** indicates that the 2019-20 regular season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that a 24-team "bubble" playoff in Canada was used to finish the season; the 2020-21 regular season was shortened to 56 games (instead of 82) and temporarily realigned divisions to put all 7 Canadian teams in one division.
| Season | Conference | Winner | Series | Loser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | East | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-2 | New York Rangers |
| 2021-22 | West | Colorado Avalanche | 4-0 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 2020-21** | East** | Tampa Bay Lightning** | 4-3 | New York Islanders |
| 2020-21** | West** | Montreal Canadiens** | 4-2 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2019-20** | East** | Tampa Bay Lightning** | 4-2 | New York Islanders |
| 2019-20** | West** | Dallas Stars** | 4-1 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| 2018-19 | East | Boston Bruins | 4-0 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2018-19 | West | St. Louis Blues | 4-2 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2017-18 | East | Washington Capitals | 4-3 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2017-18 | West | Vegas Golden Knights | 4-1 | Winnipeg Jets |
| 2016-17 | East | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-3 | Ottawa Senators |
| 2016-17 | West | Nashville Predators | 4-2 | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2015-16 | East | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-3 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2015-16 | West | San Jose Sharks | 4-2 | St. Louis Blues |
| 2014-15 | East | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-3 | New York Rangers |
| 2014-15 | West | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-3 | Anaheim Ducks |
| 2013-14 | East | New York Rangers | 4-2 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2013-14 | West | Los Angeles Kings | 4-3 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2012-13 | East | Boston Bruins | 4-0 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2012-13 | West | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-1 | Los Angeles Kings |
| 2011-12 | East | New Jersey Devils | 4-2 | New York Rangers |
| 2011-12 | West | Los Angeles Kings | 4-1 | Phoenix Coyotes |
| 2010-11 | East | Boston Bruins | 4-3 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2010-11 | West | Vancouver Canucks | 4-1 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2009-10 | East | Philadelphia Flyers | 4-1 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 2009-10 | West | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-0 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2008-09 | East | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-0 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| 2008-09 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-1 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 2007-08 | East | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-1 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2007-08 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-2 | Dallas Stars |
| 2006-07 | East | Ottawa Senators | 4-1 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 2006-07 | West | Anaheim Ducks | 4-2 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 2005-06 | East | Carolina Hurricanes | 4-3 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 2005-06 | West | Edmonton Oilers | 4-1 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| 2004-05 | ENTIRE | SEASON CANCELLED | (LOCKOUT) | |
| 2003-04 | East | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-3 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 2003-04 | West | Calgary Flames | 4-2 | San Jose Sharks |
| 2002-03 | East | New Jersey Devils | 4-3 | Ottawa Senators |
| 2002-03 | West | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | 4-0 | Minnesota Wild |
| 2001-02 | East | Carolina Hurricanes | 4-2 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 2001-02 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-3 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 2000-01 | East | New Jersey Devils | 4-1 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 2000-01 | West | Colorado Avalanche | 4-1 | St. Louis Blues |
| 1999-00 | East | New Jersey Devils | 4-3 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1999-00 | West | Dallas Stars | 4-3 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1998-99 | East | Buffalo Sabres | 4-1 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1998-99 | West | Dallas Stars | 4-3 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1997-98 | East | Washington Capitals | 4-2 | Buffalo Sabres |
| 1997-98 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-2 | Dallas Stars |
| 1996-97 | East | Philadelphia Flyers | 4-1 | New York Rangers |
| 1996-97 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-2 | Colorado Avalanche |
| 1995-96 | East | Florida Panthers | 4-3 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 1995-96 | West | Colorado Avalanche | 4-2 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1994-95 | East | New Jersey Devils | 4-2 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1994-95 | West | Detroit Red Wings | 4-1 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1993-94 | East | New York Rangers | 4-3 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1993-94 | West | Vancouver Canucks | 4-1 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1992-93 | East (Wales) | Montreal Canadiens | 4-1 | New York Islanders |
| 1992-93 | West (Campbell) | Los Angeles Kings | 4-3 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1991-92 | East (Wales) | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-0 | Boston Bruins |
| 1991-92 | West (Campbell) | Chicago Blackhawks | 4-0 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1990-91 | East (Wales) | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-2 | Boston Bruins |
| 1990-91 | West (Campbell) | Minnesota North Stars | 4-1 | Edmonton Oilers |
| 1989-90 | East (Wales) | Boston Bruins | 4-0 | Washington Capitals |
| 1989-90 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-2 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1988-89 | East (Wales) | Montreal Canadiens | 4-2 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1988-89 | West (Campbell) | Calgary Flames | 4-1 | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 1987-88 | East (Wales) | Boston Bruins | 4-3 | New Jersey Devils |
| 1987-88 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-1 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1986-87 | East (Wales) | Philadelphia Flyers | 4-2 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1986-87 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-1 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 1985-86 | East (Wales) | Montreal Canadiens | 4-1 | New York Rangers |
| 1985-86 | West (Campbell) | Calgary Flames | 4-3 | St. Louis Blues |
| 1984-85 | East (Wales) | Philadelphia Flyers | 4-2 | Quebec Nordiques |
| 1984-85 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-2 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1983-84 | East (Wales) | New York Islanders | 4-2 | Montreal Canadiens |
| 1983-84 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-0 | Minnesota North Stars |
| 1982-83 | East (Wales) | New York Islanders | 4-2 | Boston Bruins |
| 1982-83 | West (Campbell) | Edmonton Oilers | 4-0 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1981-82 | East (Wales) | New York Islanders | 4-0 | Quebec Nordiques |
| 1981-82 | West (Campbell) | Vancouver Canucks | 4-1 | Chicago Black Hawks |
| 1980-81 | Semifinals | 1. New York Islanders | 4-0 | 13. New York Rangers |
| 1980-81 | Semifinals | 9. Minnesota North Stars | 4-2 | 7. Calgary Flames |
| 1979-80 | Semifinals | 5. New York Islanders | 4-2 | 2. Buffalo Sabres |
| 1979-80 | Semifinals | 1. Philadelphia Flyers | 4-1 | 6. Minnesota North Stars |
| 1978-79 | Semifinals | 2. Montreal Canadiens | 4-3 | 3. Boston Bruins |
| 1978-79 | Semifinals | 5. New York Rangers | 4-2 | 1. New York Islanders |
| 1977-78 | Semifinals | 1. Montreal Canadiens | 4-0 | 6. Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 1977-78 | Semifinals | 2. Boston Bruins | 4-1 | 4. Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1976-77 | Semifinals | 1. Montreal Canadiens | 4-2 | 4. New York Islanders |
| 1976-77 | Semifinals | 3. Boston Bruins | 4-0 | 2. Philadelphia Flyers |
| 1975-76 | Semifinals | 1. Montreal Canadiens | 4-1 | 5. New York Islanders |
| 1975-76 | Semifinals | 2. Philadelphia Flyers | 4-1 | 3. Boston Bruins |
| 1974-75 | Semifinals | 1. Philadelphia Flyers | 4-3 | 8. New York Islanders |
| 1974-75 | Semifinals | 2. Buffalo Sabres | 4-2 | 3. Montreal Canadiens |
Note: With the 1974-75 season, the NHL split its two-division league into four divisions and two conferences. Between 1974 and 1980 all playoff teams were seeded based on regular season points regardless of conference. Therefore, the number indicates the Preliminary Round seeding. Finally, for the 1981-82 season, the teams were realigned into Eastern and Western conferences.