Best Rivalries in the NHL

[McG]

Rogers vs fans.

[Dion]

[activeStick]

A bit surprised that none of the Leafs rivalries made the OP's list. Leafs vs Sens is intense and especially because of the high number of Leaf fans (probably 70% of the arena when I lived in Ottawa) who are at the games in Ottawa. Leafs vs Habs is also intense due to being original teams in the NHL. Leafs fans don't get to dominate in Montreal like they do in Ottawa though as there are plenty of Habs fans that show up.

Edit - whoops I clearly missed the entries at first! See them now...

[Reggie Dunlop]

They're trying to push a contrived Seattle/Vancouver rivalry.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

I think Devils-Rangers and Devils-Flyers are two that are pretty epic as well.

[MrMike]

Pens - Flyers are always fun. That playoff series when Bryzgalov and Fleury both couldn’t stop a single puck was probably my favourite Non-Flame series I’ve ever watched.

[Bourque's Twin]

Nothing beats the Battle of Alberta in the NHL right now.

[N-E-B]

I think even when it comes to Calgary-Edmonton, but certainly league-wide, the rivalries are mainly in the stands now. The players just don't care like they used to because the turnover rate is so much higher than it used to be. I don't think today's players are as invested in the rivalries as they used to be. Also, with a bigger league it's harder to establish rivalries when the chances of meeting in the playoffs consistently are much lower. It's a business now more than ever. Doesn't help the teams only play each other 3-4 times/year now. I remember not that long ago the Flames would play Edmonton 8 times a year. This year they only play 3 times.

[bzoo02]

After the Tkachuk elbow on Doughty, there was a rivalry storyline for about 3 seasons.

[Buff]

Leafs vs Bruins is one that I didn't see mentioned yet. This one complete the Eastern hate triangle.

Kinda like the Flames/Oilers/Canucks hate triangle there is the Leafs/Bruins/Canadiens hate triangle too.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

They're trying to push a contrived Seattle/Vancouver rivalry.

Seattle-Vancouver was a pretty hot rivalry… 100 years ago. They met in the playoffs for the PCHA championship (and, at the time, the right to challenge for the Stanley Cup) for seven straight years.

I'm sure there are oodles of 120-year-old hockey fans in both cities who remember those days fondly and are just itching to get the rivalry going again.

[GioforPM]

Flames versus officiating.

[Dion]

Rangers - Islanders.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

They're trying to push a contrived Seattle/Vancouver rivalry.

The funny thing is Vancouver-born peeps LOVE to bandwagon hop and all love to cheer for the Seahawks when they were good and cheer for the Mariners just to "stick it to Toronto" due to their insecurity about Toronto. Hard to build a rivalry when they've been Seattle fans for so long.

[Jay Random]

Vancouverites aren't insecure about Toronto. They HATE Toronto, like nearly every Canadian with a heart and a brain who lives beyond visual range from the CN Tower.

[OminousFlames]

Originally Posted by activeStick

The funny thing is Vancouver-born peeps LOVE to bandwagon hop and all love to cheer for the Seahawks when they were good and cheer for the Mariners just to "stick it to Toronto" due to their insecurity about Toronto. Hard to build a rivalry when they've been Seattle fans for so long.

Just because the Bluejays are the only Canadian team in the MLB, doesn't mean all Canadians have to cheer for them. Same with the Raptors. I am happy when they are eliminated, cause they like to make it out like all of Canada is behind them.

[cam_wmh]

I still want to see the Rangers/Capitals rivalry escalate, since the Reeves signing as retribution for Wilson rag dolling Panarin. I don't recall much happening between them last season.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Dion

Rangers - Islanders.

I think this sums up Rangers-Islanders. Islanders have some weird promotion where they let everyone with a Santa costume on the ice after the game. One guy has a Rangers jersey and he gets ragdolled by the other Santas.