The Detroit Red Wings picked up a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens Thursday, which allowed them to secure a playoff berth for the 24th consecutive season.
The Red Wings’ string of post-season appearances is not only the longest active streak in the NHL, but the longest run in any of the four major North American professional leagues.
With 24 straight trips to the playoffs, the Red Wings move into a tie with the Montreal Candadiens (1971-94) for the fourth-longest streak in NHL history. The Boston Bruins lay claim to the longest streak at 29 (1968-96), while the Chicago Blackhawks sit second with 28 (1970-97), and the St. Louis Blues hold the third-longest streak with 25 appearances (1980-2004).
The longest active streaks by sport, courtesy of Sportsnet’s stats department, are as follows:
As for some perspective on how long the Red Wings have been making post-season appearances, five players on the current had not yet been born when the club started its run in 1991.
