Incredible back to back playoff runs

[Ace36758]

Curious on some of the best back to back (or more) playoff runs in NHL history. There are lots of examples, so feel free to include some underrated runs as well. Here are a few to start:

Kucherov-2020-2022: 34, 32 and 27 points in successive runs. One of the best stretches of all time.

Gretzky-1983-1985: 38, 35 and 47 points. Includes the greatest point total of all time. Simply unbelievable.

Gretzky-1987-1988: 34 and 43 points. Followed up by 22 the next year. Another miraculous stretch.

Lemieux-1991 and 1992: 44 and 34 points (15 games). Back to back cups and smythes.

Crosby-2008 and 2009: 27 and 31 points. Back to back finals and a cup. 19 pts the next year also.

Phil kessel-2016 and 2017: 22 and then 23 points. Not quite like the others but spirited run for the sniper.

Kevin stevens- 1991 and 1992: 33 points (17 goals) followed by 28 the following year.

Mike Bossy-1980-1983: 23, 35, 27, and 26 points successively. Brilliant stretch including 3 straight 17 goal campaigns, with 4 cups, smythe.

Bryan Trottier-1980-1983: 29, 29, 29 20 points. 4 cups, smythe.

Denis Potvin-1980-1984: 19, 25, 21, 20 points (as a D man!)

Doug gilmour- 1993-1994: 35 then 28 points. Incredible run with the leafs, he had 63 points in only 39 games!

Joe Sakic-1996-1997: 34 then 25 points. Smythe and cup.

Sergei fedorov-1995-1998: 24, 20, 20, 20 points in successive runs. 2 cups.

Connor Mcdavid-2022-2024: 33, 20, 41 points. Unreal stretch including 3rd highest point total in history.

Chris Pronger-2006-2007: 21 then 15 points as a D man. Cup and controlling force on both teams.

Who’ve you got?

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[Bear of Bad News]

Bernie Parent, 1974 and 1975.

 

[MadLuke]

Mike Cammalleri 2010-2011: 16 goals-29 points in 26 games, -11 too, but loosing cause will do that.

He was quite the scorer, not far from Briere-Kane ppg, 5th in the nhl among the 20 or more playoff games those years.






Speaking of Briere, feel like he did it many time.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Howe in '63 and '64 without winning either time...

 

[blundluntman]

Belfour had a very elite run during the late 90s with Dallas. From 98-00, he put up a .922, .930 and .931 over 63 games, making the Cup Finals 2x and the WCF in 98. FWIW, he also put up a .921, .923 and .929 2 years prior with Chicago from 94-96

Roy had a few great runs. There was his .921 in 96 and .932 in 97 with Colorado. Prior to that had his legendary 93 smythe and a solid .930 in 94 (albeit it was only 6 games). Obviously all 4 seasons don't count as back to back but it showed a sustained level of excellence. He also had his .920, .928 and .934 in his back to back WCF appearances and cup win over the span of 99-01.

Quick had a .946 in 2012 in 20 games, and a .934 in 2013 in 18 games.

Messier was also on fire from 87-88 with 28 in 21 and 34 in 19

 

[Bear of Bad News]

As an Avalanche fan, I feel like we shouldn't be talking about Belfour's late 1990s run because it pisses me off too much.

 

[blundluntman]

As an Avalanche fan, I feel like we shouldn't be talking about Belfour's late 1990s run because it pisses me off too much.

It's kinda funny bc Dallas was lowkey a bigger thorn in our side during that time but all my hatred was still invested in Detroit lol. Those back to back series in 99 and 00 were awful but I could still respect guys like Belfour and Hull as players. The losses to Detroit in 97 & *redacted* hurt on another level though.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

It's kinda funny bc Dallas was lowkey a bigger thorn in our side during that time but all my hatred was still invested in Detroit lol. Those back to back series in 99 and 00 were awful but I could still respect guys like Belfour and Hull as players. The losses to Detroit in 97 & *redacted* hurt on another level though.

My biggest beef with the Stars series is that I was working for NCAR out in Greeley those summers, and was typically driving back to Boulder just as the games were starting. So I was physically and mentally exhausted and my ability to put up with Eddie's performance was already in doubt.

We were watching Game 7 of 2000 at Red & Jerry's, and I can close my eyes and picture perfectly Bourque hitting the post late.

I'm going to go sit somewhere and cry for a bit.

EDIT: Agreed completely about 1997, though. Although I think 2002 might have hurt worse - that went from "hey, we might have a chance here" to "holy shit, time for a walk" faster than fast.

 

[JackSlater]

Zetterberg in 2008 and 2009 for a somewhat recent one.

 

[blundluntman]

My biggest beef with the Stars series is that I was working for NCAR out in Greeley those summers, and was typically driving back to Boulder just as the games were starting. So I was physically and mentally exhausted and my ability to put up with Eddie's performance was already in doubt.

We were watching Game 7 of 2000 at Red & Jerry's, and I can close my eyes and picture perfectly Bourque hitting the post late.

I'm going to go sit somewhere and cry for a bit.

EDIT: Agreed completely about 1997, though. Although I think 2002 might have hurt worse - that went from "hey, we might have a chance here" to "holy shit, time for a walk" faster than fast.

Yeah that'll definitely throw some extra salt on the wound; he was already frustrating enough all things being equal. I've always been a goalie guy and I was pretty young at the time tho tbh, otherwise I'd probably see those series with a more sour lens (also helps that we were able to win the next year in 01). But yeah *redacted* was by far the worst series of all time; I've genuinely wiped that entire round out of my memory

 

[Matsun]

Bouchard had 17 points in 12 games in 2023 and 32 points in 25 games in 2024 which is pretty insane for a d-man.

 

[JackSlater]

Maurice Richard - 1944 -1947

Finished first twice and third twice in scoring, led the playoffs in goals three times and finished second the other time. Did despite Montreal not making the finals in 1945. Overall scored 31 goals in 34 games over that span. Richard from 1956-1958 is not that far off either.

Ted Kennedy - 1945 -1949 (was injured in regular season in 1946 and Toronto missed the playoffs)

Finished 1, 2, 2, 2 in four playoff years, led Toronto in scoring each of those years, good two way player. Toronto won the Stanley Cup each of those years, and again the one year Kennedy got injured and missed most of the season Toronto didn't even make the playoffs. Probably helps explain why Kennedy's fame is (was maybe) so much higher than what the regular season scoring rankings indicate.

 

[MadLuke]

Maurice Richard - 1944 -1947

Finished first twice and third twice in scoring,

Those 31 goals during that run is almost 3x any non teammate.

goals scored in the playoff from 44 to 47 by the whole team:

Red Wings: 63 / 29 games
Leafs....: 61 / 29 games
Bruins...: 61 / 22 games
Hawks....: 32 / 13 games

Richard..: 31 / 34 games (that not far from scoring at half the rate of some teams)

Scoring .911 goal per games, when non-Habs playoff teams scored 2.33 goal per games, feel a bit like a striker in soccer type of production.

Bossy trifecta of 17 goals (51 in 56), was the same .911 goal per games, but the non-Islanders teams scored an healthy 3.6 goals per games.

 

[JackSlater]

Guy Lafleur - 1975-1979

Led Montreal in scoring all five years, led the playoffs in scoring three times, finished second in scoring once (Montreal didn't make the finals, easily led the playoffs in points per game) and finished third in scoring the other year.

 

[The Panther]

Maurice Richard - 1944 -1947

Overall scored 31 goals in 34 games over that span.

That's unbelievable.

 

[The Panther]

Esa Tikkanan in 1990 and 1991.

44 points in 40 games (+15), including 25 goals. (He was at a 29-goal pace those regular seasons, and a 45-goal pace in the playoffs.)

 

[MadLuke]

Messier, Coffey could be too obvious too mention (or moreso mention again for Messier)

But Messier 83-84-85 or 87-88, 92-94, he did had many of those great back to back during the span of his career. at least 3 different window. And Brian Leetch as well was really something.

Leetch scored 63 pts in 46 games in 92-94-95, winning a Smythe in the middle., 21 goals

Coffey as well, 84-85, +41 in 37 games (59 pts)
Ray Bourque 90-91, 42 pts in 36 games, cups and eastern conference finals

Maybe we went overboard with Drury (or moreso Rangers checkbook), but he was really solid in the playoff, 06-07 scored 17 goals in 34 games

 

[The Panther]

Messier was really great in 1983 (before the Finals), and was great again (esp. rounds two and four) in 1984 (Conn Smythe).

But he wasn't really outstanding in 1985. The numbers look good, but that Oiler team was pounding clubs into submission and Mess was just one of six or seven players going to town. Remember, that team scored 44 goals in one series vs. Chicago and then clinched the Cup with an 8-3 win in gave five over Philly (Mess scored twice in that game, but neither goal was overly important).

He was rather forgettable in 1986.

But I think his best playoffs in Edmonton were 1987 and 1988 (hon. mention to 1990). In those two years, he was matching and outscoring Gretzky through three rounds, and he had matured into a fine center.

 

[MadLuke]

Mackinnon needed to go at it 3 years in a row to win it, 2020-21-22, 30 goals-64 pts in 45 games, +30

 

[Albatros]

Brayden Point 28 goals and 56 points in '20 and '21.

 

[carjackmalone]

Barry Pederson and Rick Middleton

John Druce?

 

[Ace36758]

Barry Pederson and Rick Middleton

John Druce?

Druce had one good run with 14 goals and 17 points. Doesn’t fit the premise.

 

[JianYang]

Mike Cammalleri 2010-2011: 16 goals-29 points in 26 games, -11 too, but loosing cause will do that.

He was quite the scorer, not far from Briere-Kane ppg, 5th in the nhl among the 20 or more playoff games those years.






Speaking of Briere, feel like he did it many time.

I don't remember his 2011 run much.... it was a shorter run that lasted 7 games.

But i do remember him scoring at a phenomenal rate in 2010 en route to the semi finals.

I also remember talk about him breaking some guy lafleur record that post season.

 

[Voight]

Matthew Tkachuk 2023-2024 46 points in 44 games and all around machine.

Aleksander Barkov 2023-2024 38 points in 45 games, while being his teams key shutdown center.