1990-91 NHL season

The 1990-91 NHL season was the 74th regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-one teams each played 80 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the best of seven series 4–2 against the Minnesota North Stars. The North Stars defeated the Edmonton Oilers to become the first Norris Division team to appear in the Stanley Cup Finals since the 1981 realignment. The championship was the first in Penguins history. A record high 92 playoff games were held, and for the first time since the 1973 playoffs, no team was swept in a playoff series.

This was the last NHL season to end in the month of May.

Scoring Leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes

Stanley Cup Playoffs
Note: All dates in 1991

Debuts
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1990-91 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):


 * Robert Reichel, Calgary Flames
 * Dominik Hasek, Chicago Blackhawks
 * Keith Primeau, Detroit Red Wings
 * Mike Sillinger, Detroit Red Wings
 * Sergei Fedorov, Detroit Red Wings
 * Bobby Holik, Hartford Whalers
 * Geoff Sanderson, Hartford Whalers
 * John LeClair, Montreal Canadiens
 * Patrice Brisebois, Montreal Canadiens
 * Sean Hill*, Montreal Canadiens
 * Doug Weight*, New York Rangers
 * Tony Amonte*, New York Rangers
 * Mike Ricci, Philadelphia Flyers
 * Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins
 * Mats Sundin, Quebec Nordiques
 * Owen Nolan, Quebec Nordiques
 * Petr Nedved, Vancouver Canucks
 * Dmitri Khristich, Washington Capitals
 * Peter Bondra, Washington Capitals
 * Kris Draper, Winnipeg Jets

Last Games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1990-91 (listed with their last team):
 * Gord Kluzak, Boston Bruins
 * Tony McKegney, Chicago Blackhawks
 * Glen Hanlon, Detroit Red Wings
 * Don Maloney, New York Islanders
 * Lindy Ruff, New York Rangers
 * Pete Peeters, Philadelphia Flyers
 * Guy Lafleur, Quebec Nordiques
 * Harold Snepsts, St. Louis Blues
 * Paul MacLean, St. Louis Blues
 * Rick Meagher, St. Louis Blues
 * Stan Smyl, Vancouver Canucks
 * Joel Quenneville, Washington Capitals