Sports
NHL Network Countdown: Top Rivalries of the 90s
The 1990s were home to some of the NHL’s greatest rivalries, including the Rangers-Devils, Bruins-Canadiens and Red Wings-Avalanche rivalries, so join NHL Network as we count down the best 90s rivalries!
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@broadstreetbullies849
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Ay a Tim Thomas appearance!
@ShenmueAtheist
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I still love NHL hockey, but nothing will ever touch being an Avs fan in Colorado between 1995 and 2003. The insane skill of the team combined with the rivalry with Detroit was one of the most amazing things to be a part of back then. I was fortunate enough to go to several Avs/Wings games during the 90s and they were beyond intense. I will carry my memories of being an Avs fan during their golden era to my grave. What an amazing time to be a hockey fan!
@ryancox6268
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I almost forgot how bad the hooking and holding was back then until I started watching this. I mean it was brutal! These days, even smallest tug on the jersey would put you in the penalty box.
@alankatb
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Remembering an nhl that is no more
@patwalsh4406
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Played bantam hockey on the same team with Martin Lapointe (20) so happy he won 3cups playing alongside some NHL legends with Detroit.
@brettpatterson404
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Flames vs Oilers from the 90s shouldn’t be on here. They only played once (1991) in the playoffs and for most of the decade the franchises battled relocation instead of the Stanley cup.
@noahprasch4491
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Det vs avs and not a single scene from "THE Brawl"???
@JasonSmith-pe5py
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Why did they limit it to 1995-99? That they played 3 times,& combined for 3 Cups? They played again in the 2000 2nd round…then 2002 WCFs. Colorado won the 2001 Cup-then Detroit won in 2002,after beating the Avs in 7 in 2002 WCFs. So the real tally is they played 5 playoff series between 1995-2002. Avs won 3 of the 5,but Detroit won 2 of the 3 WCFs,& won 3 Cups to Colorados 2-& they combined for 5 of 7 Cups overall.
I get it-1995 through 1999 was probably the height of the vitriol,& hate…as Lemieux left after 1999,I think. But the talent on the ice actually increased. As great as the 1996 Avs or 1997,& 1998 Wings were…the best teams in that era were 2002 Detroit,& 2001 Colorado. In fact,as an Av fan-who didnt start closely following the nhl til 1995-the best team Ive ever seen,(still to this day)-was 2002 Detroit. That team was insane…basically had mostly the same guys as in 1997,& 1998…except added several more HOFers.
Chris Chellios,Brett Hull,Dominique Hasek,& Luc Robataile,are all HOFers-who werent Red Wings in 1997 or 1998. Even Henrick Zetterburg, & Pavel Datsyuk. Im not sure if those 2 are in the HOF-but if not-they certainly deserve consideration. I THINK Zetterburg was 2nd yr & Datsyuk was a rookie in 2002. Avs roster had changed some from their 1st cup in 1996 to their 2nd in 2002. Important members of the 1996 team were gone-Lemiux,Kamensky,Mike Ricci,Adam Deadmarsh,Ozolinsh & others had moved on. But still had Forsberg,Sakic,Roy,Foote,etc…& actually were more talented in 2002,as they had added 2 HOF dmen. Ray Bourque had lost a step,but still played at an All star level in 2002. I think he was 2nd in Norris to Nick Lindstrom of Detroit. Rob Blake had already won a Norris in LA,& was easily a top 5,2 way dman-when we got him in 2002.(yes the Kings GM today kids) But we also had Chris Drury-not a HOFer,but won the Calder in 1999,& was as clutch of playoff performer as anybody in the nhl,by 2001 or 2002.(yes,the NYR GM today kids) Milan Hedjuk finished 2nd to his teamate Drury in the 1999 Calder,made multiple All Star games,& scored 50 goals in 2003. He probably wont quite make the HOF,but absolutely has an argument. Even the Steven Reinprechts,Martin Skoulas,John Klemm,Ville Niemenan,Stephane Yelle,& Eric Messiers of the world were underrated.
Those teams were just ridiculously stacked…even more so than their late 90s versions. 2002 Wings had double digit future HOFers,I believe…or very close. Both had Hart trophy,& Art Ross winners,& future HOFers…AS THEIR 2C! (Forsberg,& Federov. Peter didnt win his Hart & Art Ross til 2003,because of injuries-but was already a top 5ish nhl player long before that) Because their 1C was a legendary HOFer-Sakic,& Yzerman.
Maybe they existed prior to 1995…the 80s Oilers,& NYI,Montreal in several decades,etc…but I personally have never seen teams as great as 2002 Detroit,& 2001 Colorado. As long as there is a salary cap-we never will see teams that stacked,& deep…its not possible under todays rules.And there have been teams in the cap era that had a lot of talent-2008 Detroit,the 3 Chicago Cup teams,the Crosby/Malkin Penguins,2012,& 14 LA,TB in 2020,& 2021…my 2021-22 Avs have an argument as the greatest single season,cap era team ever. But none of those teams could match the talent of 2002 Detroit or 2001 Colorado-its litterally IMPOSSIBLE,with the salary cap.
Great video,& I get that the rivalry was at its peak from 1995 to probably 1999ish. But in pure talent,& skill…those early 2000s teams took it up even another level. The fighting,& cheap shots decreased,but then it became all about amazing hockey…& Id take those 2 teams over ANYBODY else from 1995 to present day in a 7 game series. I think last yrs Avs have an argument as the best Av team ever-RELATIVE TO THEIR COMPETITION. They mightve have been more dominant vs their peers,& under the rules of their day. Last yr the Avs tied the alltime record for combined reg season/playoff wins,& went 16-4 in the playoffs. But dont get it twisted,if they jumped in a time machine,& went back & played 2002 Detroit or 2001 Colorado…theyd lose in probably 5 or 6 games.
@sssstaver
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Viewers here either skip to the end to reminisce about the blood feud or watch the first nine and skip the top spot because there’s no surprises at the top.
@dannyduke666
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Being born in Montreal, I don't recall a rivalry between the Canadiens and the Sabres, we couldn't care less about them. Maybe Buffalo was in rivalry with us, but we weren't. The real rivalries were Quebec-Montreal, Boston-Montreal and Toronto-Montreal. Sabres were as far in our minds as the Whalers were…
@HomebrewR6
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
The Devils and Rangers rivalry played out during regular season games. This documentary didn't do it justice.
@disneyfan8719
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Fun fact: both the Capitals and the Penguins couldn't win ANY of their cups without facing each other in the playoffs.
@beamerball666
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
The only thing missing from the Rangers v Devils part was Gary Thorne's call of Messier's game 6 Hat Trick
@maxray7489
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Hatcher and madono both mi boys too
@humankirk9196
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
This list sucks. Sabres vs Canadiens?
Nordiques vs Canadiens was easily more intense than any on this list. Bruins and Whalers should be here too. Both are notably absent.
Also Avalanche vs Red Wings definitely shouldn't be #1, and maybe not even on this list. It completely fizzled out and had only to do with drama resulting from being the top 2 teams in the West for a few years and died soon after that was no longer the case. Look at the Flames and Oilers for a proper rivalry: doesnt matter where you are in the standings, you have to beat the other team if that is the only game you win all season. Oilers vs Flames should be #1 on this list.
@humankirk9196
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Dear NHL, please educate your talent to pronounce your own franchise names correctly, this is embarrassing. It's pronounced "the Montreal Canadians", not "the Montreal CanadiEns"
@brandonmaddox4862
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I’m a huge stars fan and those series we had with the oilers were beyond awesome, it was a war every year
@frankyaeger675
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
How you ranked Edmonton vs Dallas higher than the battle of Alberta is a Head scratcher
@Duckybigfart
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
sergei fedorov game 6 goal. Yikes. Imagine using reply footage for the first time and completely blowing the call. The didn’t have HD back then and you can still tell that the pick wasn’t even close.
@sab2034
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Hockey easily has the best rivalries
@ryfiore
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I’m surprised that Pens and Flyers aren’t on here
@justawinddown
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
The mismatch in talent between the Oilers and Stars was ridiculous. If Cujo had a bit of help the Oilers would have won a few more of those series.
@justawinddown
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Battle of Alberta was just loaded with HOF'ers.
@iseefakeppl5391
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Hockey at its best
@raran44
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
10:24 *you’re
@kingbanzai9118
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Rangers and flyers needs to be higher
@alcitrullo3124
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
That Joseph save on Nieuwendyk in game 7 in '97 is still to this day, my favourite save of all time. That first series between those two is still one of my favourites. I had no dog in the fight being a hardcore Maple Leaf fan and just remember constant entertainment.
@dylanhills3244
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
5:56
@nyrangersfan2210
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Let’s go Rangers!
@jaylew889
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
The avs and wings rivalry is hyped so much because of that melee on the ice with the benches cleared. Except there were tons of those incidents that took place, theirs though was the first with better quality video and cameramen who understood if you zoomed out that you could actually witness everything. I've watched too many fights where the cameraman is focused on two men circling each other to all of a sudden skip over to another brawl where one player is just hitting the ice from getting clobbered
@jimkennedy5202
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I lived in and worked in downtown Detroit in the 90s, that Wings Avs rivalry was the most awesome stuff in history. Year in year out. Hollywood couldn't make this up.
@TheSankyu99
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Bruins VS Canadiens is hockey’s version of Spain’s El Classico.
@RyderTheGayRaptorUwU
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Bruins vs habs the best rivalry in the NHL
@StojanovskiTV
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
I love watching 90s hockey during the winter holiday season. ❄️⛸️🇨🇦🇺🇸☃️🐧
@tomace194
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
My mother had season ticket been to many playoff games but that night in detroit when we got revenge was the loudest and best game she ever saw she said.
@atrholiday2889
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
WOW. Way to show next to nothing of the first Red Wings-Avalanche brawl
@helldogzz4612
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
no argument number 1 is right. it was insane. the games were so long because of all the fights and penalties lol. i so wish it was still like that. old school grinding hockey with finesse mixed in lol.
@agentorange20
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
If it’s anyone but Detroit and Colorado at number one it’s wrong. ✌🏻
@weeatpplproductions
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
LETS GO STARS!!
@TheCrazyCloon
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Is the person who compiled this list from Dallas?
@vinceniederman3235
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
The Rivalries Between NJ and NY Along With Dallas And Edmonton Are My 2 Favorites On This List As a Flyers Fan!
@JS-oh7if
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Great content. Nice to be able to see all the rivalries I forgot about.
@mpaulm
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Dallas and Edmonton got stretched out into the early 2000’s and as an Oiler fan I still hate Dallas for beating the Oilers every year after 1997.
@zettle2345
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Detroit won by design… Left wing lock, a defensive player knees slightly bent head down skating backwards halfway across the ice. You knew what was about to happen. Scotty Bowman preached defense!
@blastfiend
December 25, 2023 at 9:19 pm
Screw best NHL rivalry of the 90s. Wings v Avalanche was the best rivalry in all of sports history. The drama on and off the ice. The personal storylines. The hall of fame talent. The game 7's. THE CUPS. The hatred. The fights. The high level of skilled play. Sakic, Forsberg, Roy. Yzerman, Fedorov, Lidstrom. The Russian Five. The Konstantinov limo tragedy. The Grind Line. I might be biased because this was my childhood. I've seen all these highlights a gazillion times. Just about memorized the color commentary for each of them. I hated the Avs, but I knew every player on their roster and I can't say that about any other team I didn't like. What rivalry in sports can top all the elements that made this one so exciting, real, and amazing to be a part of?
Duke v UNC? Michigan v OSU? College rosters rotate out too often so these are just ingrained in historical longevity rather than player feuds. Same with Yankees v Red Sox, Lakers v Celtics or Packers v Bears – sure they had great talent over the years but there was never the hate and physicality that made Wings v Avs so special.