The 1990–91 NHL season was the 74th regular season of the National Hockey League . Twenty-one teams each played 80 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Pittsburgh Penguins , who won the best of seven series 4–2 against the Minnesota North Stars . The North Stars defeated the Edmonton Oilers to become the first Norris Division team to appear in the Stanley Cup Finals since all the teams were moved around in 1981. The championship was the first in Penguins history. A record high 92 playoff games were held, and for the first time since the 1973 playoffs , no team was beat in four games in a playoff series.
This was the last NHL season to end in the month of May.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
The Stanley Cup Note: All dates in 1991
Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Stanley Cup Finals A1 Boston 4 A4 Hartford 2 A1 Boston 4 A2 Montreal 3 A2 Montreal 4 A3 Buffalo 2 A1 Boston 2 Prince of Wales Conference P1 Pittsburgh 4 P1 Pittsburgh 4 P4 New Jersey 3 P1 Pittsburgh 4 P3 Washington 1 P2 NY Rangers 2 P3 Washington 4 P1 Pittsburgh 4 N4 Minnesota 2 N1 Chicago 2 N4 Minnesota 4 N4 Minnesota 4 N2 St. Louis 2 N2 St. Louis 4 N3 Detroit 3 N4 Minnesota 4 Clarence Campbell Conference S3 Edmonton 1 S1 Los Angeles 4 S4 Vancouver 2 S1 Los Angeles 2 S3 Edmonton 4 S2 Calgary 3 S3 Edmonton 4
Boston vs. Hartford Date Away Home April 3 Hartford 5 2 Boston April 5 Hartford 3 4 Boston April 7 Boston 6 3 Hartford April 9 Boston 3 4 Hartford April 11 Hartford 1 6 Boston April 13 Boston 3 1 Hartford Boston wins series 4–2
Montreal vs. Buffalo Date Away Home April 3 Buffalo 5 7 Montreal April 5 Buffalo 4 5 Montreal April 7 Montreal 4 5 Buffalo April 9 Montreal 4 6 Buffalo April 11 Buffalo 3 4 Montreal OT April 13 Montreal 5 1 Buffalo Montreal wins series 4–2
Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey Date Away Home April 3 New Jersey 3 1 Pittsburgh April 5 New Jersey 4 5 Pittsburgh OT April 7 Pittsburgh 4 3 New Jersey April 9 Pittsburgh 1 4 New Jersey April 11 New Jersey 4 2 Pittsburgh April 13 Pittsburgh 4 3 New Jersey April 15 New Jersey 0 4 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh wins series 4–3
NY Rangers vs. Washington Date Away Home April 3 Washington 1 2 NY Rangers April 5 Washington 3 0 NY Rangers April 7 NY Rangers 6 0 Washington April 9 NY Rangers 2 3 Washington April 11 Washington 5 4 NY Rangers April 13 NY Rangers 2 4 Washington Washington wins series 4–2
Chicago vs. Minnesota Date Away Home April 4 Minnesota 4 3 Chicago OT April 6 Minnesota 2 5 Chicago April 8 Chicago 6 5 Minnesota April 10 Chicago 1 3 Minnesota April 12 Minnesota 6 0 Chicago April 14 Chicago 1 3 Minnesota Minnesota wins series 4–2
St. Louis vs. Detroit Date Away Home April 4 Detroit 6 3 St. Louis April 6 Detroit 2 4 St. Louis April 8 St. Louis 2 5 Detroit April 10 St. Louis 3 4 Detroit April 12 Detroit 1 6 St. Louis April 14 St. Louis 3 0 Detroit April 16 Detroit 2 3 St. Louis St. Louis wins series 4–3
Los Angeles vs. Vancouver Date Away Home April 4 Vancouver 6 5 Los Angeles April 6 Vancouver 2 3 Los Angeles OT April 8 Los Angeles 1 2 Vancouver OT April 10 Los Angeles 6 1 Vancouver April 12 Vancouver 4 7 Los Angeles April 14 Los Angeles 4 1 Vancouver Los Angeles wins series 4–2
Calgary vs. Edmonton Date Away Home April 4 Edmonton 3 1 Calgary April 6 Edmonton 1 3 Calgary April 8 Calgary 3 4 Edmonton April 10 Calgary 2 5 Edmonton April 12 Edmonton 3 5 Calgary April 14 Calgary 2 1 Edmonton OT April 16 Edmonton 5 4 Calgary OT Edmonton wins series 4–3
Wales Conference Pittsburgh vs. Washington Date Away Home April 17 Washington 4 2 Pittsburgh April 19 Washington 6 7 Pittsburgh OT April 21 Pittsburgh 3 1 Washington April 23 Pittsburgh 3 1 Washington April 25 Washington 1 4 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh wins series 4–1
Campbell Conference St. Louis vs. Minnesota Date Away Home April 18 Minnesota 2 1 St. Louis April 20 Minnesota 2 5 St. Louis April 22 St. Louis 1 5 Minnesota April 24 St. Louis 4 8 Minnesota April 26 Minnesota 2 4 St. Louis April 28 St. Louis 2 3 Minnesota Minnesota wins series 4–2
Los Angeles vs. Edmonton Date Away Home April 18 Edmonton 3 4 Los Angeles OT April 20 Edmonton 4 3 Los Angeles 2OT April 22 Los Angeles 3 4 Edmonton 2OT April 24 Los Angeles 2 4 Edmonton April 26 Edmonton 2 5 Los Angeles April 28 Los Angeles 3 4 Edmonton OT Edmonton wins series 4–2
Wales Conference Boston vs. Pittsburgh Date Away Home May 1 Pittsburgh 3 6 Boston May 3 Pittsburgh 4 5 Boston OT May 5 Boston 1 4 Pittsburgh May 7 Boston 1 4 Pittsburgh May 9 Pittsburgh 7 2 Boston May 11 Boston 3 5 Pittsburgh Pittsburgh wins series 4–2 and Prince of Wales Trophy
Campbell Conference Edmonton vs. Minnesota Date Away Home May 2 Minnesota 3 1 Edmonton May 4 Minnesota 2 7 Edmonton May 6 Edmonton 3 7 Minnesota May 8 Edmonton 1 5 Minnesota May 10 Minnesota 3 2 Edmonton Minnesota wins series 4–1 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl
Presidents' Trophy : Chicago Blackhawks Prince of Wales Trophy : Pittsburgh Penguins Clarence S. Campbell Bowl : Minnesota North Stars Art Ross Memorial Trophy : Wayne Gretzky , Los Angeles Kings Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy : Dave Taylor , Los Angeles Kings Calder Memorial Trophy : Ed Belfour , Chicago Blackhawks Conn Smythe Trophy : Mario Lemieux , Pittsburgh Penguins Frank J. Selke Trophy : Dirk Graham , Chicago Blackhawks Hart Memorial Trophy : Brett Hull , St. Louis Blues Jack Adams Award : Brian Sutter , St. Louis Blues James Norris Memorial Trophy : Ray Bourque , Boston Bruins King Clancy Memorial Trophy : Dave Taylor , Los Angeles Kings Lady Byng Memorial Trophy : Wayne Gretzky , Los Angeles Kings Lester B. Pearson Award : Brett Hull , St. Louis Blues NHL Plus/Minus Award : Marty McSorley , Los Angeles Kings & Theo Fleury , Calgary Flames Vezina Trophy : Ed Belfour , Chicago Blackhawks William M. Jennings Trophy : Ed Belfour , Chicago Blackhawks Lester Patrick Trophy : Rod Gilbert , Mike Ilitch
First Team Position Second Team Ed Belfour , Chicago Blackhawks G Patrick Roy , Montreal Canadiens Ray Bourque , Boston Bruins D Chris Chelios , Chicago Blackhawks Al MacInnis , Calgary Flames D Brian Leetch , New York Rangers Wayne Gretzky , Los Angeles Kings C Adam Oates , St. Louis Blues Brett Hull , St. Louis Blues RW Cam Neely , Boston Bruins Luc Robitaille , Los Angeles Kings LW Kevin Stevens , Pittsburgh Penguins
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1990–91 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
Robert Reichel , Calgary Flames Dominik Hasek , Chicago Blackhawks Keith Primeau , Detroit Red Wings Mike Sillinger , Detroit Red Wings Sergei Fedorov , Detroit Red Wings Bobby Holik , Hartford Whalers Geoff Sanderson , Hartford Whalers John LeClair , Montreal Canadiens Patrice Brisebois , Montreal Canadiens Sean Hill *, Montreal Canadiens Doug Weight *, New York Rangers Tony Amonte *, New York Rangers Mike Ricci , Philadelphia Flyers Jaromir Jagr , Pittsburgh Penguins Mats Sundin , Quebec Nordiques Owen Nolan , Quebec Nordiques Petr Nedved , Vancouver Canucks Dmitri Khristich , Washington Capitals Peter Bondra , Washington Capitals Kris Draper , Winnipeg Jets The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1990–91 (listed with their last team):
Gord Kluzak , Boston Bruins Tony McKegney , Chicago Blackhawks Glen Hanlon , Detroit Red Wings Don Maloney , New York Islanders Lindy Ruff , New York Rangers Pete Peeters , Philadelphia Flyers Guy Lafleur , Quebec Nordiques Harold Snepsts , St. Louis Blues Paul MacLean , St. Louis Blues Rick Meagher , St. Louis Blues Stan Smyl , Vancouver Canucks Joel Quenneville , Washington Capitals Trading Deadline: MARCH 5, 1991[1] March 4, 1991: Ron Francis , Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson traded from Hartford to Pittsburgh for John Cullen , Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski . March 5, 1991: Allan Bester traded from Toronto to Detroit for Detroit's 6th round pick in 1991 Entry Draft. March 5, 1991: Geoff Courtnall , Robert Dirk, Sergio Momesso , Cliff Ronning and future considerations traded from St. Louis to Vancouver for Dan Quinn and Garth Butcher . March 5, 1991: Mark Hunter traded from Calgary to Hartford for Carey Wilson. March 5, 1991: Mark Pederson traded from Montreal to Philadelphia for Philadelphia's 2nd round pick in 1991 Entry Draft and future considerations. March 5, 1991: Keith Osborne traded from St. Louis to Toronto for Darren Veitch and future considerations. March 5, 1991: Ken Priestlay traded from Buffalo to Pittsburgh for Tony Tanti. March 5, 1991: Dana Murzyn traded from Calgary to Vancouver for Ron Stern, Kevan Guy and future considerations. March 5, 1991: Kim Issel traded from Edmonton to Pittsburgh for Brad Aitken. March 5, 1991: Steve Weeks traded from Vancouver to Buffalo for future considerations. March 5, 1991: Marc Bureau traded from Calgary to Minnesota for Minnesota's 3rd round choice in 1991 Entry Draft. March 5, 1991: Joey Kocur and Per Djoos traded from Detroit to NY Rangers for Kevin Miller, Jim Cummins and Dennis Vial. March 5, 1991: Bobby Reynolds traded from Toronto to Washington for Robert Mendel. March 5, 1991: Mike McNeill and Ryan McGill traded from Chicago to Quebec for Paul Gillis and Daniel Vincelette. March 5, 1991: Ilkka Sinisalo traded from Minnesota to Los Angeles for Los Angeles' 8th round choice in 1991 Entry Draft.
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