Written by Kylie Wagner
We are currently days away from the NHL playoff season and this year the Stanley Cup could truly be anyone’s, but we do have an eye on two specific teams.
There are currently 10 teams that have clinched a spot in the playoffs and multiple teams are on the brink of finishing with a strong season to send them to the playoffs. The eastern conference Atlantic Division teams clinched are the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Metropolitan division teams are the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes and the first eastern wild card spot is clinched by the Tampa Bay Lighting.
From the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers are currently standing with 110 points which is the best record in the league. They are a league favorite but don’t have the best Stanley Cup odds. The Rangers have not won the Cup since 1994 and only had one Cup final appearance since 2024. It is easy to say that they are currently the best team in the NHL and we are excited to see how they perform in playoff hockey.
The second team to look out for this playoff season is the Carolina Hurricanes. They currently stand right under the Rangers with 107 points this season which is a tie with the Boston Bruins. Although they are not the top team in their division, they have the best playoff odds and are currently the most talked about team. The last time the Hurricanes won the cup was in 2006 against the Montreal Canadiens.
From the Western Conference Central Division the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and the Winnipeg Jets have clinched a playoff spot. In the Pacific Division, only the Vancouver Canucks have secured a spot in the playoffs and none from the wildcard race have been chosen.
Although eyes are on the Rangers and Hurricanes anything can happen in playoff hockey and no one would be surprised to see multiple upsets this year.
