The NHL has always been fiercely competitive, but you cannot stop the occasional blowout, no matter how hard you try. Teams can come out all guns blazing or completely lose all talent at the drop of a hat. Even the most remarkably consistent sportsmen have off days – they have to pray that the opposition isn’t at the height of their powers at that point. Otherwise, things can quickly go badly wrong.
We decided to pick out the three biggest blowouts throughout NFL history, but to make things more interesting, we drew up a few golden rules. To find the most one-sided games, we opted for complete shutout defeats where the losing team didn’t manage a single point.
NHL Blowouts and GIFT Betting
Before getting into concrete examples, we wanted to spotlight one of the best ways for NHL fans to take advantage of the occasional hockey blowout. GIFT (Goal In First Ten) betting is perfect if you don’t have the time to watch a whole game or expect it to be a high-scoring fixture from the onset.
As the name suggests, GIFT bettors place a stake on there being a goal within the first 10 minutes of a fixture. This happens in approximately 55% to 60% of matches, so it’s a tempting bet. Many sportsbooks feature this wager type, so don’t miss out on the NHL Goal In First Ten minutes bet.
Top Blowouts of All Time
Losing is never a particularly appealing option for NHL franchises. In most cases, there is something to be happy about for the losers, no matter how small. However, in the following three examples, the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and Detroit Red Wings had nothing to celebrate.
Detroit Red Wings 15 – New York Rangers 0
The 2022-2023 Detroit Red Wings aren’t quite the team they used to be in the 1940s, and this scoreline illustrates this statement. They beat the New York Rangers 15 to 0 in arguably the most one-sided game the NHL has ever seen. The 1944 game started explosively, with two goals in the first period, before the floodgates opened. Five goals followed in the second period, with another eight coming in the third. It rubber-stamped by far the worst defeat in NHL history.
The New York Rangers were never quite the same after the game, sparking a losing streak for the rest of the season. On the other hand, the free-scoring Red Wings used it to their advantage. Rookie goaltender Connie Dion got his first shutout, providing a vital confidence booster. Syd Howe also scored three goals to keep his golden 1944 season going.
Edmonton Oilers 13 – Vancouver Canucks 0
Oilers fans commonly debate which team from the 80s dynasty was the best. The 13-0 thrashing of the Vancouver Canucks is a credible argument for the original cup-winning squad of 1984-1985 being the best. Although the legendary Wayne Gretzky didn’t score any goals in this game, the rest of the team was in top form.
Especially Dave Lumley, who bagged himself a second career hat trick. The Oilers surged into a 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes, but worse was to come for the Canucks. Several failed power plays opened the door to a continuous stream of conceded goals; by the start of the fourth, they were 13 down. Another of the biggest thrashings in NHL history, it’s a game Canucks fans will never forget.
Toronto Maple Leafs 13 – Detroit Red Wings 0
In a game widely remembered as the result of a curse by New York Rangers fans, Detroit Red Wings fell to a remarkable 13-0 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1971. It was almost three decades after the infamous 15-0 mauling we touched on earlier, but this time it was the Red Wings’ turn to get a hiding.
The Maple Leafs were in the extraordinary form in the run-up to this fixture – already on a six-game winning streak at home. Their explosive attack consisted of all-time greats, including Darryl Sittler and Norm Ullman, putting the Red Wings’ defense to the sword in an outrageous attacking display. By the end of the game, they had had 49 shots on goal, with 13 being successful.