Which NHL Team Has the Most Wins in the Salary Cap Era?

It's been almost 20 seasons since the NHL lockout in 2004. Where do the Pittsburgh Penguins rank regarding wins since the league resumed operations?

There was no NHL hockey in 2004 because players and owners could not agree on a new collective bargaining agreement. 

Heading into the lockout, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the worst team in the league with just 58 points. 

That bottom ranking helped them win the first-ever NHL Draft Lottery in the salary cap era, leading to Sidney Crosby becoming the top pick in the 2005 Entry Draft.

It's been 20 years since that season was wiped out from the record book, but at the same time, the Penguins have become one of the most successful franchises in the past two decades.

On top of three Stanley Cup titles in 2009, 2016, and 2017, Pittsburgh has amassed an 828-495-162 record, good enough for a .612 win percentage.

The only team with more wins is the Boston Bruins at 840, who now hold the NHL record with 65 regular season wins during the 2022-23 season.  

Only the Vegas Golden Knights (.627%) and Bruins (.627%) have a higher win percentage.

Regarding Stanley Cup titles, the Penguins are tied with the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are the only three-time winners, while Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay are the only teams to win back-to-back.

Considering that Mario Lemieux was still skating when the NHL resumed operations in 2005, and the team had yet to lay a brick for PPG Paints Arena, the Penguins have come a long way since Crosby was just 18 years old.