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 all the teams were moved around in 1981. 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 beat in four games in a playoff series.
This was the last NHL season to end in the month of May.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes
Note: All dates in 1991
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1990–91 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
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):