The Stanley Cup winners were the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the best of seven series 4–2 against the Minnesota North Stars to claim their first championship.
At meetings in Florida on December 6, 1990, the NHL Board of Governors awarded provisional franchises to groups from Ottawa and Tampa.
The 1990 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 16, at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points, PIM = Penalties in minutes, PPG = Powerplay goals, SHG = Shorthanded goals, GWG = Game winning goals [2] GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average = SV% = Save percentage The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1990–91 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut 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): This was the third season of the league's Canadian national broadcast rights deals with TSN and Hockey Night in Canada on CBC.
Coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs was primarily on CBC, with TSN airing first round all-U.S. series.