The 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 4, after the conclusion of the 1983–84 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 19 with the Edmonton Oilers defeating the four-time defending champion New York Islanders 5–2 to win the Stanley Cup Finals four games to one, the franchise's first Stanley Cup.
Playoff seeds
The 1984 playoffs largely maintained the format used for the previous two seasons. The four teams with the best regular-season records from each of the four divisions secured playoff berths. The division semi-finals saw the first-place club against the fourth-place team, while the other two teams played against each other. The winning clubs then met in the division final. Home-ice advantage for these first two rounds of the playoffs were granted to the team with the better regular-season record. Division winners then met one another in the conference finals.
Leaving behind the coin flip system introduced for the 1982 playoffs, the NHL changed the method by which home-ice advantage is determined for the final two rounds. The higher point total accumulated by teams within a division from contests against teams of the other division in the conference, secured home-ice advantage for the corresponding division champion. Similarly, the higher point total accumulated by teams within a conference from contests against teams of the other conference, secured home-ice advantage for the corresponding conference champion.
This formula resulted in home-ice advantage for the Adams and Smythe division champions in the conference finals and resulted in home-ice advantage for the Wales Conference champion in the Stanley Cup finals.
The sequence of Stanley Cup Finals games was changed for this season. The series opened with two games at the venue of the team with home-ice advantage and then shifted to the opponent's rink for the next three games, including the fifth (if necessary). The series then returned to the initial venue for the final two games (if necessary).
The following teams qualified for the playoffs:
Prince of Wales Conference
Adams Division
Boston Bruins, Adams Division champions – 104 points (49 wins) Buffalo Sabres – 103 points Quebec Nordiques – 94 points Montreal Canadiens – 75 points
Patrick Division
New York Islanders, Patrick Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 104 points (50 wins) Washington Capitals – 101 points Philadelphia Flyers – 98 points New York Rangers – 93 points
Clarence Campbell Conference
Norris Division
Minnesota North Stars, Norris Division champions – 88 points
St. Louis Blues – 71 points
Detroit Red Wings – 69 points
Chicago Black Hawks – 68 points
Smythe Division
Edmonton Oilers, Smythe Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions – 119 points Calgary Flames – 82 points Vancouver Canucks – 73 points (32 wins) Winnipeg Jets – 73 points (31 wins)
Playoff bracket
Division Semifinals
Prince of Wales Conference
(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A4) Montreal Canadiens
This was the 19th playoff series between these two teams. Montreal lead 16–2 in previous playoff meetings. Montreal won the most recent meeting in seven games in the 1979 Stanley Cup Semifinals.
(A2) Buffalo Sabres vs. (A3) Quebec Nordiques
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.
(P1) New York Islanders vs. (P4) New York Rangers
This was the sixth playoff series meeting between these two teams. The Islanders won four of the previous five meetings, including in each of the past three seasons. The Islanders won in six games in last year's Patrick Division Finals.
(P2) Washington Capitals vs. (P3) Philadelphia Flyers
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.
Clarence Campbell Conference
(N1) Minnesota North Stars vs. (N4) Chicago Black Hawks
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Chicago won both previous meetings over the past two seasons, including last year's Norris Division Finals in five games.
(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N3) Detroit Red Wings
This was the first playoff series meeting between these two teams.
(S1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (S4) Winnipeg Jets
This was the second playoff series meeting between these two teams. This was a rematch of last year's Smythe Division Semifinals, in which Edmonton won in a three-game sweep.