What is the only expansion team to go to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first season in the NHL?

St. Louis Blues

In the 1967-68 season, the NHL left the Original Six era and doubled the size of the NHL to 12 teams, adding the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota North Stars, St. Louis Blues, California Golden Seals and the Los Angeles Kings. To create a fair balance of play, the expansion teams played in their own division and were assured of sending an expansion team to the Stanley Cup Finals. This team ended up being the St. Louis Blues. In fact, the Blues went to the Stanley Cup Finals their first three seasons, but were swept 4-0 in all three appearances. Interestingly enough, Scotty Bowman coached those three teams. He would go on win a record 9 Stanley Cups as coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings.

The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in their first year in Denver in the 1995-96 season. They joined the NHL in the 1979-80 merger with the WHA as the Quebec Nordiques but moved to Colorado before making the Finals in Quebec. They won the Avco Cup in the WHA in 1976-77.

The Florida Panthers joined the NHL in the 1993-94 season. Without benefit of a favorable bracketing, the Florida Panthers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in just three years, where they eventually lost to the Colorado Avalanche in 1995-96. They haven't been back since.

The Buffalo Sabres entered the NHL in 1970-71. They lost the Cup to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974-75 and the Dallas Stars in 1998-99.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org

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13 Comments

Sam Rubenstein

This answer is dated as the Vegas Golden Knights have also made the Stanley Cup Final as an expansion team in its first year.

Naked Kitty Slave

Jaimi McEntire, it's rarely correct.

Richard G Schwartz

Good sports info.

Jaimi McEntire

Thanks for nothing, majority vote!

Chris Beardsley

We had season tickets for the Avalanche Stanley Cup win in the 90s. Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg and co.

dvdeaton

Good question!!! Tough one, too..

dvdeaton

Good question.. Not the biggest hockey fan, except during the Stanley Cup.. I know when Florida played Colorado in the late 1990s, the Quebec Nordiques could not compete with the Montreal hockey team economically, so the Quebec team relocated to Colorado while Florida was an expansion team. Did not know, the St Louis Blues made it their first season, let alone their first three seasons.. They came in in 1967, the same season that Los Angeles did..