The most shocking early playoff exits in NHL history

	Alexei Yashin (left) received condolences after his 109-point Senators suffered a first-round sweep by the Leafs in 2001. Harry How/Getty Images

The Red Wings were 29 points better than the Oilers this season but are watching the second round of the playoffs from home. Detroit is merely the most recent addition to a list of powerhouses that were expected to make noise in the playoffs only to be jettisoned in early rounds by teams that, in some instances, had little business being playoff clubs. Here's a look at many of those notable early-round shockers.

1. 1993-94 Detroit Red Wings

What in the name of Arturs Irbe...? The San Jose Sharks boasted the greatest single-season improvement (58 points) but came from such depths that they were still a sub-.500 club. Detroit, led by 50-goal scorers Sergei Fedorov and Ray Sheppard, finished with 100 points and the top seed in the Western Conference. In a 2-3-2 series format, the Wings hosted the final two games and seemed to have righted the ship with a 7-1 pasting of San Jose in Game 6, only to suffer a stunning 3-2 loss in Game 7.

2. 1990-91 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago was 38 points better than the lowly 68-point Minnesota North Stars. Yet the Blackhawks became the first President's Trophy winner (first awarded in 1985-86) to be toppled in the opening round and the first No. 1 overall to fail to get out of the first round since the 1970-71 Bruins. The Blackhawks had a 2-1 series lead but promptly lost three straight by a cumulative score of 12-2. Ed Belfour led the league with a 2.47 GAA but was 4.07 in this series.

3. 1981-82 Edmonton Oilers

It wasn't just the 48-point differential that made this the biggest playoff upset based on points, it was how this opening best-of-five series unfolded. Seemingly on their way to a 2-1 advantage, the Oilers had a 5-0 lead after 40 minutes of Game 3. However, the Los Angeles Kings tied it with five goals in the third. Daryl Evans won it in OT to cap the Miracle on Manchester. So much for momentum. The Kings, winners of only 24 regular-season games, lost Game 4 at home but won the decisive Game 5 in Edmonton, 7-1.

4. 1990-91 St. Louis Blues

The Blues, led by Brett Hull's 86 goals, had the second-most wins (47) in club history and finished one point behind overall No. 1 Chicago. Yet St. Louis struggled to beat mediocre Detroit (76 points) in seven first-round games before succumbing to the surging North Stars in six. In their two series, the Blues were a woeful 1-5 on the road while being outscored 25-15. Goalie Vincent Riendeau would never play another full series.

5. 1950-51 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit had a .721 winning percentage, the best mark during its 1950s dynasty. Montreal posted its only losing season in a stretch of 35 years. Despite the 36-point difference in a 70-game schedule, it was the Habs who sent the Wings home early. After inexplicably falling behind 0-2 at home, Detroit won a pair in Montreal only to suffer a 5-2 loss back at the Olympia in Game 5. They lost Game 6, and the opening-round series, 3-2 in Montreal.