There is nothing more exciting and nerve-wracking than a Game 7 in an NHL postseason game.
The Stanley Cup playoffs never fail to disappoint, but Game 7s are an entirely different beast. Those winner-take-all contests leave one side defeated with their season coming to a close, while the other gets to celebrate their advancement to the next round.
Hockey fans were treated to multiple Game 7s last season, and were not disappointed with three in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. How many more will there be this year?
MORE: Does the NHL reseed in the playoffs?
Here is a look behind the numbers of the history of Game 7s in the NHL.
NHL Game 7 history, by the numbers
193
There have been a total of 193 Game 7s played in NHL history.
Game 7s were first introduced in 1939, originally only applying to the Stanley Cup Semifinals and Finals. In 1968, the seven-game format was added to the quarterfinals and then to the division semifinal round in 1987.
3
So far, there have been three Game 7s through the first round of the 2023 NHL playoffs. The Bruins-Panthers, Avalanche-Kraken and Devils-Rangers all went the distance to determine their respective series.
6
There were six Game 7s that took place last season during the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Five of those came in the first round and the other was in the second round. Neither of the conference finals nor the Stanley Cup Final required a seventh game. The Rangers played in two Game 7s, winning both of those contests.
17
There have been 17 Game 7s that have occurred in a Stanley Cup Final.
The last championship series that featured a winner-take-all game was in 2019 between the Bruins and the Blues. St. Louis defeated Boston 4-1 to claim the franchise's first Stanley Cup win.
48
Out of the 190 Game 7s to take place, 48 of those contests have required overtime.
In this year's playoffs, the Panthers won their Game 7 against the Bruins in overtime, with Carter Verhaeghe playing the hero for Florida.
MORE: What are the longest NHL overtime playoff games?
The longest Game 7 took place during the 1987 postseason between the Islanders and the Capitals. The two sides went to four overtimes in the finale of their division semifinal series. Pat LaFontaine finally broke the 2-2 tie in the fourth overtime to lift New York to the series win.
7
Last season's six Game 7s nearly threatened the record for most in a single playoff, but that mark is set at seven.
The 1994, 2011 and 2014 playoffs share the record for most Game 7s in one postseason, as each of those playoffs had seven out of a possible 15. That's nearly half of the matchups requiring the full length of the series.
19
Fans aren't guaranteed to get a Game 7 in a postseason. In fact, 19 NHL playoffs have not featured a seventh game.
Luckily that hasn't been the case for quite some time. The last time the league went the entire playoffs without a single Game 7 was in 1977.
30
The Bruins have played in the most Game 7s out of any other club, participating in 30.
Boston owns a record of 15-15 in those games. The franchise's 15 wins in Game 7 are tied with the Canadiens for the most in league history.
0
There is only one NHL team that has played in zero Game 7s: the Blue Jackets.
Columbus has made six postseason appearances but has never played in a Game 7. Before 2023, Seattle also had never played in a Game 7, however, the club faced Colorado in a winner-take-all game in its first-round series.
15
There is just one man who can claim the name "Mr. Game 7" in the NHL, and that's Justin Williams. The former forward built a career on coming through in the most clutch moments, as his 15 points in Game 7s are the most out of any player in NHL history.
He also is tied with Glenn Anderson for the most Game 7 goals with seven, and trails only Doug Gilmour for the most Game 7 assists with eight. Williams ended his career with three Stanley Cup wins, hoisting the Cup with the Hurricanes in 2004 and the Kings in 2012 and 2014.
