Every young hockey player has that dream of one day lifting the Stanley Cup above their heads, carrying it around the ice as the crazed fans go wild. Sunday night, the Avalanche got to experience just that.
Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Cale Makar and the rest of the Colorado crew were crowned the 2022 Stanley Cup champions, taking down the Lightning, who were the two-time defending titleholders.
It's the franchise's third in its history, and the first since 2001. Colorado entered the year as favorites to win the Cup and months later, they are at the top of the NHL's mountain.
Here's a look at every winner of the Stanley Cup.
Stanley Cup winners year by year
The Lightning are going for a three-peat this season, having won the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cups.
If the Penguins win this year, it will be their third Cup win in a span of seven years. The franchise went back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.
Here is a look at every winner of the Stanley Cup.
- 2022: Colorado Avalanche
- 2021: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2020: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2019: St. Louis Blues
- 2018: Washington Capitals
- 2017: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2016: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2015: Chicago Blackhawks
- 2014: Los Angeles Kings
- 2013: Chicago Blackhawks
- 2012: Los Angeles Kings
- 2011: Boston Bruins
- 2010: Chicago Blackhawks
- 2009: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2008: Detroit Red Wings
- 2007: Anaheim Ducks
- 2006: Carolina Hurricanes
- 2004: Tampa Bay Lightning
- 2003: New Jersey Devils
- 2002: Detroit Red Wings
- 2001: Colorado Avalanche
- 2000: New Jersey Devils
- 1999: Dallas Stars
- 1998: Detroit Red Wings
- 1997: Detroit Red Wings
- 1996: Colorado Avalanche
- 1995: New Jersey Devils
- 1994: New York Rangers
- 1993: Montreal Canadiens
- 1992: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1991: Pittsburgh Penguins
- 1990: Edmonton Oilers
- 1989: Calgary Flames
- 1988: Edmonton Oilers
- 1987: Edmonton Oilers
- 1986: Montreal Canadiens
- 1985: Edmonton Oilers
- 1984: Edmonton Oilers
- 1983: New York Islanders
- 1982: New York Islanders
- 1981: New York Islanders
- 1980: New York Islanders
- 1979: Montreal Canadiens
- 1978: Montreal Canadiens
- 1977: Montreal Canadiens
- 1976: Montreal Canadiens
- 1975: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1974: Philadelphia Flyers
- 1973: Montreal Canadiens
- 1972: Boston Bruins
- 1971: Montreal Canadiens
- 1970: Boston Bruins
- 1969: Montreal Canadiens
- 1968: Montreal Canadiens
- 1967: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1966: Montreal Canadiens
- 1965: Montreal Canadiens
- 1964: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1963: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1962: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1961: Chicago Black Hawks
- 1960: Montreal Canadiens
- 1959: Montreal Canadiens
- 1958: Montreal Canadiens
- 1957: Montreal Canadiens
- 1956: Montreal Canadiens
- 1955: Detroit Red Wings
- 1954: Detroit Red Wings
- 1953: Montreal Canadiens
- 1952: Detroit Red Wings
- 1951: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1950: Detroit Red Wings
- 1949: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1948: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1947: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1946: Montreal Canadiens
- 1945: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1944: Montreal Canadiens
- 1943: Detroit Red Wings
- 1942: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1941: Boston Bruins
- 1940: New York Rangers
- 1939: Boston Bruins
- 1938: Chicago Black Hawks
- 1937: Detroit Red Wings
- 1936: Detroit Red Wings
- 1935: Montreal Maroons
- 1934: Chicago Black Hawks
- 1933: New York Rangers
- 1932: Toronto Maple Leafs
- 1931: Montreal Canadiens
- 1930: Montreal Canadiens
- 1929: Boston Bruins
- 1928: New York Rangers
- 1927: Ottawa Senators
What teams have won the most Stanley Cups?
The Canadiens have won the most Cups with 24, but it's been nearly 30 years since the last time Montreal hoisted the trophy, with their last win coming in 1993.
After the Habs, the Maple Leafs have 13, but their last Cup win came in 1967 and the team has not been to the finals since then. In third is the Red Wings with 11, most recently winning in 2008.
| TEAM | STANLEY CUPS |
|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 24 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 13 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 11 |
| Boston Bruins | 6 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 6 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 5 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 |
| New York Islanders | 4 |
| New York Rangers | 4 |
| New Jersey Devils | 3 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 3 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 2 |
| Dallas Stars | 1 |
| St. Louis Blues | 1 |
| Calgary Flames | 1 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 1 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 1 |
| Washington Capitals | 1 |
Which teams have never won the Stanley Cup?
There are 12 franchises that have never lifted the Cup: the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets.
Out of those 12, seven have Finals appearances. Those teams are the Sabres, Canucks, Sharks, Senators, Panthers, Predators and Golden Knights.
The Jets, Blue Jackets, Wild and Coyotes have never played in the Finals. The other franchise is the Kraken, who have only played one season in the NHL and did not make the postseason.