I’m obsessed with hockey numbers, but not just knowing how many goals players scored in any given season, or who has won the most Stanley Cups. I love finding patterns in the numbers as well. And from a historical perspective, things look good for the Detroit Red Wings to repeat as champions.

Since the NHL-only era began in 1926, 81 champions have been crowned. In that time, 15 multi-champion streaks can be found (or 18.5% of all champions). Of those, 5 have been more than two in a row. Further, only 7 teams have achieved this feat, but only 4 have done it multiple times (Montreal – 5, Detroit – 3, Toronto – 2, Edmonton – 2).

To add a little extra spin, the NHL is currently tied with its previous length between repeat winners (9 years, dating back to the period between 1938-1946). An odd coincidence: the team that won back-to-back championships prior to these periods was the Detroit Red Wings.

Given all that, I’d say it bumps up Detroit’s chances of winning to 9.25%. At the start of the season, every team has a 3.33% chance and those that qualify for the playoffs have a 6.25% chance.

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