2002 Stanley Cup playoffs


The 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League began on April 17, 2002.
The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes on June 13, 2002, four games to one, to win their tenth championship in their history. The Hurricanes were in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in their 23-year history, which includes their tenure as the Hartford Whalers. Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. It was the ninth championship for Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman, who announced his retirement after the deciding game of the series. The Phoenix Coyotes played their last playoff games at America West Arena and missed the playoffs until 2010, when they played in Glendale.
, awarded to the champion of the NHL.
The 16 teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. A record 25 shutouts were recorded in the 2002 Playoffs and, for the first time since 1991, not a single team was swept in a playoff series. This is the last time that all three Eastern Canada teams made the playoffs together and got past the first round. For the first time since entering the NHL, both teams from the province of Alberta, the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers missed the playoffs in the same season.

Playoff seeds

Eastern Conference

  1. Boston Bruins, Northeast Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions – 101 points
  2. Philadelphia Flyers, Atlantic Division champions – 97 points
  3. Carolina Hurricanes, Southeast Division champions – 91 points
  4. Toronto Maple Leafs – 100 points
  5. New York Islanders – 96 points
  6. New Jersey Devils – 95 points
  7. Ottawa Senators – 94 points
  8. Montreal Canadiens – 87 points

    Western Conference

  9. Detroit Red Wings, Central Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 116 points
  10. Colorado Avalanche, Northwest Division champions – 99 points
  11. San Jose Sharks, Pacific Division champions – 99 points
  12. St. Louis Blues – 98 points
  13. Chicago Blackhawks – 96 points
  14. Phoenix Coyotes – 95 points
  15. Los Angeles Kings – 95 points
  16. Vancouver Canucks – 94 points

    Playoff bracket

Conference Quarterfinals

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

The Boston Bruins finished first in the Eastern Conference during the regular season with 101 points. The Montreal Canadiens qualified as the eighth seed earning 87 points during the regular season. This was the twenty-ninth playoff series between the Bruins and the Canadiens, with Montreal winning twenty-one of the twenty-eight previous series. They last met in the 1994 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which Boston won in seven games.

(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Ottawa Senators

The Philadelphia Flyers entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference after winning the Atlantic Division with 97 points. The Ottawa Senators earned the seventh seed with 94 points. This was the first playoff series played between the two franchises. The Flyers scored two goals in this series, which is the lowest total scored by a team in a five-game series in NHL history.

(3) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (6) New Jersey Devils

The Carolina Hurricanes entered the playoffs as the Southeast Division champions earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference with 91 points. The New Jersey Devils earned the sixth seed with 95 points. Although New Jersey finished the season with a better overall record and a higher point total, Carolina won their division so they were automatically placed in the top three seeds in the conference and were granted home ice advantage. This was the second playoff series between these two teams, with the only previous meeting being the 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals where New Jersey won in six games.

(4) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (5) New York Islanders

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with 100 points. The New York Islanders earned the fifth seed with 96 points. This was the third playoff series between these two teams, the teams split the previous two playoff series. They last met in the 1981 Preliminary Round where New York won in three games.

Western Conference Quarterfinals

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Vancouver Canucks

The Detroit Red Wings entered the playoffs as the President's trophy winners, the Western Conference Regular season champions and the Central Division champions with 116 points. The Vancouver Canucks entered the playoffs as the eighth seed finishing the season with 94 points. This was the first playoff series between these two teams.

(2) Colorado Avalanche vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings

The Colorado Avalanche entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference by winning the Northwest Division with 99 points. The Los Angeles Kings earned 95 points during the regular season to finish seventh overall in the Western Conference. This was the second playoff series between these two teams, they last met in the 2001 Western Conference Semifinals, which Colorado won in seven games.

(3) San Jose Sharks vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes

The San Jose Sharks entered the playoffs as the Pacific Division champions earning the third seed in the Western Conference with 99 points, losing the tiebreaker with the Colorado Avalanche in wins. The Phoenix Coyotes earned the sixth seed with 95 points, winning the tiebreaker with the Los Angeles Kings in head-to head points. This was the first and to date only playoff series between these two teams.

(4) St. Louis Blues vs. (5) Chicago Blackhawks

Conference Semifinals

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(3) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (8) Montreal Canadiens

(4) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (7) Ottawa Senators

This remains the last all-Canadian playoff series that was played beyond the first round.

Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (4) St. Louis Blues

(2) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3) San Jose Sharks

San Jose had a 3-2 series lead until Peter Forsberg scored the OT winner in Game 6 as well as the lone goal in Game 7.

Conference Finals

Eastern Conference Final

(3) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Toronto Maple Leafs

This is the only playoff meeting between these two teams. This is also the most recent time that the Maple Leafs made it to the conference finals. The series itself was extremely low-scoring. As of 2019, this series remains as the lowest scoring six-game playoff series in NHL history.

Western Conference Final

(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (2) Colorado Avalanche

Game seven of this series, is the most one-sided game seven score in NHL history.

Stanley Cup Finals

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Detroit made their twenty-second Finals appearance; their most recent appearance came in 1998 where they swept the Washington Capitals in four games. Carolina made their first Finals appearance in their twenty-third season since entering the league in 1979–80. The Hurricanes franchise had last played in a championship series when they were known as the New England Whalers in the WHA in 1978 where they were swept by the Winnipeg Jets. Detroit won both games in this year's regular season series.

Player statistics

Despite getting eliminated by the Red Wings in the Western Conference Final, Colorado forward Peter Forsberg led the playoffs in points with 18 assists and 9 goals. Brett Hull of the Detroit Red Wings led the playoffs with ten goals.

Skaters

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
PlayerTeamGPGAPts+/–PIM
Colorado Avalanche2091827+820
Detroit Red Wings2361723+410
Colorado Avalanche2191019-24
Detroit Red Wings2381119+520
Toronto Maple Leafs1971219+656
Detroit Red Wings2351419+420
Detroit Red Wings2310818+14
Carolina Hurricanes2361016–26
Detroit Red Wings2351116+62
Toronto Maple Leafs2051015+34

Goaltending

These are the top seven goaltenders based on goals against average with at least four games played.
GP = Games Played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; Sv% = Save Percentage; TOI = Time On Ice ; SO = Shutouts
PlayerTeamGPWLSAGAGAASv%TOISO
Ottawa Senators1275332181.39.946777:444
Carolina Hurricanes832180111.62.939407:342
Carolina Hurricanes18108480301.67.9381078:171
New Jersey Devils62414591.42.938381:081
Philadelphia Flyers41310971.85.936226:391
St. Louis Blues1055252181.83.929590:153
Detroit Red Wings23167562451.86.9201454:426