NHL Rivalries With the Most Lead Changes

The series where the all-time lead has changed hands the most times. Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames have traded the lead 15 times.

Team

#	Series	Lead changes	Record	Games
1	Detroit Red Wings vs Calgary Flames89-84-16 in 189 games	15	89-84-16	189
2	Toronto Maple Leafs vs Detroit Red Wings361-354-93 in 808 games	14	361-354-93	808
3	Carolina Hurricanes vs Los Angeles Kings42-41-8 in 91 games	14	42-41-8	91
4	Pittsburgh Penguins vs Detroit Red Wings89-83-16 in 188 games	13	89-83-16	188
5	Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators92-89-5 in 186 games	13	92-89-5	186
6	Arizona Coyotes vs Nashville Predators48-45-2 in 95 games	13	48-45-2	95
7	New York Rangers vs Philadelphia Flyers173-170-37 in 380 games	11	173-170-37	380
8	Boston Bruins vs Brooklyn Americans57-32-11 in 100 games	11	57-32-11	100
9	Los Angeles Kings vs Vancouver Canucks136-135-32 in 303 games	10	136-135-32	303
10	Los Angeles Kings vs Anaheim Ducks85-82-11 in 178 games	10	85-82-11	178
11	Los Angeles Kings vs Pittsburgh Penguins82-72-18 in 172 games	10	82-72-18	172
12	Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks60-56-5 in 121 games	10	60-56-5	121
13	St. Louis Blues vs Washington Capitals50-48-12 in 110 games	10	50-48-12	110
14	Montreal Canadiens vs New York Rangers383-241-96 in 720 games	9	383-241-96	720
15	Toronto Maple Leafs vs Pittsburgh Penguins102-96-17 in 215 games	9	102-96-17	215
16	Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers98-91-8 in 197 games	9	98-91-8	197
17	Ottawa Senators vs Toronto Maple Leafs90-89-3 in 182 games	9	90-89-3	182
18	Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks83-73-4 in 160 games	9	83-73-4	160
19	Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens78-65-6 in 149 games	9	78-65-6	149
20	Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings44-42-5 in 91 games	9	44-42-5	91
21	Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche37-35-1 in 73 games	9	37-35-1	73
22	Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames93-92-25 in 210 games	8	93-92-25	210
23	Colorado Avalanche vs St. Louis Blues93-83-11 in 187 games	8	93-83-11	187
24	Chicago Blackhawks vs Edmonton Oilers84-84-12 in 180 games	8	84-84-12	180
25	Los Angeles Kings vs Toronto Maple Leafs77-77-21 in 175 games	8	77-77-21	175
26	Vancouver Canucks vs Anaheim Ducks66-62-9 in 137 games	8	66-62-9	137
27	Florida Panthers vs Montreal Canadiens58-57-6 in 121 games	8	58-57-6	121
28	Edmonton Oilers vs Winnipeg Jets32-29-1 in 62 games	8	32-29-1	62
29	Ottawa Senators vs San Jose Sharks24-21-4 in 49 games	8	24-21-4	49
30	Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs417-350-88 in 855 games	7	417-350-88	855
31	Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs357-329-99 in 785 games	7	357-329-99	785
32	St. Louis Blues vs Arizona Coyotes89-76-18 in 183 games	7	89-76-18	183
33	Detroit Red Wings vs Colorado Avalanche85-81-5 in 171 games	7	85-81-5	171
34	Washington Capitals vs Florida Panthers72-68-9 in 149 games	7	72-68-9	149
35	Buffalo Sabres vs Vancouver Canucks62-60-19 in 141 games	7	62-60-19	141
36	Ottawa Senators vs Philadelphia Flyers62-57-8 in 127 games	7	62-57-8	127
37	Nashville Predators vs Calgary Flames46-42-4 in 92 games	7	46-42-4	92
38	Minnesota Wild vs Columbus Blue Jackets37-33-1 in 71 games	7	37-33-1	71
39	Florida Panthers vs Dallas Stars30-23-3 in 56 games	7	30-23-3	56
40	Montreal Canadiens vs Columbus Blue Jackets23-23-1 in 47 games	7	23-23-1	47
41	Montreal Canadiens vs Detroit Red Wings332-250-96 in 678 games	6	332-250-96	678
42	Boston Bruins vs Detroit Red Wings286-282-95 in 663 games	6	286-282-95	663
43	Montreal Canadiens vs Buffalo Sabres159-158-31 in 348 games	6	159-158-31	348
44	New York Rangers vs New York Islanders162-160-19 in 341 games	6	162-160-19	341
45	Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Islanders167-139-26 in 332 games	6	167-139-26	332
46	Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals166-141-16 in 323 games	6	166-141-16	323
47	St. Louis Blues vs Toronto Maple Leafs124-113-25 in 262 games	6	124-113-25	262
48	St. Louis Blues vs Calgary Flames99-87-14 in 200 games	6	99-87-14	200
49	Colorado Avalanche vs Chicago Blackhawks93-71-9 in 173 games	6	93-71-9	173
50	Toronto Maple Leafs vs Calgary Flames78-70-12 in 160 games	6	78-70-12	160
51	Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders77-62-3 in 142 games	6	77-62-3	142
52	Edmonton Oilers vs Montreal Canadiens57-50-4 in 111 games	6	57-50-4	111
53	Washington Capitals vs Chicago Blackhawks51-48-11 in 110 games	6	51-48-11	110
54	Vancouver Canucks vs Carolina Hurricanes42-38-11 in 91 games	6	42-38-11	91
55	New York Rangers vs Montreal Maroons35-25-15 in 75 games	6	35-25-15	75
56	Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets41-29-1 in 71 games	6	41-29-1	71
57	Carolina Hurricanes vs San Jose Sharks29-23 in 52 games	6	29-23	52
58	Vegas Golden Knights vs Colorado Avalanche22-20 in 42 games	6	22-20	42
59	Winnipeg Jets vs Columbus Blue Jackets20-18 in 38 games	6	20-18	38
60	Washington Capitals vs New York Rangers151-142-18 in 311 games	5	151-142-18	311
61	Toronto Maple Leafs vs Dallas Stars105-102-28 in 235 games	5	105-102-28	235
62	Vancouver Canucks vs Arizona Coyotes116-87-20 in 223 games	5	116-87-20	223
63	Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames85-83-20 in 188 games	5	85-83-20	188
64	Pittsburgh Penguins vs Carolina Hurricanes83-79-11 in 173 games	5	83-79-11	173
65	Edmonton Oilers vs San Jose Sharks80-67-12 in 159 games	5	80-67-12	159
66	Tampa Bay Lightning vs Carolina Hurricanes78-67-10 in 155 games	5	78-67-10	155
67	Nashville Predators vs St. Louis Blues72-68-4 in 144 games	5	72-68-4	144
68	Washington Capitals vs Detroit Red Wings62-61-16 in 139 games	5	62-61-16	139
69	New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning66-62-5 in 133 games	5	66-62-5	133
70	New York Islanders vs Detroit Red Wings64-63-6 in 133 games	5	64-63-6	133
71	Colorado Avalanche vs New York Rangers51-48-7 in 106 games	5	51-48-7	106
72	Tampa Bay Lightning vs Winnipeg Jets51-47-4 in 102 games	5	51-47-4	102
73	Anaheim Ducks vs Columbus Blue Jackets38-32-1 in 71 games	5	38-32-1	71
74	Montreal Maroons vs Detroit Red Wings29-24-16 in 69 games	5	29-24-16	69
75	Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets38-30 in 68 games	5	38-30	68
76	Montreal Maroons vs Chicago Black Hawks31-25-10 in 66 games	5	31-25-10	66
77	Tampa Bay Lightning vs San Jose Sharks30-22-2 in 54 games	5	30-22-2	54
78	Anaheim Ducks vs Philadelphia Flyers22-22-5 in 49 games	5	22-22-5	49
79	Florida Panthers vs San Jose Sharks25-17-7 in 49 games	5	25-17-7	49
80	Montreal Canadiens vs Boston Bruins473-369-103 in 945 games	4	473-369-103	945
81	Philadelphia Flyers vs Pittsburgh Penguins194-143-30 in 367 games	4	194-143-30	367
82	St. Louis Blues vs Los Angeles Kings126-100-22 in 248 games	4	126-100-22	248
83	Los Angeles Kings vs Detroit Red Wings99-98-27 in 224 games	4	99-98-27	224
84	Chicago Blackhawks vs Calgary Flames93-90-26 in 209 games	4	93-90-26	209
85	Colorado Avalanche vs Vancouver Canucks92-84-15 in 191 games	4	92-84-15	191
86	San Jose Sharks vs Anaheim Ducks89-87-4 in 180 games	4	89-87-4	180
87	Colorado Avalanche vs Los Angeles Kings88-83-8 in 179 games	4	88-83-8	179
88	Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild81-74-3 in 158 games	4	81-74-3	158
89	Carolina Hurricanes vs Florida Panthers76-70-11 in 157 games	4	76-70-11	157
90	St. Louis Blues vs Edmonton Oilers77-67-11 in 155 games	4	77-67-11	155
91	Colorado Avalanche vs San Jose Sharks83-65-5 in 153 games	4	83-65-5	153
92	Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers72-61-6 in 139 games	4	72-61-6	139
93	St. Louis Blues vs Buffalo Sabres67-55-13 in 135 games	4	67-55-13	135
94	Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Islanders56-56-20 in 132 games	4	56-56-20	132
95	Montreal Canadiens vs St. Louis Eagles59-58-13 in 130 games	4	59-58-13	130
96	Calgary Flames vs New York Islanders55-53-20 in 128 games	4	55-53-20	128
97	Colorado Avalanche vs Anaheim Ducks60-54-7 in 121 games	4	60-54-7	121
98	St. Louis Blues vs Minnesota Wild63-53-5 in 121 games	4	63-53-5	121
99	Detroit Red Wings vs Carolina Hurricanes58-50-8 in 116 games	4	58-50-8	116
100	Colorado Avalanche vs New Jersey Devils55-47-8 in 110 games	4	55-47-8	110

How this list works

A lead change is the other team moving ahead in the all-time series, counted game by game from the first meeting. Drawing level and then going back ahead does not count, and series whose lead never changed sides are left out.

Each row links to the full matchup page, opened on the NHL numbers. Think you know who leads a series? Try the NHL rivalry quiz.

More NHL records

Records include games through Oct 27, 2026.

Sources

Records are computed from every final game result in the Matchup Index database. About the data.