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It all comes down to this, the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Out of the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes; a team who had the most regular season points in the last decade without an appearance in the Final, getting past the ECF where they saw their season end three times before. Out of the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights; the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions back to show the hockey world that their contending window is far from over.

First let’s take a look at how we got here. 

Caro-Finally Eastern Conference Champions

It was another impressive regular season for the Hurricanes, 53 wins, the second best record in the league, and they had practically locked up the Metropolitan Division title months before the season came to a close. While any team would be satisfied with a season like that, it was business as usual in Raleigh. The only thing that mattered to them was winning in the playoffs. As I mentioned, they had the most regular season points without an appearance in the Final of any team in the last decade.

They got a tough draw in the first round, despite being the top seed in the East, the red hot Ottawa Senators. The Sens were basically playing must-win hockey for the last three months of the regular season, and were getting hot at the perfect time. Ottawa was a popular upset pick as they were trending up, and the last decade of playoff hockey had not given fans much confidence in Carolina. The result, a sweep of the Senators, the Canes were not messing around.

Round two brought upon an arguably easier opponent than Ottawa, the Philadelphia Flyers. They had fewer points in the regular season than the Sens, and after their first round victory over their instate rivals, Philly was just happy to be there. Although they matched up well, playing a similar style to Carolina, slow the game down, suppress the opposition, and capitalize on your chances. The Flyers could make things interesting if a few bounces went their way. The result, a sweep of the Flyers, the Canes were not messing around.

After almost two weeks off, awaiting the conclusion of the Buffalo/Montreal series, Carolina had a ton of rest ahead of the ECF. Game 1 against the Canadiens would be a real test of the rust versus rest debate. The Habs would score four goals in the first period, stunning the Canes and winning 6-2 to kick off the series. Carolina had only surrendered five goals in each of their first two series, and Montreal already had more goals in just the first game. 

Hurricanes fans couldn’t help but begin to think about all their failures in the Conference Final since they won the Cup in 2006. As they had lost four straight times in the ECF, getting swept on three occasions, and the other being a quick five games.

They came out and dominated Game 2, but found themselves headed to overtime, and one bounce, one shot away from a 2-0 series deficit. But they would not let Montreal get the chance, allowing zero shots in overtime and Nikolaj Ehlers scored early in the frame to even up the series.

Game 3 was almost identical to Game 2, a tilted ice in the Hurricanes favour, but Dobes stood on his head to keep things tied after regulation. It took a little longer, but Carolina still found the back of the net before Montreal in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead.

Games 4 and 5 were just utter domination by Carolina. With a 4-0 win in Montreal to set up a chance to advance to the Final on home ice, a game they were never going to lose. They closed out the series with a 6-1 win, taking down the Canadiens in five games, and making Game 1 look like a complete outlier. Facing their first bit of adversity these playoffs, Carolina responded with two overtime victories, and two lopsided victories, the Canes were not messing around.

Vegas Gambles with John Tortorella

The Golden Knights story begins with a few weeks left in the regular season. All year Vegas had been good, not great. In fact they went months without beating a playoff team, and despite a favourable path to making the playoffs in the Pacific Division, nobody gave them a shot to do anything once they got there.

But in a surprise move, they fired their head coach Bruce Cassidy, naming John Tortorella as his replacement. Cassidy was the coach who led them to a Stanley Cup, but this season it looked like he lost the team a bit, losing favour in the locker room. Torts was given the task of turning things around, and many people viewed this move as an act of desperation.

Immediately the move seemed to work, as it was as if a fire was lit under the team. They closed out the regular season going 7-0-1 under Tortorella, capturing the Pacific Division title.

They drew the Utah Mammoth in the opening round, and found themselves down 2-1 in the series. In Game 4, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead (apparently the worst lead you can have in these playoffs?) before Utah came storming back to score four straight, and take a lead in the third period. Vegas saw the game, and their season slipping away, as a 3-1 deficit would be a lot to overcome. However, they had their own comeback up their sleeve, taking back the lead they once possessed, winning 5-4 in overtime, avoiding disaster.

They would take Game 5 in overtime, coming up clutch when they needed to. And closed the series out with a 5-1 win on the road. Their experience in the playoffs kept them cool under pressure, taking out an inexperienced Mammoth team.

In the second round, they would avoid playing the Edmonton Oilers, who ended their season last year. Instead, another relatively new team to the playoffs, the Anaheim Ducks. 

The Ducks had a good mix of youth and veterans and a coach with loads of playoff hockey under his belt. Was a new threat in the Pacific Division going to announce themselves with a win over Vegas? Not quite yet. The teams went back and forth trading wins for the first four games, with the series knotted at two games apiece. But once again, Vegas would take Game 5 and 6 to close out the series, clinching a berth in the West Final.

It would be their toughest opponent yet, the Presidents’ Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche. Yet, it would be their quickest series. After going six games in the first two rounds, Vegas somehow pulled off a sweep of the Avalanche. Stealing Game 1 and 2 on the road gave them control over the series, but Game 3 was the nail in the Colorado coffin. With their backs against the wall, Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and looked like they were going to have life in the series. But remember, no 3-0 lead is safe in these playoffs. Vegas would come back to win 5-3, all but ending the Avs season. 

This 3-0 series lead was safe however, and Vegas completed the sweep on home ice, heading back to their third Stanley Cup Final in their franchise’s short history.

Who has the Edge?

The first state of Florida-less Final of the decade brings upon a very intriguing matchup. Carolina has been dominant and have not faced a ton of adversity these playoffs, whereas Vegas face their adversity early in the playoffs, and have gotten stronger each round. 

To say Carolina has not faced a ton of adversity is not a knock on them, they have just been truly dominant and it is nothing to fault them on. I don’t think Vegas having played more games to get here gives them any advantage.

Up front, both teams are getting scoring from up and down the lineup. Vegas’ stars are doing more than Carolina’s. Marner and Eichel are the two leading scorers in the postseason, Marner with 21 points, Eichel with 18. A Marner Cup (and likely the Conn Smythe should they win) in his first year out of Toronto would definitely be a fun story. 

The Hurricanes top line of Aho, Jarvis and Svechnikov have all seen their production take a step back from the regular season, but they are getting key goals when the team needs them, especially last series versus Montreal. Ehlers has also shown the ability to take over a game and provide the team with a spark.

Most notably for the Canes is their second line, which has been excellent, picking up any slack left by the first line. Hall, Blake and Stankoven all have 5+ goals (Stankoven with nine). That line gives them an injection of scoring, while their other lines can primarily focus on shutting down the opposition.

Vegas has been getting depth scoring, 11 players have scored multiple goals this postseason, including standouts Howden and Dorofeyev who both have 10. The Golden Knights will need all the goals they can get as the Hurricanes have been putting on a masterclass on limiting scoring chances this postseason.

While Andersen has been sharp, the D in front of him has been doing a lot to make his job as easy as possible. Their top four of Slavin, Miller, Walker and Chatfield have been a headache for forwards of the other team, giving up very little time and space and shutting them down. Slavin’s impact may not always show up on the box score, but watch these Finals and you will see just how valuable he is.

Vegas’ defensive corps looks better on paper, with more “star power” despite no actual stars. Theodore has been a serviceable number one defenseman in the absence of Alex Pietrangelo. Former Flames Hanifin and Andersson are playing the biggest games of their career, and McNabb is an effective pest. Even though they have notable names, the Knights blueline’s strength is its cohesiveness and playing into the system Torts has implemented.

In net I will call it a wash, neither team really has the upper hand as the two goalies have been excellent these playoffs. Hart has been making the most of his second chance in the NHL, and Andersen embodies the Hurricanes, as he had the most playoff games played without an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final until now. Either way a former Leaf is lifting Lord Stanley.

Brind’Amour versus Torts should be a fun coaching matchup, and provide some good quotes in their pressers. Obviously a Stanley Cup means a lot to each of them, but there is something to be said about the connection Brind’Amour feels to his team, and the Hurricanes organization, where on the other hand, Torts has only been with Vegas for around two months.

Fun fact: I have picked Carolina in every round these playoffs AND I have picked against Vegas in every round. Carolina keeps proving me right, and Vegas keeps proving me wrong. Will I change things up at the last second? Or stick with what I have been saying all postseason? Should be a fun series, maybe not the most traditional hockey markets, but make no mistake, these are two great hockey teams with two devoted fanbases. May the best team win.

Prediction: Hurricanes in 6