There are many rivalries in every sports league, but not all of them last forever. Some rivalries have history and some have just been created for the sake of selling the sports, but if one thing is for sure, not every NHL rivalry is going strong.
With that said, let’s take a look at 5 NHL rivalries that are heating up and 5 that are dead.
Heating Up – Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs
As two of the most storied franchises in the NHL, these two teams have had a long-standing rivalry since the league’s inception in 1917.
Both teams have had their fair share of stars face off from Frank Mahovlich and Maurice “Rocket” Richard to now Auston Matthews and Cole Caufield. Since 1917 the Leafs and Canadiens have squared off 845 times with the Canadiens holding 412 victories.
Dead – Anaheim Duck vs Los Angeles Kings
Known as the Freeway Face-off, the Ducks and Kings rivalry has been around since the 1993 season, Anaheim’s first in the NHL. These teams have only met once in the playoffs with LA taking the series and later the Stanley Cup in 2014.
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The Ducks have fallen off becoming a rebuilding team in recent years and even the Kings aren’t as strong as they used to be. With both these teams slowly losing a competitive edge, this rivalry has died down over recent years.
Heating Up – Chicago Blackhawks vs Minnesota Wild
This rivalry began in 2000 when the Minnesota Wild were introduced to the league. In the 2013 off-season, the league’s divisional realignment placed the two teams in the same division which would only add more matchups between the 2 squads.
These 2 teams played in the 2016 Stadium Series and have met 4 times in the playoffs with the last one being in 2015. While these two teams have not had major playoff success in the last few seasons, the additions of young phenoms Connor Bedard and Brock Faber are sure to heat the rivalry in the near future.
Dead – Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres
In the prime of the rivalry, these teams were considered two of the most bruising teams to hit the ice. These two teams have met in the playoffs a total of 9 times in the playoffs with Boston winning 25 of 45 games, the most recent of which being on the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup run.
Boston has also won 156 of 312 games. With the Bruins’s massive dominance in recent years and Buffalo’s constant regular season disappointment, there is not much to watch in the rivalry.
Heating Up – Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers
This interprovincial rival was started with their first match-up on October 22nd, 1980. Being the only two teams situated in Alberta, it’s only natural that these two squads would become rivals instantly.
In 296 games, the Flames are the team that has come out on top this far winning 141. The Flames and Oilers have met 6 times in the playoffs with Edmonton winning 5. Their most recent series was in 2022, with Edmonton taking that as well. With the team’s continuing recent playoff match-ups, the Battle of Alberta can only continue to get better.
Dead – New York Islanders vs New York Rangers
The Battle of New York has been going 330 games strong seeing 156 wins going the Rangers way. In 8 playoff series, the Islanders have won 5 series and the lead in games with 20 against the Rangers 19.
While many of the teams’ face-offs have been competitive, the Islanders’ static regular season and playoff mediocrity have affected the status of the game’s quality in recent seasons.
Heating Up – Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs
These two squads have been constantly at each other’s throats since the “original six” days. With tons of playoff match-ups between the two squads, there is no shortage of history. After winning 8 of their first 10 playoff match-ups, the Leafs’ recent playoff woes have been a focal point of the media with Boston winning the last 6 playoff match-ups.
The regular season has seen the two teams face off a total of 688 games with Boston taking 308 games. With the previously mentioned Matthews being played alongside Mitch Marner and Boston’s continued competitiveness, this rivalry is built on tons of league history.
Dead – Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins
While these two teams have been in the same division since the 2013-14 season, it has been a rivalry since the 2004-05 season. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are two of the biggest names in hockey. Crosby’s Penguins and Ovi’s Capitals would meet in the playoffs 4 times. The winner of each series has gone on to win the Stanley Cup with the Pens leading 3-1.
While Crosby may still be playing up to expectation, Ovechkin has lost a little flare in recent years with fluctuating play, making the match-ups sometimes difficult to watch.
Heating Up – Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
The Battle of Pennsylvania is a long-standing rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers’ “Broadstreet bully” mantra has been a main selling point along with Pittsburgh’s usually high-flying offense.
The rivalry was introduced in the 1967 season via expansion. Over the 352 games these two teams have played, Philly has won the majority of matches with 186 wins under their belt.
Dead – St. Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks
This rivalry is the most intense when it comes to fighting and penalty minutes in the history of the NHL. Both teams have been consistently competitive since the early 2010s with Chicago winning 3 Stanley Cups since the 2009-10 season and St. Louis taking home one in 2019.
Both teams have cooled off in recent years with the Blackhawks having the number one overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft and continuing to be in consideration for the number one pick in 2024. The Blues have also become a team many say should sell however they remain on a playoff push during the current 2023-24 season.
