Utilisateur:Divergood/Brouillon2

Les rivalités dans la Ligue nationale de hockey (LNH) sont présentes entre de nombreuses équipes et villes. Elles apparaissent pour différentes raisons, les principales étant les proximités géographiques, la familiarité entre les adversaires, des incidents qui ont eu lieu sur la glace, ou encore la fierté culturelle ou nationale. L'importance de ces différents facteurs a grandement varié au cours de l'histoire de la ligue.

A l'époque des six équipes originales

A ses débuts la ligue se limite strictement au Canada Central (Ontario et Québec) et toutes les villes sont proches géographiquement, créant des rivalités exacerbées. De plus, Montréal possède deux équipes qui représentent sa division entre français et anglais. Les « Français » des Canadiens de Montréal bataillent contre les « Anglais » des Wanderers de Montréal (puis plus tard les Maroons). Des rivalités ont également existé avec d'autres ligues, comme par exemple la Pacific Coast Hockey Association. En 1926, la LNH acquiert l'exclusivité de la Coupe Stanley et s'est alors étendue au États-Unis où de nouvelles rivalités sont apparues. Une expansion rapide a créée une rivalité intra-villes à New-York entre les Rangers et les Americans. Cependant en 1942 la grande dépression ainsi que la seconde guerre mondiale réduit la LNH a seulement 6 équipes.

Surnommées les six équipes originales, de 1942 à 1946 seulement les Bruins de Boston, les Blackhawks de Chicago, les Canadiens de Montréal, les Red Wings de Détroit, les Rangers de New York et les Maple Leafs de Toronto jouent en LNH. Avec aussi peu d'opposants, les équipes se rencontrent beaucoup plus souvent et les matchs sont soulignés par des rivalités entre joueurs. Celles-ci durent alors assez longtemps, les effectifs des équipes n'évoluant pas beaucoup. A cette époque, à un moment ou à un autre, toutes les équipes ont eu des rivalités les unes envers les autres.

Conférence Est

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Division Atlantique

La division Atlantique actuelle s'est formée en 1974 (alors appelée Division Adams). En 1981 elle est composée d'équipes situées dans l'Est Canadien et en Nouvelle Angleterre, à l'exception des Sabres de Buffalo qui sont localisés à West New-York. La division devient la Division du Nord-Est en 1993 puis la Division Atlantique en 2013.

La Bataille de l'Ontario: Les Sénateurs d'Ottawa Vs Les Maple leafs de Toronto

La rivalité entre les Sénateurs d'Ottawa et les Maple Leafs de Toronto est populaire et refait régulièrement surfaces lors des séries éliminatoires, puisque les deux équipes sont dans la même division et s'y rencontrent souvent. On y fait référence comme étant la Bataille de l'Ontario. Les raisons initiales de cette rivalité réside dans l'importance des deux villes au Canada : Ottawa est la capitale nationale tandis que Toronto en est la plus grande ville (ainsi que la capitale provinciale de l'Ontario).

Les Sénateurs font leur entrée dans la ligue durant la saison 1991-1992 de la LNH, mais la rivalité entre les deux équipes ne fait surface qu'à la fin des années 90. De 1992 à 1998, Toronto est dans la Conférence Ouest alors qu'Ottawa se trouve dans la Conférence Est, ce qui implique que les deux équipes n'ont que peu d'occasions de se mesurer. Avant le début de la saison 1998-1999, les conférences et divisions sont réarrangées, Toronto se retrouvant déplacé dans la Division Nord-Est aux côtés d'Ottawa, Montréal, Buffalo et Boston. En 1999, l'une et l'autre sont des équipes leaders de leur division, se disputant le titre de division d'une année sur l'autre.

En 2000, les équipes se rencontrent pour la première fois en série éliminatoire et les Maple Leafs éliminent les Sénateurs en six matchs. Certains fans des Leafs voient cela comme une revanche de la saison régulière où Marián Hossa des Sens a accidentellement blessé à l'œil Bryan Berard des Leafs, manquant d'arrêter sa carrière. La saison suivante, les deux équipes se rencontrent à nouveau au premier tour des séries puisque les Sénateurs sont classés 2^e de la Conférence Est et les Maple Leafs 7^e. Alors qu'il est prédit une élimination par les Sénateurs, qui ont balayé les Leafs durant leurs rencontres en saison régulière, les Leafs expédient la série de manière surprenante : Ottawa ne réussi pas à marquer un seul but jusqu'à 16'51 de la troisième période du troisième match.

En 2002, les équipes se retrouvent face à face en séries pour la troisième année consécutive. Les deux équipes sont alors jugées équivalentes, et les Maple Leafs, bien que manquant plusieurs joueurs clés, gagnent le second tour des séries en 7 matchs pour atteindre la finale de conférence. Un incident notable a lieu lors du match 5, lorsque le capitaine des Sénateurs Daniel Alfredsson charge par l'arrière de façon critiquée l'attaquant Darcy Tucker (bien que cela n'entraine pas de pénalités), et quelques secondes après la charge, marque le but gagnant du match.

En 2004, la rivalité atteint son apogée lorsque Darcy Tucker s'attaque à Chris Neil qui est assis sur le banc. Cela se solde par plusieurs échanges de coups entre différents joueurs avant de réussir à rétablir l'ordre. Tucker, Neil et Shane Hnidy reçurent tous une pénalité majeure pour bagarre et une pénalité de méconduite pour le match. Après le match, Tucker déclare que Neil lui a craché dessus, une accusation nié par Neil. L'exaspération gagne les joueurs alors qu'il reste 1min23 de jeu, Tie Domi des Leafs s'en prend alors à Magnus Arvedson et lui donne plusieurs coups de poings. La preuve vidéo montrera plus tard Adverson harponnant Domi durant l'attente pour la remise en jeu. Domi reçu des pénalités mineures pour brutalité et pour avoir été instigateur, une pénalité majeure pour bagarre, une pénalité de méconduite et une méconduite pour le match. Arvedson quant à lui ne reçu aucune pénalité. Des suspensions furent annoncées quelques heures après que Tucker et Domi se soient présentés au quartier général de la LNH à Toronto pour audition. Tucker a été suspendu pour cinq match, sans paie, et il est très clair à la suite de l'audition que Neil n'a jamais craché sur le banc de Toronto. Tie Domi est suspendu pour trois matchs, sans paie. Un total de 163 minutes de pénalités a été appelé durant le match,.

Le 6 janvier 2004, les Maple Leafs jouent un match contre les Predators de Nashville quand la crosse du capitaine Mats Sundin casse lors d'un tir à la bleue. Il la jette au loin de rage mais au lieu de taper contre la glace, la crosse passe accidentellement au dessus et atterrie dans la foule. La LNH réagit en lui donnant une suspension d'un match. Le match pour lequel il est suspendu se joue contre les Sénateurs à Toronto. Durant celui-ci, la crosse de Daniel Alfredsson casse et il feint immédiatement de la jeter dans les tribunes. Cela entraîne une réaction furieuse des Maple Leafs, notamment parce qu'ils perdent le match 7 à 1. Alfredsson minimise la réaction des Leafs, parlant d'exagération. Cet incident ajoute à la rivalité, et les fans de Leafs vont huer Alfredsson dès qu'ils le peuvent jusqu'à la fin de sa carrière.

Les Sabres de Buffalo Vs Les Mapple leafs de Toronto

La rivalité entre ces deux équipe est liée à la distance de 160km qui sépare les deux patinoires (respectivement KeyBank Center et Centre Air Canada) à travers la voie rapide Queen Elizabeth Way. Les Sabres ont gagné 72 des 108 confrontations qui ont eu lieu à domicile malgré le nombre important de supporters qui se déplacent depuis Toronto. Depuis la saison 1998-1999 où les deux équipes jouent dans la même division, les Sabres ont gagné la finale de la conférence Est en 1999, seul confrontation entre les deux équipes en série éliminatoire.

La rivalité est accentuée en mai 2015 quand le coach Mike Babcock signe avec les Mapple Leafs alors que la veille les Sabres sont proches de conclure un accord pour le même poste.

Les Bruins de Boston Vs Les Sabres de Buffalo

Les Bruins et les Sabres sont rivaux depuis que les Sabres ont rejoint la LNH en 1970. Ces équipes se sont rencontrées 8 fois en série éliminatoire, dans lesquelles les Bruins ont gagnés les cinq premières rencontres en 1982, 1983, 1988, 1989, et 1992. Leur série de 1983 reste la plus mémorable puisque Brad Park a marqué le but gagnant du match 7 à 1'52 de la fin de la prolongation. Les Sabres finissent par gagner en 1993, lorsqu'ils balayent les Bruins au premier tour grâce au fameux « May Day goal » de Brad May, comme l'appellera le célèbre commentateur Rick Jeanneret.

En 1999, les Sabres battent les Bruins en six matchs lors de la finale de la Conférence Est, pour partir en finale de la Coupe Stanley où ils perdent face aux Stars de Dallas en six matchs suite au but controversé de Brett Hull. Les équipes se rencontrent à nouveau lors du premier tour des séries éliminatoires de 2010, les Sabres qui ont remporté la première place de division avec 100 points sont renversés par les Bruins en six matchs. En avril 2013, leur rivalité est mise de côté lorsque les deux équipes s'affrontent pour le match d'ouverture de la saison qui faite suite à l'attentat du marathon de Boston.

Les Bruins sont également responsable de la blessure à la tête de Ryan Miller en 2011, Milan Lucic lui donnant une commotion cérébrale mais ne recevant aucune suspension par la ligue.

Les Bruins de Boston Vs Les Canadiens de Montréal

La rivalité Bruins-Canadiens est considérée par l'ancien entraineur de Montréal Jacques Martin comme « l'une des plus grandes rivalités en sport », avec celles de Yankees-Red Sox pour le Baseball, Bears–Packers pour le football américain et Celtics–Lakers pour le Basketball. Elle est considérée comme l'une des plus «chaudes», en particulier parce que ces deux équipes se sont plus rencontrées que n'importe quelle autre équipe existante dans l'histoire de la LNH, que ça soit en saison régulière ou en série éliminatoire ,. La rivalité penche en faveur des Canadiens qui ont remporté les 3/4 des matchs les opposant aux Bruins en séries éliminatoires et toutes les finales de coupe Stanley les opposant. Au total, les deux équipes se sont rencontrées 34 fois en série éliminatoire pour un total de 171 matchs, 11 séries et 54 matchs de plus que deux autres équipes des six originales, les Red Wings et les Mapple Leafs ,. Les deux équipes se sont affrontées 9 fois pour un match 7, plus que tout autres opposants en LNH .

Dans les années 1950, les Canadiens ont remporté la coupe Stanley 3 fois aux dépens des Bruins. Durant les séries de 1952, en demi-finale, Maurice Richard fut assommé lors du 7^e match mais put revenir au jeu et inscrire le but vainqueur. Une des photos les plus célèbres de la LNH est celle de Richard et du gardien des Bruins « Sugar » Jim Henry se serrant la main à l'issue de séries, Richard ayant une coupure au-dessus de l'œil, tandis qu'Henry avait un œil poché.

Le 13 mars 1955, l'étoile montréalaise Maurice Richard reçut une pénalité de match et fut suspendu pour le reste de la saison pour une blessure volontaire sur Hal Laycoe dans un match contre les Bruins. Laycoe touche Richard à la tête avec sa crosse quelques instants plus tôt mais aucune pénalité n'est appelé, Richardse dirige alors vers Laycoe qui lâche les gants pour se battre. L'incident est amplifié quand Richard tente d'attaquer Laycoe avec son bâton et s'en prend au juge de ligne Cliff Thompson qui tente de l'en empêcher. Richard fut suspendu pour le reste de la saison, déclenchant une émeute importante.

Bien que jouant depuis longtemps l'une contre l'autre, les 2 équipes devinrent vraiment rivales à partir des années 1970 où elles se retrouvaient régulièrement parmi les favoris. En 1971, malgré la 1^re place de la ligue des Bruins et les nombreux records de leurs joueurs, il perdirent au 1^er tour contre les Canadiens en 7 rencontres, le moment clé de la série étant le match 2 où les Bruins menaient 5-1 avant de perdre 5-7. Ils remportent la coupe la saison 1971-1972 de la LNH mais perdent à nouveau contre les Canadiens en 1977 et 1978.

Le plus grand moment dans l'histoire de la rivalité fut probablement le match 7 de la demi-finale 1979, (le terme finale de conférence Wales/Campbell fut utilisé de 1982 à 1993). Après une série où chaque équipe gagne ses matchs à domicile, les Bruins menent au score 4 minutes avant la fin du 7^e grâce à un but de Rick Middleton que Ken Dryden cita plus tard comme le plus beau but qu'il ait jamais inscrit. Cependant, après une pénalité mineure de banc des Bruins pour surnombre, Guy Lafleur égalise sur l'avantage numérique qui suit et Montréal gagne en prolongation, grâce au but d'Yvon Lambert. L'entraîneur des Bruins est alors Don Cherry. Cette victoire permit à Montréal d'aller en finale de la coupe Stanley et de la remporter pour la 4^e année consécutive.

La rivalité continua dans les années 1980. En 1988, les Bruins gagnent enfin une série contre les Canadiens au Forum de Montréal dans leur chemin vers la finale. L'année suivante, les Canadiens prennent leur revanche pour échouer eux aussi en finale.

En 1990, grâce au gardien Andy Moog, les Bruins éliminent enfin les Canadiens pour la 1^re fois au Boston Garden depuis 1943. Ils remportèrent aussi les confrontations en séries en 1991 et 1992, la dernière sur le score de 4-0.

En 1994, les Canadiens champions en titre sont éliminés au 1^er tour par les Bruins. Le fait notable de cette série aux yeux des amateurs des Canadiens fut l'absence du gardien de but étoile Patrick Roy lors du match 3 en raison d'une appendicite.

Les Bruins sont battus au 1^er tour des séries des saisons 2002 et 2004 ce qui alimente la rivalité, les Bruins étant initialement l'équipe favorite. Notamment en 2004, où les Canadiens ont réussi à faire basculer une série qu'ils perdaient 3-1 pour la première fois de leur histoire.

En 2008, une nouvelle confrontation vient marquer cette éternelle rivalité. Lors du premier tour éliminatoire des séries de la Coupe Stanley, les Bruins qui perdent 3 matchs à 1, remportent les deux matchs suivants pour forcer la tenue d'un ultime match au Centre Bell. Les Canadiens remportent le dernier match 5-0 et se qualifient.

En 2009, l'éternelle rivalité Bruins-Canadiens ressurgit au premier tour des séries. Boston caracole en tête de la conférence Est, alors que Montréal ne se qualifie que d'extrême justesse. Les deux équipes se retrouvent donc au premier tour et les Bruins, largement favoris, battent les Canadiens en quatre manches sèches. Montréal subit son premier balayage au premier tour des séries éliminatoires de toute son histoire.

En 2011, les deux équipes s'affrontent encore au premier tour des séries. Boston a fini troisième dans la conférence Est et Montréal sixième. Les deux équipes comptent sur la présence du gardien Tim Thomas chez les Bruins et de Carey Price chez les Canadiens qui sont classés parmi les meilleurs gardiens de la LNH en 2010-2011. Les Bruins s'imposent finalement en 7 match en prolongation sur un but de Nathan Horton.

Les Red Wings de Détroit Vs Les Mapple Leafs de Toronto

Bien que Toronto soit plus connue pour sa rivalité avec Montréal ou Ottawa, les relations avec Détroit n'en sont pas moins intenses. Cette rivalité date des années 1920 ; en 2017 les équipes se sont rencontrées 23 fois en série éliminatoire, dont 5 fois en finale. Pour les séries de 1950, la rivalité était si intense que les Rangers de New-York , qui ne pouvait pas jouer la finale à domicile au Madison Square Garden car le cirque Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus s'y était installé, demandèrent à utiliser la patinoire de Toronto, sachant très bien que les supporters détestaient les Wings et les soutiendrait.

La rivalité atteint un pic la même année à cause d'un incident durant les séries éliminatoires. Gordi Howe, la jeune star de Détroit, calcule mal sa charge contre Ted Kennedy et tombe tête la première dans la bande, se causant de graves blessures qui demandent une chirurgie en urgence afin de sauver sa vie. Bien que Kennedy ne fut pas pénalisé par la LNH, les responsables de Détroit ainsi que leurs fans l'accusèrent d'avoir délibérément blessé Howe. S'en est suivi une série très violente, l'animosité ne faisant que grandir. La faible distance entre les deux villes - 380 km, par l'autoroute Ontario 401 - et donc un marché de supporteurs partagés (notamment à Windsor par exemple) ont participé de cette rivalité. Après le départ des Leafs vers la Conférence Est en 1998, les équipes se sont affrontées beaucoup moins souvent et la rivalité s'est poursuivie plus dans les tribunes que sur la glace .

La rivalité revient au niveau division après 15 ans d'absence, lorsque Détroit intègre la Conférence Est en 2013. D'ailleurs, le Classique hivernal de 2014 oppose les deux équipes au Stade Michigan à Ann Arbor .

The rivalry may have heightened in 2015 with the signing of former Red Wings coach, Mike Babcock, as the new coach of the Leafs.

La coupe du Gouverneur : Lightning de Tampa Bay Vs Panthers de la Floride

Le Lighting et les Panthers partagent le même état de Floride et jouent dans la même division depuis 1993, pour autant ces deux équipes ne se sont pas affrontées en série éliminatoire. Avant la saison 2013-2014, il est annoncé que les équipes vont jouer la "Coupe du Gouverneur", celle qui remporte le plus de point

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers are both teams located within the state of Florida along Interstate 75, representing different geographical areas within the state. The two teams have played in the same division since 1993 (Atlantic Division from 1993–98, Southeast Division from 1998–2013, and the new Atlantic Division since 2013). These two teams have never faced each other in the playoffs.

Prior to the 2013–14 season, it was announced that the two teams would compete to win the "Governor's Cup." The team who earns the most points in head-to-head matchups is awarded a trophy in recognition of their regular-season series win. If the teams finish the season with equal points earned in games against one another, the first tiebreaker is goal difference in those games.

Canadiens de Montréal Vs Sénateurs d'Ottawa

Tout comme Toronto et Ottawa, la rivalité entre Montréal et Ottawa remonte aux prémices de la LNH. Le tout premier match de la ligue a eu lieu entre ces deux équipes, le 19 décembre 1917.

Les Canadiens et Ottawa se sont affrontées très souvent, car ils sont tout deux dans la même division et séparées uniquement par deux heures routes via l'autoroute Québec 40 et l'autoroute 417. Le premier match des nouveaux Sénateurs s'est déroulé à Ottawa le 8 octobre 1992, contre les canadiens qu'ils battent 5 à 3. Cette victoire sera un des seuls points positifs de leur premier saison alors que les Canadiens remportent leur 24eme coupe Stanley.

Les Sénateurs d'Ottawa et les Canadiens de Montréal se sont affrontés pour la première fois pendant les séries de 2013, qui sera marqué par un certain nombres d'évenements controversés. Lors du premier match, le Sénateurs Eric Gryba charge le Canadiens Lars Eller en plein milieu de la glace. Après le match, l'entraineur d'Ottawa Paul McLean accuse Raphael Diaz d'avoir effectué une passe suicidaire . Plus tard, l'entraineur Michel Therrien répond en accusant McLean d'avoir "manqué de respect". Ottawa remporte ce match 4 à 2. De plus, Brandon Prust joueur des Canadiens, insulte l'entraineur McLean après le match "Je me fiche de ce que peut dire ce gros morse aux yeux d'insecte" . Lors du troisième match, il y a une bagarre générale sur la glace entre les deux équipes. A la fin du match, McLean demande un temps mort à 17 secondes de la fin alors que l'équipe mène 6 à 1. Therrien l'accuse d'avoir réalisé un acte sans classe mais McLean répond en disant qu'il cherchait juste à protéger ses joueurs du jeu violent des Canadiens . Au final, Ottawa remporte la série 4 à 1.

Deux ans plus tard, la rivalité est ravivée à l'occasion des séries. PK Subban slash Mark Stone lors du premier match, lui cassant le poignet, et Subban est éjecté du match. L'entraineru Dave Cameron parle d'une action vicieuse et demande une suspension de Subban , Stone dira plus tard qu'il avait été visé pendant tout le match. Pendant ce temps, Therrien assure que son joueur ne méritait pas d'être éjecté et aurait uniquement du recevoir une pénalité mineure. Montréal remporte le match ainsi que les deux matchs suivants en prolongation, et bien que les Sénateurs remontent en remportant les deux suivants, remporte les séries au match 6.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Montreal leads the all-time series 74–59–5–11 (including a 5–6 playoff record) against Ottawa.

Les Canadiens de Montreal Vs Les Maple leafs de Toronto

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La rivalité entre les Canadiens et les Maple leafs est une des plus vieilles de la LNH, datant de 1917. De 1943 à 1979, les deux équipes se rencontrent 15 fois en séries éliminatoires et cinq fois en finale de coupe Stanley. Bien que la compétition sur la glace soit féroce, la rivalité est essentiellement symbolique de la rivalité entre les deux plus grosses villes du Canada: Toronto et Montréal, et par extension ses deux groupes d'anglophones et de francophones.

A cela s'ajoute le fait que les Canadiens et les Maple Leafs sont les deux équipes qui ont gagné le plus de Coupe Stanley en LNH, respectivement 24 et 13. Comme résultats de ce succès, ils possèdent deux des plus grandes fanbase de la ligue, attirant un afflux très important de spectateurs lorsqu'ils s'affrontent.

Division Métropolitaine

La structuration de la Division Métropolitaine est issue de la formation en 1974 de la Division Patrick, qui est entièrement composée dès 1981 d'équipes d'États Mid-Atlantic. Elle devient en 1993 la Division Atlantique et prend son nom actuelle en 2013.

La bataille de la rivière Hudson: Devils du New Jersey Vs Rangers de New-York

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The Devils–Rangers rivalry, exists between two teams in the New York metropolitan area. The two teams are called "cross-river rivals." This is because Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, where the Rangers play, is less than ten miles and across the Hudson River from the Prudential Center in downtown Newark (and previously, the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford), the home arena of the Devils. Travel between both arenas is easily accomplished by road (usually through the Lincoln Tunnel), rapid transit (on the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) train) and rail (along the Northeast Corridor). The teams have met six times in the playoffs; the Rangers have won four times.

Bataille des Turnpikes: Devils du New Jersey Vs Flyers de Philadelphie

The rivalry between the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers is very intense in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, sometimes being referred to as the "Battle of the Turnpikes." The Devils play in Newark, New Jersey, which can be accessed by using the New Jersey Turnpike and the Flyers play in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is about twenty-five miles from the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The two turnpikes connect over the Delaware River on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey near Northeast Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey. In addition, the Flyers practice in Voorhees Township, New Jersey, and since their Stanley Cup championships of Modèle:Scfy and Modèle:Scfy, many members of those Cup-winning teams (as well as other Flyers alumni) have lived in South Jersey.

Since the conferences were realigned and renamed prior to the Modèle:NHL Year season, the two teams have won the two highest numbers of division titles (the Devils 9, the Flyers 6). Together, the two teams' 15 division championships account for almost all of the 18 total Atlantic Division titles.

Battle of the Keystone State: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Battle of Pennsylvania, which is the Philadelphia Flyers–Pittsburgh Penguins rivalry, began in 1967 when the teams were introduced into the NHL's "Next Six" expansion wave. The rivalry exists due to divisional alignment and geographic location, as both teams play in the state of Pennsylvania. In their 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup, the rivalry strengthened with several on and off-ice incidents resulting in suspensions and fines. Philadelphia took a 3–0 series lead, and by the fourth game the two teams had combined to score an NHL-record 45 goals. The Flyers ultimately prevailed in game 6, by which point the two teams had combined for 309 penalty minutes. At times, the rivalry has been considered by some to be the most heated in the league.

La bataille de New York : Islanders de New-York Vs Rangers de New-York

The Islanders–Rangers rivalry, also unofficially known as the "Battle of New York", is unique among New York City's major league sports, as the Islanders and Rangers are in the same conference and division, guaranteeing plenty of matchups – similar to the National Basketball Association's Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks, who since 2015 also share arenas with the Islanders and Rangers. Major League Baseball's New York Yankees and New York Mets are in different leagues, as are the National Football League's New York Jets and New York Giants, so the only meeting opportunities are during inter-league or championship games. The games are often characterized by more fights in the stands than on the ice. The New York Islanders originally entered the league as the "step sister" of the New York Rangers, but their 4 straight Stanley Cups in the early 1980s generated a fierce rivalry between the teams and fan bases.

Islanders de New-York Vs Penguins de Pittsburgh

The Islanders and Penguins have been rivals since the mid-1970s. These two teams have met in the playoffs four times, with the Islanders winning three of the four playoff series. In 1975, the Penguins led their playoff series against the Islanders three games to none. But the Islanders came back to win the next four games to take the series in seven games, becoming only the second team in NHL history (after the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942) to win a playoff series after trailing three games to none. In 1982, the Islanders won the first two games easily, before Pittsburgh tied the series. Going home for Game 5 and facing elimination, the game went into overtime where John Tonelli scored the game-winner. In 1993, the two teams met in the division final with the Islanders defeating the two time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins in seven games.

On February 11, 2011, the Pens and Isles engaged in a vicious brawl. In the game, (which the Islanders won 9–3) the teams combined for 65 penalties, which included 15 fighting majors and 21 game misconducts, resulting in a combined total of 346 penalty minutes. The two teams met in the opening round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Penguins coming out on top in six games.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 131–112–22–8 (including a 12–13 playoff record) against the New York Islanders.

Islanders de New-York Vs Capitals de Washington

The Capitals and Islanders were rivals during the 1980s and early 1990s. Between 1983 and 1987, the two teams met in the playoffs with the Islanders winning each series except 1986. The Islanders won the Division semifinals 3–1 in 1983, the Division Finals 4–1 in 1984, and the Division semifinals 3–2 after being down two games in 1985. The Capitals defeated the Islanders in 1986 in a three-game sweep.

In 1987, the teams had one of the most memorable playoff series in NHL history. The Islanders forced Game 7 after being down 3–1 in the series. In overtime, the two goaltenders, Kelly Hrudey for New York and Bob Mason for Washington went at it save for save, stopping every scoring chance the other team had. Finally, after three scoreless overtimes, Pat LaFontaine scored the winner at 8:47 of the fourth overtime period, giving the Islanders a 3–2 victory and a 4–3 series win in a game known as the Easter Epic.

Six years later in 1993, the teams met once again, the Capitals finished second in the division with 93 points, six points ahead of the Islanders. Washington won the opener by a score of 3–1, before the Islanders won the next three games, all in overtime, including a pair in double OT to take a 3–1 series lead. Washington won game five to stave off elimination, but in game six, the Islanders won 5–3 to take the series in six. But, the win came at a price as Pierre Turgeon suffered a shoulder injury of a vicious check by Washington's Dale Hunter after scoring a goal to put the game and series out of reach. As a result, Hunter was suspended for the first 21 games of the 1993–94 season.

Both teams met in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, with Washington winning the series four games to three.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Washington leads the all-time series 123–109–13–6 (including a 16–21 playoff record) against the New York Islanders.

Flyers de Philadelphie Vs Rangers de New-York

A showdown between the Rangers and Flyers at Madison Square Garden.

The Flyers–Rangers rivalry is one of the most well-known of the league. They have met 11 times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Flyers winning 6 times, and have been division rivals since the Modèle:NHL Year season.

There is a long-standing bitter rivalry between the sports fans from New York City and Philadelphia, which are approximately two hours apart by car, also seen in the Mets–Phillies rivalry in Major League Baseball, the Knicks–76ers rivalry in the National Basketball Association, and the Eagles–Giants rivalry in the National Football League. Games between the two teams at Madison Square Garden and Wells Fargo Center are often very intense, hard-hitting affairs, as each home crowd does its best to create an unfriendly, sometimes volatile atmosphere for any visiting-team fans.

Flyers de Philadelphie Vs Capitals de Washington

The Flyers and Capitals have been rivals through the 1980s, dating back to their days in the Patrick Division. In 1984, Mike Gartner lead the Capitals to a three-game sweep of the Flyers in the opening round of the playoffs for the Capitals' first ever playoff series victory, and in the process ending the careers of Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber, the last two players of the Broad Street Bullies era. In 1988, the Capitals trailed the Flyers three games to one in the opening round of the playoffs. Washington would rally to win the next three games to take the series in seven games capped off by Dale Hunter's overtime goal in game seven. The following year, Tim Kerr and Ron Hextall helped the Flyers take down the division champions Capitals.

In the 2000s, the rivalry was reignited by the rebirth of the Alexander Ovechkin-led Capitals, whom the Flyers eliminated in 2008. Since the league-wide realignment in 2013, the rivalry between the teams has started to intensify. During a regular season game in 2013, there was an all-out line-brawl between the two teams. Washington would win the game 7–0. Both teams met in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Capitals winning the series four games to two.

Penguins de Pittsburgh Vs Blue Jackets de Columbus

The Columbus Blue Jackets have established a rivalry with the Pittsburgh Penguins in recent history (as of the 2013–14 season). This is referenced in telecasts, news articles and online arguments between fans of the clubs. Games between the two teams are very physical, with numerous fights and post-whistle scrums. This rivalry is one of the NHL's newest, and primarily exists due to divisional and geographical alignments (Columbus and Pittsburgh are approximately 3 hours apart by automobile, via Interstates 70 and 79). As a result, it is not uncommon to see large numbers of visiting Penguins fans at games versus the Jackets in Nationwide Arena.

The seeds for this rivalry were planted when the Blue Jackets traded star forward Rick Nash to the New York Rangers for Brandon Dubinsky, the latter of whom has a personal feud with Penguins' star centerman Sidney Crosby. Furthermore, this was amplified by the arrival of longtime Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell in Columbus, who has been involved in numerous brawls and conflicts with the Penguins during his time as a Flyer.

The 2013–14 NHL realignment saw the Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings move to the Eastern Conference, placing Columbus in the Metropolitan Division with the Penguins. Pittsburgh swept the regular season series against the Jackets, but Columbus, on the heels of a 93-point season, earned a wild-card playoff berth (only their second in team history), facing the Penguins in the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, which the Penguins won in 6 games. The two teams met yet again in the first round in 2017. That series was won by the Penguins in 5 games, marking the second time in four years that Pittsburgh ended the Blue Jackets' season.

Despite these playoff losses to the Penguins, the Blue Jackets have in recent years gotten the better of Pittsburgh in regular season matchups, leaving the Penguins with a losing record versus Columbus over the past two years of play. Further intensifying the rivalry, the Jackets fired head coach Todd Richards early in the 2015–16 season, replacing him with John Tortorella, who has a long-standing disdain for the Penguins, dating back to his days as head coach of the New York Rangers.

Tensions between the teams further flared up during a regular season game at Nationwide Arena on November 27, 2015, when Brandon Dubinsky was penalized for a cross-check to Sidney Crosby, a hit which briefly injured Crosby and later earned Dubinsky a one-game suspension. Crosby would later return to the game; however, the Jackets prevailed 2-1 in overtime over the Penguins, a goal on which Dubinsky assisted. In an interview following Dubinsky's suspension, Tortorella would later go on to be quoted: "We're not going to whine here. Pittsburgh can whine. Pittsburgh whines enough for the whole league, so there's no room for any other team to whine. We'll just go about our business."

The two teams met for their second playoff meeting in the 2017 playoffs. Game 2 in Pittsburgh, won by the Penguins, saw an incident near the end of the game where Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert cross-checked and subsequently broke his stick across the back of Penguins forward Tom Kuhnhackl, sparking a melee on the ice. Calvert would later be suspended for his actions. Pittsburgh would be victorious in five games, en route to their second straight Stanley Cup championship.

On December 21, 2017, in Pittsburgh, a scrum broke out at the end of the second period during a game between the two teams. Numerous penalties were handed out, including roughing penalties to Columbus defenseman Seth Jones and Pittsburgh forward Sidney Crosby, as well as a five-minute major to Columbus forward Boone Jenner, for a high-stick to Penguin star Jake Guentzel. The Penguins prevailed, 3-2, in a shootout.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Pittsburgh leads the all-time series 31–11–0–4 (including an 8–3 playoff record) against Columbus.

Penguins de Pittsburgh Vs Capitals de Washington

Game between the Penguins and Capitals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins–Washington Capitals rivalry was an inter-division rivalry from 1993 to 2013, and intradivisional the other seasons. In total, the two teams have met 11 times in the playoffs. Despite trailing in 9 of the 11 series, Pittsburgh has won all but the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals where they were heavily favored, and the 2018 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The teams first met in the 1991 Patrick Division Finals, when the Penguins defeated the Capitals in 5 en route to capturing the Stanley Cup. In fact, all five Stanley Cups won by Pittsburgh have included a round against Washington. The rivalry was intense during the early 2000s when the Penguins beat the Capitals in the first round in consecutive seasons (1999–00, 2000–01), and seemed to amplify more after the trade of Jaromir Jagr.

More recently, with the drafting and emergence of Alexander Ovechkin in Washington, and Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, the rivalry has heated up again, with controversial comments that Alexander Semin made about Crosby in the media and physical altercations taking place between Ovechkin and Malkin during games. One of the best series to date between the teams was the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals, in which the Capitals took a 2–0 series lead before letting it go once again to be downed in 7 games, ending with a 6–2 Game 7 loss at the Verizon Center. Just like in 1991 and 1992, the Penguins defeated the Capitals in the playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup. The two teams faced off at the 2011 NHL Winter Classic hosted in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, with the Capitals emerging victorious 3–1, and a hit in the game resulting in Crosby missing nearly all of two seasons with concussion-related issues. The Capitals and Penguins completed their second playoff confrontation in the Ovechkin-Crosby era in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs with the Penguins winning in six games, again preceding Pittsburgh's fourth Stanley Cup title. In 2017, the Capitals and Penguins met again in the second round. Pittsburgh gained a 3–1 series lead only to see Washington win the next two games. The Penguins would shut out the Capitals at Verizon Center in Washington to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and eventually the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup.

Capitals de Washington Vs Rangers de New-York

The rivalry takes place in the Metropolitan Division. The two have been rivals since the Capitals joined the Patrick Division in 1979. The rivalry got really heated during the 1990s with these teams meeting three times in five seasons. However, the rivalry has really heated as of 2015 with five series within the last seven years.

Rivalités inter-division

Bruins de Boston Vs Rangers de New-York

The NHL's extension of the Boston–New York rivalry – present in the other leagues with the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry, Celtics–Knicks rivalry and Jets–Patriots rivalry – had its peak during the 1970s, but saw a resurgence in the 2010s. In the Original Six era, the teams had six matchups, with the Rangers only winning in 1928 and 1940 – both on the way to a Stanley Cup title. Between 1970 and 1973, where the Rangers' GAG line and the Bruins led by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito had strong showings; the teams met three times, with the highest point being the 1972 Stanley Cup Finals, which the Bruins won in six games. Forty-one years would pass before the next series between the Bruins and Rangers, and in 2013 the Bruins eliminated the Rangers in five games.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Boston leads the all-time series 318–266–99–10 (including a 26–19–2 playoff record) against the New York Rangers. The Bruins have won seven of ten playoffs series between the teams.

Boston Bruins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

The Boston–Philadelphia NHL rivalry, also present in the NBA's Celtics–76ers rivalry, dates back to and was most intense in the 1970s, but the rivalry renewed its intensity in the 2010s. In the early 1970s, both the Bruins and Flyers played similar styles that reflected perfectly on each teams respective city, with the Bruins being known as the "Big Bad Bruins" and the Flyers as the "Broad Street Bullies." The most vicious rivalry of the era hit its peak in the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals, with the Bruins, led by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, and Flyers, led by Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent, in an intense grudge match. The Flyers would complete a stunning upset, defeating the Bruins in six games. The two teams would meet each other again in the 1976, 1977, and 1978 playoffs, but would not meet each other again in the playoffs until 2010. Prior to the playoff meeting, the two teams squared off in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park, with the Bruins winning the game 2–1 in overtime. When the two teams met in the playoffs that year, the Bruins stormed out to a 3–0 series lead, but the Flyers would complete a stunning comeback, winning the series four games to three, and end up in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. The Bruins would get revenge the next season by sweeping the Flyers in the conference semifinals en route to their 2011 Stanley Cup win. In total, the Bruins and Flyers have met in the playoffs six times, with each team winning three series.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

A much more recent rivalry, these two teams met in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, Detroit had taken a 3–1 series lead, and appeared to have all but secured the Cup at home, when Pittsburgh scored with less than a minute left to tie the game, eventually winning in triple overtime. Despite this comeback, Detroit was still able to win the series, winning game six in Pittsburgh. In 2009, Detroit seemed to be in control of the series after winning Game 5 5–0 to take a 3–2 series lead, but the Penguins were able to come back with 2–1 victories in Games 6 and 7 to win the Stanley Cup. With Detroit's move to the Eastern Conference, meetings between the teams are more common and they stir memories of the two finals. Detroit and Pittsburgh are also the only two teams to have accomplished a Stanley Cup repeat in the last thirty years (Detroit from 1997 to 1998, and Pittsburgh from 1991 to 1992 and again from 2016 to 2017).

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Detroit leads the all-time series 76–71–16–4 (including a 7–6 playoff record) against Pittsburgh.

 

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Conférence Ouest

{{boite déroulante début|titre= Conférence Ouest}} Il y a significativement moins de rivalités importantes dans cette conférence, du fait qu'elle soit beaucoup plus récente ( elle a été crée en 1967 en tant que Division Est puis s'est agrandi en 1974 en tant que conférence) et seulement une équipe - Les Blackhawks de Chicago - a précédé sa création. Géographiquement, les équipes de cette conférence sont beaucoup plus éloignées que celle de l'Est.

Division Centrale

La Division Centrale est formée en tant que Division Norris en 1974. Depuis 1981, elle est composée de l'ensemble des équipes américaine du Central Time Zone et les Eastern Time Zone teams not in the Wales Conference.Elle prend son nom actuelle en 1993.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild

The Blackhawks–Wild rivalry started during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs when the two teams met in the first round. The Blackhawks would end up victorious in five games in that series. The NHL realignment that took place during the 2013 offseason placed Chicago and Minnesota within the Central Division, further invigorating the rivalry, and also rekindling the Chicago-Minnesota rivalry that died out when the Minnesota North Stars relocated to Dallas in 1993. The rivalry became even more intense with another playoff meeting between the Blackhawks and the Wild in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, this time in the second round. The Blackhawks would once again turn out victorious, this time winning in six games. In the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Blackhawks and the Wild met again in the second round. The Blackhawks would win yet again, but this time, in the fashion of a sweep. The rivalry has sparked interest within the NHL, and during the 2015 All Star Weekend in Columbus, the League announced two NHL Stadium Series games and the 2016 NHL Winter Classic. Game one of the 2016 NHL Stadium Series featured the Blackhawks and the Wild at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 21, 2016. Minnesota won the game 6–1.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Minnesota leads the all-time series 44–38–1–3 (including a 3–12 playoff record) against Chicago.

Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues

The Blackhawks–Blues rivalry features the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. Since Modèle:NHL Year, the two teams have been in the same division together. It is the most intense rivalry in terms of penalty minutes and fighting. At the height of the rivalry throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, it was common to go to a Chicago vs. St. Louis game and see a brawl break out. The most famous brawl of this era was the St. Patrick's Day Massacre. The rivalry cooled somewhat in the 2000s, but it heated back up in the 2010s, with both teams finding success in the early 2010s as well as Chicago losing the longtime division rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings as a result of the 2013–14 realignment. All six Sutter Brothers would play for this rivalry.

Division Pacifique

Elle est crée en 1974 en tant que Division Smythe et est composée depuis 1981 des équipes situées le plus à l'Ouest de l'ensemble de la ligue. Son nom actuelle est utilisée depuis 1993.

Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks

The Ducks–Sharks rivalry has been going since 1993 when the Ducks came into existence. The rivalry got heated when the two faced each other in the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Ducks won the series 4–2. Both teams would meet again in the 2018 playoffs, where the Sharks would sweep the Ducks 4–0 in the first round.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, San Jose leads the all-time series 76–57–4–9 (including a 6–4 playoff record) against Anaheim.

Battle of Alberta: Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames

The Battle of Alberta is the bitter rivalry between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. The two teams are based in the cities of Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta and Calgary, the province's most populous city. Most often it is used to describe sporting events between the two cities, although this is not exclusive as the rivalry predates organized sports in Alberta. The rivalry was at its peak during the late 80s, as from 1984-1990 the Western Conference only had two different champions, both being Calgary and Edmonton. The frequently played each other in the playoff, with every series going 7 games each. Edmonton would go on to win the Stanley Cup in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990. Calgary won the Stanley Cup in 1989.

Battle of California: San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings

The rivalry between the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay Area NHL teams began as a result of the 1967 NHL expansion, which established both the Los Angeles Kings and the California Golden Seals. At the time, the Kings and Seals were the only two NHL teams located west of the Mississippi River (the St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota North Stars were located on that river), and thus were created for each other to both reduce the amount of travel each team would need to do and to gain a foothold on the West Coast, previously the province of the borderline-major Western Hockey League, of which the Seals had been a member. The Seals were a historically unsuccessful team and left the Bay Area in 1976; the team ceased to exist when it merged with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.

The Kings–Sharks rivalry started in 1991, when the San Jose Sharks were spun off from the North Stars and effectively reborn under the Seals' previous ownership. This rivalry really kicked things off with defeating the Wayne Gretzky era Los Angeles Kings 4–0 on April 28, 1995 destroyed any hope of a Kings playoff appearance. The Kings didn't get a definitive win over the Sharks until the Modèle:NHL Year season, when the Kings' victory on February 17, 2003 at the Staples Center ended the Sharks hope of making the playoffs. The Kings and Sharks met in the playoffs for the first time ever in 2011. The Sharks were the 2nd seed and the Kings were the 7th seed. The Sharks would eliminate Los Angeles in six games with Joe Thornton scoring the OT goal that eliminated the Kings. In the 2011–12 NHL season, the teams competed for the last 2 seeds in the west with the Sharks ultimately securing the 7th seed while LA went into the 8th seed. San Jose would be eliminated by the St. Louis Blues in the first round while LA would steamroll their way to their first Stanley Cup in the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. The two teams faced each other again at the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, with the Kings winning the series 4–3.

The Kings and Sharks met again in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs for the second year in a row, further adding fuel to the rivalry in a series that turned out to become a surprising 7-game series. San Jose took home ice and stormed to a 3–0 series lead, winning on home ice easily 6–3 and 7–2 before edging the Kings at Staples Center 4-3 in OT. The Kings then rebounded to send the series back to San Jose with a 6–3 victory in Game 4 before winning on the road 3–0 in Game 5 to head back to Los Angeles. A 4–1 win in Los Angeles for the Kings brought the series to seven games, becoming just the 9th team in history to force a Game 7 after being down 0–3. Given the chance to become just the 4th team in NHL history to complete the unlikeliest of comebacks, the Kings won 5–1 in San Jose to win the series. In doing so, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter became the first NHL players to complete the comeback twice, both being part of the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers team that came back from 0–3 down to the Boston Bruins, of which Richards was captain. In February 2015, the two teams faced off against each other in an outdoor game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The Kings would win the game 2–1.

In 2016, following a season where the Kings and Sharks missed the playoffs, both teams met in the first round. San Jose won in five games.

Calgary Flames vs. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks–Flames rivalry is a rivalry between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. The two teams have played in the same division since the 1981–82 NHL division realignment.

Freeway Face-Off: Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings

The term Freeway Face-Off refers to a series of games played between the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. The series takes its name from the massive freeway system in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, the home of both teams; one can travel from one team's arena to the other simply by traveling along Interstate 5. The two teams have also faced off in an outdoor game at Dodger Stadium, in which the Ducks won 3–0. The two teams have met only once in the playoffs, during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, of which the Kings won 4 games to 3. The Kings would eventually go on to win the Stanley Cup that year. The term is akin to the Freeway Series which refers to meetings between the Los Angeles area baseball teams, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Rivalités inter-division

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings

The rivalry would start in the 1970–71 season, when the Chicago Blackhawks moved to the West Division. Although these two teams never shared the same success, they did meet in the 1974 playoffs where the more experienced Blackhawks won the series in 5 games. It cooled down after the Hawks and the Kings were in separate divisions. It got intense in the 2012–13 lockout-shortened season, when the Blackhawks spoiled the Kings' banner party on their way to one of the best starts in sports history. The rivalry caught fire when these two teams meet in the Western Conference Finals. The Kings were the defending champions, but their hopes of repeating were dashed as the Hawks would down the Kings in double overtime in game 5. In 2014, the reverse happened; the Blackhawks were defending champs, but the Kings would crush their dreams for a repeat in game 7 also in OT after building a 3–1 series lead.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Chicago leads the all-time series 105–83–17–7 (including an 11–6 playoff record) against Los Angeles.

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Anciennes rivalités

Ducks d'Anaheim Vs Red Wings de Détroit (1993 à 2013)

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the then-Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in their first game ever (7–2 at the Honda Center, 1993), and frequent playoff matches between the two teams created much animosity between the fanbases. Detroit swept Anaheim in the franchise's first two series (the Western Conference Semifinals in 1997, where the Red Wings went on to win the Cup, and the Western Quarterfinals in 1999), and the Ducks afterwards beat the Red Wings en route to two Stanley Cup Finals: the Western Quarterfinals in 2003 and the 2007 Western Finals, where the Ducks later won the Stanley Cup. The next time both teams faced each other was a violent seven game series in the 2009 Western Semifinals, won by the Red Wings. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs the teams had their last non-finals playoff encounter where the second-seeded Ducks were defeated by the Red Wings in seven games.

Before the 2013–14 season, the Detroit Red Wings moved from the Central Division of the Western Conference to the newly formed Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. This marked the end of the rivalry, as the Red Wings and Ducks only meet twice per season as part of the NHL's scheduling format. During its time in the Western Conference, Detroit won the all-time series 66–32–7–2 (including an 18–14 playoff record) against Anaheim.

La bataille de la Nouvelle Angleterre : Bruins de Boston Vs Whalers de Hartford (1979 à 1997)

The rivalry was first started before the two teams ever met on the ice when the Bruins "blocked" the WHA merger in 1979 because "the Whalers were in their territory." They first played against each other in the 1979–80 season with the Bruins flourishing during the season while the expansion Whalers played awfully that year. The Whalers have played the Bruins twice in the playoffs in 1990 and 1991, with the Bruins winning both times. The rivalry got to a heating point when the Bruins' Cam Neely and the Whalers' Ulf Samuelsson would fight on a regular occasion. It got to a point where Samuelsson hit Neely in the knees during the 1991 Stanley Cup playoffs, but Samuelsson was traded to the Penguins earlier that season. At the Hartford Civic Center, usually where the Bruins won, the Whalers fans would fight Bruins fans on Ann St. in Downtown Hartford. The rivalry ended in 1997 when the Whalers relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Before the Whalers moved to Raleigh, Boston won the all-time regular season series 68–42–14–0, and the all-time playoff series 8–5, for a total of 76–47–14–0 against Hartford.

La bataille de Québec : Canadiens de Montréal Vs Nordiques de Québec (1979 à 1995)

The Battle of Quebec is the nickname for a former NHL rivalry between the Montreal Canadiens and Quebec Nordiques. The rivalry lasted from Modèle:NHL Year to Modèle:NHL Year. The teams played against each other five times in the NHL playoffs, and the Canadiens won three of the series. One meeting, in 1984, resulted in the Good Friday Massacre, a game in which multiple brawls happened. The Battle of Quebec extended to politics, in which the Canadiens and Nordiques became symbols for rival parties, and beer distribution, as the teams were both owned by competing breweries. The Nordiques' departure from Quebec City to become the Colorado Avalanche in 1995 ended the rivalry.

Before the Nordiques moved to Denver, Montreal won the all-time regular season series 79–57–12, and the all-time playoff series 17–14, for a total of 96–71–12 against Quebec.

Sabres de Buffalo Vs Sénateurs d'Ottawa

The Sabres and Senators had a strong rivalry after the 2004–05 NHL lockout, when both teams were vying for the Northeast Division title. Ottawa generally had the upper hand on Buffalo during regular season games, but Buffalo usually beat them in the playoffs. The best known game in this rivalry occurred on February 22, 2007, which included a large fight that included both goaltenders and verbal sparring between the two coaches (Buffalo won the game 6–5). The teams have met four times in the playoffs, with Buffalo winning three series and Ottawa winning one. Ottawa also beat Buffalo in the final game of the 1996–97 season to make the playoffs for the first time since entering the league.

As of the end of the 2017–18 season, Buffalo leads the all-time series 80–58–10–10 (including a 13–8 playoff record) against Ottawa.

Flames de Calgary Vs Jets de Winnipeg (première équipe) (1980 à 1996)

The Flames and Jets (the original incarnation) met in the playoffs three straight years in the 1980s, with Winnipeg winning two of the three matchups. In 1985, the Jets defeated the Flames three games to one for their first ever playoff series victory. The next season, the Flames got their revenge by sweeping the Jets in three straight games capped off by Lanny McDonald's overtime winner in the deciding game beginning Calgary's run to the Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in five games. In 1987, the Jets upset the Flames in six games in the opening round in what would turn out to be their final playoff series victory for the franchise until 2012, when they were known as the Phoenix Coyotes.

From 1980 (when the Flames moved to Calgary) to 1996 (when the Jets moved to Arizona), Calgary won the all-time series 57–45–16 (including a 6–7 playoff record) against Winnipeg.

Blackhawks de Chicago vs. Red Wings de Détroit

The Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry was the most intense in the Central Division during the post lockout era. It existed between Modèle:NHL Year, went through the Original Six days (during which they were the league's only teams in the Midwest), to 2013. These two clubs have faced each other in more regular season games than any other two clubs in NHL history, except for the total number of regular season games and playoff games between the Bruins and Canadiens.

Before the 2013–14 season, the Detroit Red Wings moved from the Central Division of the Western Conference to the newly formed Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference, while Chicago stayed in the Central Division. This effectively ended the rivalry after almost 90 years.

Blackhawks de Chicago Vs North Stars du Minnesota (1981 à 1993)

The North Stars and the Blackhawks played each other in the playoffs six times from 1982 through 1991. The rivalry was at its most fierce from the 1981–82 through 1984–85 seasons, when the teams played in four straight playoff series, with the Blackhawks winning three out of the four. In 1991, the Blackhawks had won the President's Trophy with 106 points and were one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. But, despite finishing with 68 points (38 behind the Blackhawks) during the season, Minnesota upset the first place overall Blackhawks in six games beginning their Cinderella run to the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals where they lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was the second largest upset in NHL history in points. Chicago would get a small measure of revenge the following year, when they dethroned Minnesota as Campbell Conference Champions. But just like the North Stars the year before, the Blackhawks would lose to the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final. The rivalry died in 1993, when the North Stars moved to Dallas.

Blackhawks de Chicago Vs Canucks de Vancouver (1974 à 2013)

For a period of five seasons between 2008–09 and 2012–13, this rivalry was considered one of the best, if not the best rivalry in the NHL. This is mainly because there were three straight years of playoffs series between these teams in 2009, 2010, and 2011. The first seeds of the rivalry began with the realignment of the NHL in 1974, placing both teams in the newly formed Smythe Division. For two years, they battled each other for the top spot and in 1977, they went down to the wire for the last playoff spot, which Chicago won on a tiebreaker by virtue of having more wins at season's end.

The two teams met in the playoffs for the first time in the 1982 Campbell Conference Finals, which is best remembered for a mock surrender by then-Canucks coach Roger Neilson over what he deemed questionable officiating in Game 2, which began the Towel Power tradition in Vancouver and elsewhere in sports. Vancouver prevailed in the series four games to one, as part of their 1982 Cinderella Stanley Cup run. The Blackhawks swept the Canucks in the 1995 Western Conference Semifinals.

They would not meet again until the Modèle:NHL Year season. The Blackhawks would eliminate the Canucks in the playoffs that season in the second round and would defeat them again the following season in the same round as part of their 2010 Stanley Cup run. The rivalry reached its peak in the 2011 playoffs, as they met for the third straight year in the first round of the playoffs that year, where the Canucks finally defeated Chicago 4–3. In this series, the Canucks took a 3–0 series only to drop the next three games. In Game 7, the Blackhawks tied it in the final minutes shorthanded, sending the game to overtime. In overtime, Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows scored on a slapshot to win the series for the Canucks, as part of their run to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, in which they ultimately lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins. The rivalry has died down since then due to the Canucks' regular season play as well as a lack of playoff matches between the two teams.

Avalanche du Colorado Vs Red Wings de Détroit(1995 à 2003)

The groundwork for the Avalanche–Red Wings rivalry was laid well before Denver even had an NHL franchise, during games between Detroit and Quebec. Once the Nordiques moved to Denver, the small rivalry still existed. Also, in a regular season game between Detroit and Montreal, the Wings scored on Patrick Roy nine times, leading to Roy demanding a trade. Roy was eventually traded to Colorado and became a huge factor in the rivalry.

The rivalry was largely predicated on the competitiveness of both teams in the late '90s and early 2000s. From Modèle:NHL Year–Modèle:NHL Year, the teams met in five playoff series, three times in the Western Conference Finals. Out of those seven seasons, the teams combined to win five Stanley Cups and four Presidents' Trophies. From Modèle:Scfy–Modèle:Scfy, both teams, along with the Devils, reigned exclusively as Stanley Cup champions, except in Modèle:Scfy, which was won by the Dallas Stars (the Devils beat the Red Wings in 1995, the Avalanche beat the Devils in Modèle:Scfy). The rivalry died down after the 2001–02 season, with the following season having both teams falling in round one and Roy's eventual retirement. With conference realignment in 2013, this became an interconference matchup and the only playoff meeting between the two teams that is possible is in the Stanley Cup Finals. The next confrontation between the two teams was in 2008, with the Red Wings sweeping the Avalanche 4–0 on the way to the Stanley Cup. A stadium series game took place on February 27, 2016 between the two teams at Coors Field. The Red Wings won the game 5–3.

Red Wings de Détroit Vs Blues de Saint Louis(1981 à 2013)

The rivalry began when the Red Wings switched divisions for the 1981–82 season. The rivalry would develop in the late 1980s when they had intense division battles. In 1988, the Red Wings would defeat the Blues in five games in the Norris division final. The rivalry really heated up in the 1990s. In 1991, the Blues would defeat the Red Wings in 7 games in the Norris division semi-finals after overcoming a 3–1 deficit. They would meet up in the playoffs three straight times between 1996–98; all three, which the Red Wings won. However, the Blues almost defeated the Red Wings in 1996. They held a 3–2 advantage and it looked like the Blues would upset the Wings in Game 6, but the Wings would win the last two games including a double overtime victory in Game 7. This would also be part of the 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup runs. When the Divisions realigned in 1998, this was the most intense rivalry in the Central division as they had many division battles until the 2004 season. They met during the playoffs in 2002 in the conference semifinals. The Red Wings defeated the Blues in five games as part of their 2002 Stanley Cup run. The rivalry instantly died in the post lockout as the Blues entered a slump, only reviving as the teams fought for the Central Division title in the 2011–12 season. The rivalry died for good after Detroit moved to the Eastern Conference during the 2013 realignment.

Oilers d'Edmonton Vs Kings de Los Angeles (1981 à 1993)

The rivalry between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings began more or less the instant the Oilers began playing in the NHL in the 1979–80 season. Among the first-year Oilers' players included a young Wayne Gretzky, who instantly challenged for the Art Ross Trophy against the Kings' Marcel Dionne. In the end, Gretzky and Dionne were both tied with 137 points, but the award was given to Dionne, who had two more goals (53 vs. Gretzky's 51). It should also be noted that Gretzky played 79 games to Dionne's full count of 80. Gretzky remarked during a press conference at which the scoring title was awarded to Dionne that he had been taught "that an assist was good as a goal."

The two teams would not meet in the playoffs until the 1981–82 season. That season, Gretzky shattered the NHL record books with the most points in a season with 212 (92 goals and 120 assists). The Oilers also jumped to the top of their division despite playing in their third NHL season and had the third best record in the league. The Kings, after a fairly impressive 1980–81 season, slumped to having the fifth worst record in the 21-team-NHL. They only made the playoffs, being fourth in the same division as the Oilers, because the Colorado Rockies had an even worse record in their last season. This set the stage for the top-seeded, heavily favored Oilers to meet in the first round against the Kings. After a two-game split in Edmonton, Game 3 in Los Angeles began with a commanding Oilers 5–0 lead after two periods. But in a miraculous comeback, the Kings managed to tie the game 5–5 in the third period, scoring the tying goal with five seconds left on a two-man advantage. The Kings would later win the game 6–5 in overtime. This game is often referred to as the Miracle on Manchester. The Oilers struck back in Game 4 to send the series back to Edmonton for the deciding game in a best-of-five series. However, it was the Kings who upset the Oilers and advanced to the next round.

For the next two seasons, the Kings would miss the playoffs completely while the Oilers competed in the Stanley Cup Finals in 1983 and won their first Stanley Cup in 1984. Both finals were played against the dynasty New York Islanders. The two teams finally met again in 1985, but this time the Oilers defeated the Kings in three straight games. The Oilers would go on to win their second straight Stanley Cup. They met again in 1987 under a new best-of-seven playoff format for the first round, and again the Oilers would win, this time in five games, and again the Oilers went on to win the Stanley Cup. In 1988, the Kings were again blown out of the first round, but by the Calgary Flames, while Gretzky led the Oilers to another Stanley Cup.

The entire world of sports was shocked on August 9, 1988 upon the announcement of the Oilers trading Wayne Gretzky along with Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley, to the Kings for two rising young players (Jimmy Carson and Martin Gelinas), three first-round draft picks, and $15 million in US dollars.

Gretzky would lead the Kings in the 1988–89 season to vast improvements. For the first time, the Kings had a better season record than Edmonton, finishing second in the Smythe Division over the third place Oilers. This also led to another first round match up between the Kings and Oilers. This time, it was the Kings, with Gretzky, against the Oilers, and the Kings also had home ice. The Oilers first took command of the series and jumped ahead three games to one above the Kings. But Los Angeles answered back with three straight wins to win the series against Edmonton.

In the next three playoff meetings between the two teams, the Gretzky-led Kings would be eliminated by his former teammates in four, six, and six games respectively. Edmonton also won another Stanley Cup in 1990 after sweeping the Kings in the second round.

After the 1990–91 season, the rivalry would die down as players from the Oilers would move to other teams. Jari Kurri and Charlie Huddy would rejoin Gretzky on the Kings and go on a playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, losing to Montreal in five games. Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Adam Graves, Craig MacTavish, and others would move to the New York Rangers and go on a Stanley Cup winning run in 1994. Furthermore, the two Pacific Division teams have not met in the playoffs since 1992, nor have been regularly competitive at the same time, thus keeping what once was an intense divisional rivalry dormant. When the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2006 (losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games), the Kings failed to make the playoffs. For the next ten years after their playoff run, Edmonton did not make a postseason appearance, while Los Angeles won the Cup in 2012 and 2014.

Oilers d'Edmonton Vs Jets de Winnipeg (original) (1972 à 1979 in WHA, 1979 à 1996)

The Oilers and Jets both started their existence in the World Hockey Association in 1972. There, the Jets dominated the Oilers winning the Avco Cup three times, while the Oilers were not playoff contenders. But, when they joined the NHL in 1979 (along with the Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers), the tables were turned, thanks to an 18-year-old from Brantford, Ontario named Wayne Gretzky. From 1983 to 1989, the Oilers and Jets met in the playoffs five times, the Oilers won every one of them, losing only one game out of the 19 games played between the two on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, and 1988; with the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup in the latter four years. Gretzky had been traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the time the two teams met in the first round of the 1990 playoffs. The Jets took a commanding three games to one series lead, and led Game 5 by that same margin. Eventually, the Oilers fought back to win the next three games and the series in seven. The Oilers would lose just three more games the remainder of the playoffs, en route to their fifth Stanley Cup championship in seven years. The rivalry ended in 1996 when the original Jets left Winnipeg to become the Phoenix Coyotes.

Before the Jets moved to Arizona, Edmonton won the all-time regular season series 63–41–8, and the all-time playoff series 22–4, for a total of 85–45–8.

Canadiens de Montréal Vs Maroons de Montréal (1924 à 1938)

The Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons had a rivalry that existed between 1924 and 1938. Since 1918 no other team had been occupied in Montreal. The Montreal Wanderers had played for only six games before the arena they played in, the Montreal Arena, burnt down. The Montreal Maroons were meant to appeal to the English-speaking people of Quebec while the Canadiens were meant to appeal to French-Canadians. The two teams met in the playoffs for the first time in 1926 for a 2-game total-goals series. The final game had 11,000 fans packed in an arena meant for 10,000 as the Canadiens defeated the Maroons. The next year the Maroons would have their revenge as they defeated the Canadiens 3–2 in total goals. This would be their last playoff meeting before the Maroons eventually folded in 1938.

Americans de New-Yorks Vs Rangers de New-York (1926 à 1942)

The New York Americans and New York Rangers had a rivalry that existed between 1926 (When the Rangers became an NHL team) and 1942 (When the Americans folded). The two teams played in Madison Square Garden however the Americans were the first NHL team to occupy the stadium. Even though the Garden had promised team owner and bootlegger Bill Dwyer the Americans would be the sole hockey team in New York, fan popularity and ticket sales allowed the Rangers to come into existence, thus the rivalry was born. The two teams first met in the playoffs via two-game total goals series in 1929. Both teams struggled to score in both games as goaltender Roy Worters of the Americans shut down the Rangers for the most part, and the Americans struggled to find offense during the games. The Rangers would win the series 1–0 in overtime.

The Americans then struggled to make the playoffs only making it in 1936. Under the ownership of Red Dutton, the Americans made the playoffs in 1938 with a 19–18–11 record. Facing the Rangers for the second and final time, the Americans defeated the Rangers in three games with the help of veterans Ching Johnson and Hap Day. Once the United States joined World War II, both teams started to fade in terms of players; most American-born players went to fight in the war. The Americans folded in 1942 with the hope of coming back in 1946 after the war ended. However, the League reneged the promises made to the Amerks and cancelled the franchise. Owner Red Dutton was so furious at Madison Square Garden for not reinstating his team that he swore the Rangers would never win another Stanley Cup during his lifetime. This became true as the Rangers did not win the Stanley Cup again until 1994; Dutton died in 1987.

Voir aussi

• Derby en sport (fr)
• Rivalités Ligue majeure de Baseball (en)
• Rivalités National Basketball Association (en)
• Rivalités Ligue nationale de football américain (en)

References

Bibliographie

• (en) Stephen Cole, The Best of Hockey Night in Canada, Toronto, McArthur & Company, 2004 (ISBN 1-55278-408-8)