1984 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League began on April 4, after the conclusion of the 1983–84 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 19 with the Edmonton Oilers defeating the four-time defending champion New York Islanders 5–2 to win the Stanley Cup Finals four games to one, the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
Playoff seeds
The top four teams in each division qualified for the playoffs, as follows:Prince of Wales Conference
Adams Division
- [1983–84 1983–84 Boston Bruins season|Boston Bruins season|Boston Bruins], Adams Division champions – 104 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Buffalo Sabres season|Buffalo Sabres season|Buffalo Sabres] – 103 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Quebec Nordiques season|Quebec Nordiques season|Quebec Nordiques] – 94 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Montreal Canadiens season|Montreal Canadiens season|Montreal Canadiens] – 75 points
Patrick Division
- [1983–84 1983–84 New York Islanders season|New York Islanders season|New York Islanders], Patrick Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 104 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Washington Capitals season|Washington Capitals season|Washington Capitals] – 101 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Philadelphia Flyers season|Philadelphia Flyers season|Philadelphia Flyers] – 98 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 New York Rangers season|New York Rangers season|New York Rangers] – 93 points
Clarence Campbell Conference
Norris Division
- [1983–84 1983–84 Minnesota North Stars season|Minnesota North Stars season|Minnesota North Stars], Norris Division champions – 88 points
- St. Louis Blues – 71 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Detroit Red Wings season|Detroit Red Wings season|Detroit Red Wings] – 69 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Chicago Black Hawks season|Chicago Black Hawks season|Chicago Black Hawks] – 68 points
Smythe Division
- Edmonton Oilers, Smythe Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions – 119 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Calgary Flames season|Calgary Flames season|Calgary Flames] – 82 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Vancouver Canucks season|Vancouver Canucks season|Vancouver Canucks] – 73 points
- [1983–84 1983–84 Winnipeg Jets season|Winnipeg Jets season|Winnipeg Jets] – 73 points
Playoff bracket
In the division semifinals, the fourth seeded team in each division played against the division winner from their division. The other series matched the second and third place teams from the divisions. The two winning teams from each division's semifinals then met in the division finals. The two division winners of each conference then played in the conference finals. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.Home ice advantage in the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Finals was modified this season so it would be awarded to the team whose division or conference had the better record against the other during the regular season, instead of having it rotate by division and conference, respectively. This resulted in home-ice advantage for the Adams and Smythe division champions in the conference finals and resulted in home-ice advantage for the Wales Conference champion in the Stanley Cup finals.
Each division semifinals series was competed in a best-of-five playoff following a 2–2–1 format, with the team with home ice advantage playing at home for games one and two, and the other team playing at home for game three. In the middle two rounds, each series was competed in a best-of-seven playoff following a 2–2–1–1–1 format, with the team with home ice advantage playing at home for games one and two, and the other team playing at home for games three and four. The Stanley Cup Finals was changed from a 2–2–1–1–1 format to a 2–3–2 format this season, with the sites for games five and six switched.
Division semifinals
Prince of Wales Conference
(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A4) Montreal Canadiens
This was the 19th playoff series between these two teams. Montreal lead 16–2 in previous playoff meetings. Montreal won the most recent meeting in seven games in the 1979 Stanley Cup Semifinals.(A2) Buffalo Sabres vs. (A3) Quebec Nordiques
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.(P1) New York Islanders vs. (P4) New York Rangers
This was the sixth playoff series meeting between these two teams. The Islanders won four of the previous five meetings, including in each of the past three seasons. The Islanders won in six games in last year's Patrick Division Finals.(P2) Washington Capitals vs. (P3) Philadelphia Flyers
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.Clarence Campbell Conference
(N1) Minnesota North Stars vs. (N4) Chicago Black Hawks
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Chicago won both previous meetings over the past two seasons, including last year's Norris Division Finals in five games.(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N3) Detroit Red Wings
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.Game three was the first postseason match at Joe Louis Arena, and the first in Detroit since 1978.
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (S4) Winnipeg Jets
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. This was a rematch of last year's Smythe Division Semifinals, in which Edmonton won in a three-game sweep.(S2) Calgary Flames vs. (S3) Vancouver Canucks
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Both teams split their prior two meetings in the past two seasons. Calgary won last year's Smythe Division Semifinals 3–1.Division finals
Prince of Wales Conference
(A3) Quebec Nordiques vs. (A4) Montreal Canadiens
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. Quebec won the only previous meeting 3–2 in the 1982 Adams Division Semifinals.Game six of this series is referred to as the Good Friday Massacre.
(P1) New York Islanders vs. (P2) Washington Capitals
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. This was a rematch of last year's Patrick Division Semifinals, in which New York won 3–1. By winning their eighteenth consecutive series, the Islanders set a North American major professional sports record for most consecutive playoff series victories.Clarence Campbell Conference
(N1) Minnesota North Stars vs. (N2) St. Louis Blues
This was the fifth playoff series meeting between these two teams. St. Louis won three of the previous four meetings, including their most recent in the 1972 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals in seven games.Steve Payne scored the game-winner at 6:00 in overtime of game 7 to send the North Stars to the conference finals.
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (S2) Calgary Flames
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. This was a rematch of last year's Smythe Division Finals, in which Edmonton won in five games.Lanny McDonald scored the overtime winner for Calgary in Game 6.
Conference finals
Prince of Wales Conference final
(P1) New York Islanders vs. (A4) Montreal Canadiens
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Montreal won both prior meetings, including the most recent meeting in six games in the 1977 Stanley Cup Semifinals.Clarence Campbell Conference final
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (N1) Minnesota North Stars
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.Stanley Cup Finals
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. New York won both previous meetings, and was a rematch of New York's four-game sweep in last year's Stanley Cup Finals.The Islanders attempted to match the 1950s Montreal Canadiens and win the Stanley Cup five consecutive times, against the Edmonton Oilers who were attempting to win the franchise's first championship. The Islanders lost the first game at home 1–0, but bounced back to defeat the Oilers 6–1 in the second game. Edmonton took over the series from that point, winning the next three games, all played in Edmonton.
Player statistics
Skaters
These are the top ten skaters based on points.| Player | Team | ||||||
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 13 | 22 | 35 | +18 | 12 |
| Jari Kurri | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 14 | 14 | 28 | +9 | 13 |
| Mark Messier | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 8 | 18 | 26 | +9 | 19 |
| Paul Coffey | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 8 | 14 | 22 | +18 | 21 |
| Clark Gillies | New York Islanders | 21 | 12 | 7 | 19 | +2 | 19 |
| Mike Bossy | New York Islanders | 21 | 8 | 10 | 18 | +5 | 4 |
| Glenn Anderson | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 6 | 11 | 17 | +6 | 33 |
| Paul Reinhart | Calgary Flames | 11 | 6 | 11 | 17 | +9 | 2 |
| Patrick Flatley | New York Islanders | 21 | 9 | 6 | 15 | +7 | 14 |
| Ken Linseman | Edmonton Oilers | 19 | 10 | 4 | 14 | +7 | 65 |
Goaltenders
This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 420 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.| Player | Team | |||||||||
| Montreal Canadiens | 15 | 9 | 6 | 355 | 32 | 2.21 | .910 | 3 | 870:31 | |
| St. Louis Blues | 11 | 6 | 5 | 361 | 29 | 2.44 | .920 | 1 | 712:32 | |
| New York Islanders | 21 | 12 | 8 | 567 | 54 | 2.73 | .905 | 0 | 1188:11 | |
| Quebec Nordiques | 9 | 5 | 4 | 224 | 25 | 2.77 | .888 | 0 | 542:27 | |
| Edmonton Oilers | 16 | 11 | 4 | 495 | 44 | 2.99 | .911 | 1 | 883:44 |