The 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL), began after the conclusion of the 1993–94 NHL season. Prior to the season, the league renamed its conferences and divisions, and switched from a divisional-based to a conference-based playoff structure. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven game series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships; and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. The playoffs ended when the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh game of the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. In total, an NHL record seven game sevens were played in this year's playoffs, two of which went to overtime and was later repeated in 2011 and 2014, which were also the respective years where the Canucks and the Rangers made their next appearances in the Final.
For the first time since joining the NHL, all four former WHA teams (the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets) failed to make the playoffs. Wayne Gretzky also missed the playoffs for the first time in his career. Conversely, the San Jose Sharks became the first post-1990 expansion team to make the playoffs. All series played between Central and Pacific Division teams had a 2–3–2 format to reduce travel. This remains the last time that two Canadian teams made it to the Conference Finals in the same year, let alone faced each other in that particular round.
Playoff seeds This was the first season of the NHL's new conference-oriented playoff format, emulating the NBA's seeding format in use then. The top eight teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs. The top two seeds in each conference were awarded to the division winners; while the six remaining spots were awarded to the highest finishers in their respective conferences.
The following teams qualified for the playoffs:
Eastern Conference New York Rangers, Atlantic Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 112 points Pittsburgh Penguins, Northeast Division champions – 101 points New Jersey Devils – 106 points Boston Bruins – 97 points Montreal Canadiens – 96 points Buffalo Sabres – 95 points Washington Capitals – 88 points New York Islanders – 84 points
Western Conference Detroit Red Wings, Central Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions – 100 points Calgary Flames, Pacific Division champions – 97 points Toronto Maple Leafs – 98 points Dallas Stars – 97 points St. Louis Blues – 91 points Chicago Blackhawks – 87 points Vancouver Canucks – 85 points San Jose Sharks – 82 points
Playoff bracket In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series. Most followed a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team played at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). All series played between Central and Pacific Division teams instead had a 2–3–2 format to reduce travel, with the sites for games five and six switched, and the team with home-ice advantage had the option to start the series on the road instead of at home. The top eight teams in each conference made the playoffs, with the two division winners seeded 1–2 based on regular season records, and the six remaining teams seeded 3–8.
The NHL used "re-seeding", similar to the National Football League, instead of a fixed bracket playoff system used by the NBA. During the first three rounds, the highest remaining seed in each conference was matched against the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest remaining seed played the second-lowest remaining seed, and so forth. The higher-seeded team was awarded home-ice advantage. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where home-ice advantage was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference quarterfinals
(1) New York Rangers vs. (8) New York Islanders
The New York Rangers earned the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best regular season team with 112 points. The Islanders qualified as the eighth seed earning 84 points during the regular season. This was the eighth playoff series between these two rivals, with the Islanders winning five of the previous seven series. They last met in the 1990 Patrick Division Semifinals which the Rangers won in five games. The Islanders won the season series earning six of ten points during this year's five game regular season series.
This was the last time that the Islanders got swept in a playoff series until the 2019 Eastern Conference Second Round.
(2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (7) Washington Capitals
The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference by winning the Northeast Division with 101 points. The Washington Capitals earned 88 points during the regular season to finish seventh overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the third playoff meeting between these two rivals, with Pittsburgh winning both previous series. They last met in the 1992 Patrick Division Semifinals which Pittsburgh won in seven games after erasing a 3–1 deficit. Washington won the season series earning five of eight points during this year's four game regular season series.
Until their championship season, this was the only time the Capitals had defeated the Penguins in their first ten playoff series.
(3) New Jersey Devils vs. (6) Buffalo Sabres The New Jersey Devils entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with 106 points. The Buffalo Sabres earned 95 points during the regular season to finish sixth overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. New Jersey won three of the four games in this year's regular season series.
(4) Boston Bruins vs. (5) Montreal Canadiens
The Boston Bruins entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference with 97 points. The Montreal Canadiens earned 96 points during the regular season to finish fifth overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the twenty-eighth playoff meeting between these two rivals, with Montreal winning twenty-one of the previous twenty-seven series. This was also the tenth time in eleven years these two team had met in the playoffs. They last met in the 1992 Adams Division Finals, which Boston won in a four-game sweep. Montreal won the season series earning six of ten points during this year's five game regular season series. Game six was the final playoff game played at the Montreal Forum.
Western Conference quarterfinals
(1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) San Jose Sharks
The Detroit Red Wings entered the playoffs as the Western Conference regular season champions with 100 points. The San Jose Sharks earned 82 points during the regular season to finish eighth overall in the Western Conference. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. The Sharks made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs in their third season since entering the league in the 1991–92 season. The most recent team to represent the San Francisco Bay Area prior to this was the Oakland Seals, who lost in the Stanley Cup Quarterfinals in 1970. Detroit won three of the four games in this year's regular season series. The Sharks shocked the top-seeded Red Wings in seven games, becoming the first eighth-seeded team in North American sports history to defeat a number one seed. Jamie Baker scored the game-winning goal with 6:35 left in the third period of game seven to pull off the historic upset.
(2) Calgary Flames vs. (7) Vancouver Canucks The Calgary Flames entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference by winning the Pacific Division with 97 points. The Vancouver Canucks earned 85 points during the regular season to finish seventh overall in the Western Conference. This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two rivals, with Calgary winning three of the previous four series. They last met in the 1989 Smythe Division Semifinals which the Flames won in seven games. Calgary won the season series earning nine of fourteen points during this year's seven game regular season series.
The Canucks won the series after being down 3–1. They are the only team to date to win a series after being down 3–1 with all three games being won in overtime.
(3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (6) Chicago Blackhawks
The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference with 98 points. The Chicago Blackhawks earned 87 points during the regular season to finish sixth overall in the Western Conference. This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with Toronto winning five of the seven previous series. They last met in the 1986 Norris Division Semifinals which Toronto won in a three-game sweep. These teams split their six-game regular season series. Game six was the last NHL game played at Chicago Stadium.
(4) Dallas Stars vs. (5) St. Louis Blues
The Dallas Stars entered the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Western Conference with 97 points. The St. Louis Blues earned 91 points during the regular season to finish fifth overall in the Western Conference. This was the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, with St. Louis winning five of the nine previous series. They last met in the 1991 Norris Division Finals which the then Minnesota North Stars won in six games. Dallas won the season series earning seven of twelve points during this year's six game regular season series. This was the first time the city of Dallas was represented in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Game four was the last game played at the St. Louis Arena.
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) New York Rangers vs. (7) Washington Capitals
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with Washington winning two of the previous three series. They last met in the 1991 Patrick Division Semifinals, which Washington won in six games. New York won five of the six games in this year's regular season series.
Brian Leetch's goal with 3:28 left in the third period of game five won the series for the Rangers and sent them to the conference finals for the first time since 1986.
(3) New Jersey Devils vs. (4) Boston Bruins This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams. Their only previous meeting was in the 1988 Prince of Wales Conference Final, which Boston won in seven games. These teams split their four-game regular season series.
Western Conference semifinals
(3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (8) San Jose Sharks This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. San Jose won the season series earning four of eight points during this year's four game regular season series.
(4) Dallas Stars vs. (7) Vancouver Canucks This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Dallas won three of the four games in this year's regular season series.
Conference finals
Eastern Conference final
(1) New York Rangers vs. (3) New Jersey Devils