1968 Stanley Cup playoffs


The 1968 Stanley Cup playoffs, was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League for the 1967–68 season, and the first after the expansion from six to twelve teams. The playoff system was thus expanded from a four-team to an eight-team tournament, and was designed so that four of the new expansion teams would qualify for the postseason.
The defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs did not qualify and a new champion would be crowned. The Montreal Canadiens would defeat the St. Louis Blues in four straight to win the Stanley Cup.

Playoff seeds

All of the Original Six teams were placed in the new Eastern Division, and all of the new teams placed in the new Western Division. The top four teams in each division made the playoffs.
;East Division
  1. [1967–68 1967–68 Montreal Canadiens season|Montreal Canadiens season|Montreal Canadiens] – 94 points
  2. [1967–68 1967–68 New York Rangers season|New York Rangers season|New York Rangers] – 90 points
  3. [1967–68 1967–68 Boston Bruins season|Boston Bruins season|Boston Bruins] – 84 points
  4. [1967–68 1967–68 Chicago Black Hawks season|Chicago Black Hawks season|Chicago Black Hawks] – 80 points
;West Division
  1. [1967–68 1967–68 Philadelphia Flyers season|Philadelphia Flyers season|Philadelphia Flyers] – 73 points
  2. [1967–68 1967–68 Los Angeles Kings season|Los Angeles Kings season|Los Angeles Kings] – 72 points
  3. St. Louis Blues – 70 points
  4. [1967–68 1967–68 Minnesota North Stars season|Minnesota North Stars season|Minnesota North Stars] – 69 points

Playoff bracket

In the first round, the first-place vs. third-place and second-place vs. fourth-place playoff format that had been in place for the previous 25 seasons was retained within the two divisions. The two winning teams from each division's first round series then met in the Stanley Cup Semifinals. The two winners of the Semifinals then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.
This format guaranteed that an expansion team would at least reach the Finals, but also highlighted the competitive imbalance between the Original Six teams in the Eastern Division and the expansion teams in the Western Division. The imbalance was readily apparent in the final regular season standings, as the fourth-place team in the East Division had a better record than the top team in the West.
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series.

Quarterfinals

All series but Bruins-Canadiens had a game postponed after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4.

(E1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E3) Boston Bruins

The Montreal Canadiens were the best regular season team, earning 94 points. The Boston Bruins earned 84 points to finish third in the East Division. This was the thirteenth playoff series between these two rivals, with Montreal winning ten of their twelve previous series. Their most recent series had come in the 1958 Stanley Cup Finals, which Montreal won in six games. These teams split their ten-game regular season series.
The Bruins, making their first appearance in the playoffs since 1959, were swept in four games.

(E2) New York Rangers vs. (E4) Chicago Black Hawks

The New York Rangers earned 90 points to finish second in the East Division. The Chicago Blackhawks finished fourth in the East Division with 80 points. This was the second playoff series between these two teams. Their only previous series came in the 1931 semifinals, where Chicago won the two-game total goals series 3 goals to 0. New York earned eleven of twenty points in this year's regular season series.
The Black Hawks, led by Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita upset the Rangers in six to set up a Montreal-Chicago East Division showdown.

(W1) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (W3) St. Louis Blues

The Philadelphia Flyers were West Division Champions, earning 73 points. The St. Louis Blues earned 70 points to finish third in the West Division. This was the first playoff series for both teams. Philadelphia earned sixteen of twenty points in this year's regular season series.
Philadelphia was upset by the Blues, led by goaltender Glenn Hall and coached by future Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman, in seven games.

(W2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (W4) Minnesota North Stars

The Los Angeles Kings finished second in the West Division with 72 points. The Minnesota North Stars earned 69 points to finish fourth in the West Division. This was the first playoff series for both teams. Minnesota earned fourteen of twenty points in this year's regular season series.
The North Stars defeated the Kings in seven games.

Semifinals

(E1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (E4) Chicago Black Hawks

This was the 14th playoff series between these two teams. Their most recent series previous to this one was in the 1965 Stanley Cup Finals, which Montreal won four games to three. Montreal earned fourteen of a possible twenty points from the ten 1967-1968 regular season matchups between the two teams.
The Black Hawks could not provide another upset, and lost to the Canadiens in five games, giving Montreal their only defeat of the playoffs.

(W3) St. Louis Blues vs. (W4) Minnesota North Stars

St. Louis earned twelve of twenty points in this year's regular season series.
Ron Schock's goal in double OT, called the "Midnight Goal" by many hockey fans, gave the Blues the series and sent them to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Finals

The Montreal Canadiens advanced to their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, having won the championship in 1965 and 1966. The St. Louis Blues beat out the five other teams also playing in their inaugural season to reach the Final. Montreal earned seven of eight points in this year's regular season series.
Blues coach Scotty Bowman, a long-time member of the Canadiens organization was unable to spur the Blues to an upset. The Canadiens, led by Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard swept the series in four games.