Here’s the latest I can share based on recent records up to 2026: the longest NHL playoff game in history remains the 1936 Detroit Red Wings vs Montreal Maroons, which went six overtimes (176:30 total) before Mud Bruneteau scored to win [source: NHL history summaries]. In modern times, the longest playoff games typically span four overtimes, with notable examples occurring in the 2020s and earlier decades, but no playoff game has surpassed the 1936 six-overtime marathon [source: historical overtimes compilations].
If you’d like, I can pull a fresh update on any recent marathon playoff games or verify whether any new games since 2024 have approached or surpassed previous records.
Sources
Unheralded rookie plays hero, scores in sixth overtime to lift Detroit past Maroons in 1936
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