The 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began in April, 1996. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. These playoffs are noted as being the first playoffs in which all Canadian teams are eliminated after the first round. The New Jersey Devils, who had won the cup the year before, missed these playoffs. All three California teams, The San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim missed the playoffs. This is the first and only time to date that both Florida teams made it to the playoffs.
The playoffs ended in June with the Colorado Avalanche sweeping the Florida Panthers in both team's first ever Finals appearance. It was Colorado's first ever Stanley Cup championship, in their inaugural season. In the previous years, they were known as the Quebec Nordiques and played in Quebec City. Joe Sakic was named playoff MVP, and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.
The 1996 playoffs is the most recent year that every Original Six team has advanced to the playoffs in the same year. Since the current playoff format was implemented in 1994, this has only happened twice: in 1994 and 1996.
Read more about 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Playoff Bracket, Conference Semi-finals, Stanley Cup Final
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