unforgettable games. There’s been a physical rivalry, dramatic comebacks and generations of stars on each side.
Montreal’s historic success added another layer to the matchup, particularly when Boston was trying to get through a Canadiens team that had often stood between the Bruins and playoff advancement. It’s one of the best examples of how a series of playoff meetings can take otherwise routine games to a whole new level.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most recognizable Canadian rivalries in the NHL. Both teams are Original Six franchises with massive followings across Canada. Their rivalry also ties into the history of the Stanley Cup, with both organizations having championship eras in the early decades of the league.
The games are important, even if neither club is playing its best. Montreal and Toronto meet and it’s often a spectacle because the supporters know the history of the jerseys. The rivalry has also been enhanced by multiple generations of star players, making it one of the longest-standing matchups between Canadian hockey teams.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche was the NHL’s headline. The rivalry was particularly bitter because both teams were loaded with elite talent and often fought for Stanley Cup success. Detroit had Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom and Brendan Shanahan, while Colorado had stars like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy.
Physical violence became a big part of the narrative. The brawl in 1996 between the teams is one of the most famous incidents in the history of the NHL but the rivalry was more than just fighting. These were two great teams chasing championships at the same time. That combination of elite players, playoff stakes and real-life animosity made Red Wings-Avalanche one of the defining classic hockey game rivalries of its generation.
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
Chicago and Detroit built another Original Six rivalry. The teams played each other frequently in the early years of the NHL, and the rivalry has been all the more important because both franchises have long and storied hockey histories and large regional fan bases.
The rivalry has evolved quite a bit over the years. Sometimes one organization was rebuilding, while the other was competing for championships. But sometimes, the teams were good enough to make for meaningful playoff battles. Still, the matchup is important to the history of the NHL because it links two of the league’s oldest franchises.
New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders
The Rangers-Islanders rivalry is very much a local affair in the NHL. Both clubs are located in the New York metropolitan area, giving their fans a competition for attention in one of the largest sports markets in North America. The Islanders’ rise in the early 1980s added a championship element to the rivalry.
The Islanders became a major power, winning four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983, while the Rangers stayed one of the NHL’s most recognizable teams. The rivalry has been going on for several generations, and local bragging rights add another dimension to the competition.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames
The Battle of Alberta is among the fiercest of provincial rivalries in the NHL. Edmonton and Calgary are about 175 miles apart, so regular-season games are always a big deal for fans across Alberta. In the 1980s, the rivalry took on a new dimension as the Oilers and Flames were among the best teams in the NHL.
Edmonton had Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey, while Calgary had stars like Lanny McDonald and Doug Gilmore. The teams faced each other in a number of key playoff series during the decade including the famous series in 1986 in which Calgary eliminated Edmonton. Those meetings helped to engrave the Battle of Alberta in the minds of Canadian hockey fans forever.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals
Two of the most recognizable stars of the modern NHL, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, have defined the Penguins-Capitals rivalry. Pittsburgh and Washington have been two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for years and have met in the playoffs several times. The rivalry was made all the more interesting by the fact that Crosby and Ovechkin were different styles of players, and were battling for championships and individual accolades.
Their playoff matchups have produced some of the most classic, memorable hockey games of the salary-cap era. In their prime, Pittsburgh had more postseason success, but Washington finally captured the Stanley Cup in 2018, adding another major chapter to the rivalry.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Fliers and Penguins also have a geographical element to the rivalry as both teams hail from Pennsylvania. The rivalry has often featured contrasting identities. Philadelphia was known for its physical style of hockey, Pittsburgh was known for its high-end offensive talent, especially during the Crosby era.
The rivalry has produced some memorable regular season games and playoff matchups, with the closeness of the two fanbases adding to the atmosphere. For fans, it’s not simply about the points in the standings. It’s a battle for bragging rights in the state.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames
The Canucks and Flames have developed a Western Canadian rivalry that includes regional pride and stretches of intense playoff competition. Both organizations have had periods of time where they have been one of the better teams in the Western Conference. The passionate fan bases and the larger Canadian hockey culture that surrounds the matchup has also enhanced their games.
It may not have the century-long pedigree of some Original Six rivalries, but its regional importance gives it a special place in the modern NHL rivalry landscape.
New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils
Another example of geography creating a natural competitive tension is the Rangers-Devils rivalry. Both teams are in the same metro area and their fans often meet outside the arena. That intimacy makes their regular season matchups more meaningful.
The rivalry came to a peak in the 1990s and 2000s when both teams built good rosters and competed for playoff success. Their different styles also made for an interesting matchup, with New Jersey gaining a reputation as a disciplined defensive hockey team during its championship era.
Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks
The Kings and Ducks are Southern California’s contribution to the NHL rivalry culture. It’s commonly known as the Freeway Face-Off, which makes sense considering that Los Angeles and Anaheim are geographically connected. The area may not have the same hockey tradition as Montreal or Detroit, but the rivalry has developed its own personality.
As both teams became competitive in the Western Conference and fought for playoff positioning, the rivalry gained importance. It shows the growth of the NHL into new hockey markets and the creation of new hockey communities.
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