Browsing: Stanley

• 

  Ryan S. ClarkOct 21, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

  Close

  Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Everyone has a story about the pingpong table at the San Jose Sharks’ practice facility.

That includes the franchise players, role players and those who just got called up from the minors. Even the coaches and support staff members have stories about the piece of recreational equipment.

This includes second-year Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky. One day, while outside his office, he discovered Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith playing an unconventional style of pingpong.

“They’re playing pingpong with their shirts off, whacking each other with balls, having welts on them,” Warsofsky recalled. “That was kind of my first moment where I’m like, ‘Oh my God, these kids are 18 and 19 years old.’ But then you talk to them about hockey — and you talk to Mack and Will. They’re very mature kids for where they are at and being in the National Hockey League.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

“And so when you see those things like the pingpong balls, as funny as it is, how do you handle that as a coach? Because on one hand, you want players to be who they are. But on the other, you’re also going, ‘I’m sorry, what?'”

Moments like this are reminders that, for all the excitement, expectation and promise of a Sharks rebuild, Celebrini is still 19, and Smith is 20. These two could become the next NHL super-duo, and they’re having fun in the process.

That’s what makes them so endearing to everyone in the Sharks’ organization, because of what it represents: belief.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin. Those are all duos who won the Stanley Cup. Although their organizations built around them in order to win, the point remains that they were the cornerstones in the first place.

With Celebrini and Smith in place, are the Sharks the next organization to follow that path?

REBUILDS ARE LIKEmachines, in that there must be specific parts in place for everything to work. But even with those parts, there must be cohesion. A rebuild that has the parts and the cohesion could eventually turn into a dynasty — while a rebuild lacking that continuity is likely not headed anywhere close.

This is why the Sharks have brought in veterans like Dmitry Orlov and Tyler Toffoli, because they have played for teams that have developed strong cultures around their young players. It’s why they hired Warsofsky: He knows how to develop players, and has the drive to develop himself as a head coach. This is why everyone around the organization is so cautiously optimistic.

Celebrini, background, and Smith, foreground, have shown off the talent that makes many in the organization believe the rebuild will be coming to a close soon. Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

None of this is lost on Celebrini and Smith. For as grateful as they are to be in the NHL at such a young age, they know that even if they improve on their last-place finish (52 points) in 2024-25, the Sharks will likely be in the draft lottery again.

“We have so much talent and guys that could make this roster and make it better in the future,” Celebrini said. “But at the same time, we can’t just wait around for guys to develop or guys to come in. I think we want to be greedy right now and we want to start changing things right now.”

EVERY DUO HASan origin story. It’s just that San Jose isn’t where it first began for Celebrini and Smith. It actually started in Switzerland at the IIHF U18 World Championships in 2023. Celebrini represented Canada while Smith played for the United States. Smith led the tournament in points, helping the U.S. win the gold medal. A year later, they played against each other at the World Junior Championships; Smith led the tournament in points (again), as the U.S. won gold (again).

College was no different. They played in the same city but were on opposite sides of one of the most storied rivalries in the collegiate game; Celebrini skated for Boston University while Smith played at Boston College. They played against each other four times, with Smith and BC winning three of those meetings; the final one was the Hockey East Championship.

New ESPN and FOX One Bundle

Bundle ESPN and FOX One and unlock more sports for one unbeatable price. Get the World Series, college football, NBA, NHL and more. Get access

Smith led the nation with 71 points as a freshman, while Celebrini was third with 64. However, Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top collegiate player. They each made it to the Frozen Four — where both lost to national champion Denver.

Drafting Smith with the fourth pick in 2023 was a significant addition for the Sharks. After winning the 2024 draft lottery and landing Celebrini, it led to a conversation about where the Sharks could be heading with their newfound duo.

“We never said a word to one another, and then, we came here for development camp,” Smith said. “And we really haven’t gone many days without each other. We talk about it sometimes that we’re [fighting for] the scoring title together. I’d check the box score and he’d light it up one night or I’d do the same and he’d get pissed off about it.”

Neither Celebrini nor Smith can pinpoint the exact moment that their friendship started. They both just said it happened naturally. They shared common interests like playing golf, playing cards on the team plane and — you guessed it — playing pingpong.

They also watch movies. Like, quite a few movies. On the day Smith spoke to ESPN, he said that he got Celebrini to watch “Horrible Bosses 2.” Just as he said that, Celebrini walked past him and yelled, “Rex! Rex!” in reference to the film’s antagonist, played by Chris Pine.

Another thing they have in common is that last season was the first time either of them played on a team that didn’t have a winning record or reach the postseason. They both admitted it was challenging to make that transition.

Smith and Celebrini have a lot of fun with one another off the ice as well, including Celebrini having to wear a Boston College jersey after Smith’s alma mater won a game against Boston University this past January. Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images

CELEBRINI SHOWED THAThe can handle the demands of being a top-line center last season, leading the Sharks with 63 points in 70 games and finishing second in the voting for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. Smith finished tied for fourth on the team in points, with 45 in 74 games.

Facing the tough grind of a rebuild together allowed Celebrini and Smith to develop their own community, and it expanded beyond the duo. Veterans like Tyler Toffoli and teammates closer in age such as Ty Dellandrea and William Eklund are part of that community. So are all-time Sharks greats such as Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton; Smith lives with Marleau while Celebrini lives with Thornton.

But to believe their first seasons were defined by their point totals or any other metrics tells only part of their story.

What they learned through the losing was more than the need to improve as a team. They learned how to rely on each other, while showing others that they can be relied upon, too. Instead of keeping to themselves with their goofiness, they wanted others to be part of the fun.

This is how Celebrini and Smith are starting to make their mark on the Sharks.

Some of this has made its way to the public. The most prominent example being the sleepover that happened in March. Celebrini and Smith made a bet with Toffoli that if all three scored in the same game, Toffoli would sleep in Celebrini and Smith’s hotel room. They each scored in the Sharks’ 6-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres, which led to the Sharks posting a picture of Celebrini and Smith smiling in their beds while Toffoli was on a cot with his back turned to the camera.

“I think it’s kind of funny but surprising at the same time,” Toffoli said of how people reacted to the sleepover. “We’re in a smallerish market here in San Jose, but the way it kind of blew up — that’s just us, and it wasn’t like it was just us in that room. There were six or seven of us in that room, which is definitely pretty funny.”

Naturally, the Sharks made their home-opening giveaway this season a Celebrini and Smith bobblehead, with the two of them in their beds and an option of purchasing Toffoli in a separate bobblehead to complete the set.

“It’s definitely pretty ridiculous,” Toffoli said.

All of ESPN. All in one place.

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Then there are the stories nobody knows about that speak to everything that embodies what it means to be Celebrini and Smith.

With the NHL hosting the 4 Nations Face-Off, it gave those players who weren’t playing a chance to get some rest. Celebrini and Smith were part of a group of Sharks players who organized a five-day golf trip to Arizona.

Everything was planned out, down to the courses they’d play, but there was one detail they overlooked: Celebrini and Smith were too young to rent an Airbnb and needed Dellandrea, who is 25, to book their accommodations.

“You forget how young they are sometimes,” Dellandrea said. “I think we forget that because they’re good people and as good hockey players as they are, they’re still that young.”

FOR ALL THATthey have done to foster a community, the Sharks have also created the sort of community around Celebrini and Smith that could have a long-term impact.

That includes the homegrown talents who are on this year’s roster like Eklund, Sam Dickinson and Michael Misa, along with prospects they’ve acquired in trades, such as Yaroslav Askarov and Shakir Mukhamadullin.

It also includes players such as Dellandrea, Toffoli and Dmitry Orlov, who were brought in from elsewhere and who know what it means to have an organic team culture.

“It’s important because your team is your second family and you spend a lot of time with them and you have to have trust and believe in them in the tough times,” said Orlov, who was part of the core the Washington Capitals built around Backstrom and Ovechkin to win a Stanley Cup in 2018. “But it’s also a lifestyle, too. We have a fun life, and it can be up and down. Everybody can handle that differently, but it’s why you have teammates, you have a family that can support you.”

Orlov and Toffoli said where that support becomes even more crucial for young players in today’s game is when it comes to social media. They shared how both the criticisms and the praise are easily accessible, to the point that it can become too much for one person to handle without the right support system in place.

Toffoli said part of building that support system is to consistently “do the right things,” with the hope that young players feel the traits they are seeing are ones worth replicating.

Veterans like Tyler Toffoli have been critical as the Sharks build up their foundation and culture around Macklin Celebrini and the other young, homegrown players. Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images

Although Dellandrea might not have Orlov and Toffoli’s experience in terms of games played, he does have an experience that lends itself toward helping the Sharks’ young players in a different way. After starting his career with the Dallas Stars, Dellandrea knows what it’s like to be one of the youngest players on the roster, because there is a difference.

“I think no matter who it is, young or old, you want good seeds in your locker room,” Dellandrea said. “I think [Sharks GM Mike Grier] and Warzo have done a good job in that there are good people to be around.”

Making sure that Celebrini, Smith and the rest of the Sharks’ homegrown core are surrounded by strong-minded individuals is an objective that Warsofsky takes personally and seriously.

Breaking News from Emily Kaplan

Download the ESPN app and enable Emily Kaplan’s news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here.

Part of the reason Grier hired Warsofsky was his ability to develop, teach and win at the AHL and ECHL levels. The principles that allowed Warsofsky to reach the NHL have also made him want to get better at his craft.

Coaching in the minors has given him the chance to work with young players. But Celebrini and Smith were the first teenagers he ever coached.

“That was a big adjustment,” Warsofsky said. “They’re very mature kids and they’re smart hockey players. But at the end of the day, they’re still 18 and 19 years old. You try to build a relationship, and it takes time. You see certain things that make them kids, and they’re both mature kids. But there’s a little side of them that lets you know they are teenagers.”

Warsofsky said seeing Celebrini and Smith whack each other with pingpong balls, while jarring, reminded him that it was important to let them grow up so they can develop the personalities that will someday be the voices that guide the franchise.

“I’m a big proponent of wanting personalities in our room,” Warsofsky said. “I want energy in the room. I think that’s important and that can be contagious. The more of that we have, the more swagger we’d be having with our hockey team. It translates to the ice.”

Source link

The Vegas Golden Knights will be your 2026 Stanley Cup champions, according to the official season simulation done by EA SPORTS in NHL 26.

The Golden Knights defeated the Canucks and Oilers in seven games before defeating the Avalanche in six to advance to the Finals. They took down the Rangers in seven games with Mitch Marner taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Marner led the playoffs in scoring followed by Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin.

The San Jose Sharks earned a surprise playoff berth on the back of 95 points from Macklin Celebrini while the Avalanche won the Presidents Trophy.

Connor McDavid took home the Art Ross and Hart Trophy after posting 134 points during the regular season.

Auston Matthew won the Rocket Richard with 61 goals, Cale Makar won the Norris, while Connor Hellebuyck repeated as the Vezina winner.

Anthony Cirelli won his first career Selke Trophy, Ivan Demidov won the Calder after notching 75 points while Bruce Cassidy won the Jack Adams.

NHL 25 predicted the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup last season, we will see if the simulation jinx continues this year.

For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.

Source link

SUNRISE, Fla. — There are a couple of minor dings these days in the Stanley Cup, including one right near the spot where the names of the 2024-25 Florida Panthers are etched in commemoration of their latest title.

Such things happen during championship celebrations. No worries, they’ll be fixed soon.

And the Panthers are hoping for the chance to put a few more dings in the trophy next year.

A new season for the now back-to-back Stanley Cup champions started Tuesday, with the Panthers all gazing toward the top of Amerant Bank Arena to watch another championship banner hoisted to the rafters. It’s basically the same as last year’s — white background, red lettering — with the only change being the year, 2025 instead of 2024.

“This is a new year and it’s a new opportunity for us,” Panthers forward Brad Marchand said. “And when it starts, it’s time to turn the page and start working toward a chance to hopefully do it again.”

The banner swayed over the end of the ice the Panthers defended twice Tuesday in their 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. By the next home game Thursday, it’ll take its more permanent place over the team bench alongside the team’s other banners for division and conference titles.

“You kind of look back at what you achieved but at the same time you’re proud of the achievement,” Panthers forward Anton Lundell said. “But it gives you more hunger to do it again.”

Fans lined up for one more picture with the Cup outside the doors of the arena Tuesday afternoon, many of them arriving long before the unusual 5 p.m. weekday start time — one that accommodated being part of a nationally televised tripleheader. Once they came inside, the new scoreboard over center ice displayed a compilation of moments from the third period of Game 6 of last season’s Stanley Cup Final, just in case anyone forgot how that season ended.

And after all the warm-ups were complete, just as they did in June 2024 and June 2025 — the Panthers finished off those Cup championship runs by beating the Edmonton Oilers on home ice — the fans roared when the trophy was brought onto the rink. Assistant captain Aaron Ekblad did the honors this year, carrying the trophy onto the ice, then hoisting it before placing it onto a stand next to the spot where the banner was being unfurled and raised.

“Incredible, coming out in front of our fans and being able to hoist it one more time,” Ekblad said.

Once the banner was raised, the players raised their sticks in a salute to the fans.

“We want three! We want three! We want three!” the fans chanted back.

Said Marchand: “It’s great to see their expectations are there. We obviously have the same ones, but this is going to be harder than the last two. … It’s a long road ahead.”

Opening night capped a two-day celebration for the champs; the Panthers’ players and coaches got their championship rings in a private ceremony Monday night.

“Last night was a little bit of a nice reminder for them what the payoff for all that hard work is,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “And it kind of lifts everybody’s spirits and gets them excited about tonight.”

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

It won’t be an easy road for the Panthers this season. Captain Aleksander Barkov is going to miss several months and potentially the entire season with two torn ligaments in his knee, an injury suffered 20 minutes into his first practice of training camp. And forward Matthew Tkachuk is out until likely December while recovering from offseason surgery. Barkov and Tkachuk, dressed in street clothes, watched the hoisting from the Florida bench.

“It’ll be up there forever,” Panthers defenseman Seth Jones said of the banner. “This is a special group. And it’s a celebration, but at the same time, it’s a turning of the page. It is a new chapter.”

The Panthers know how rare this opportunity is. They could be the first back-to-back-to-back NHL champion since the New York Islanders won four consecutive Cups from 1980 through 1983.

“The great thing about sports is you don’t know, and there’s a reason we play the games, and it’s about the stories that can be generated,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “And this is going to be an interesting story. Two of the biggest stars on the team are injured. How well they come back, how resilient the team is without them, that’s going to be a great story to see unfold. This is an organization, a team, that’s been well put together. [General manager] Bill Zito deserves an enormous amount of credit. My guess is this team is going to give it all to make it happen again if they can.”

Source link

The 2025-26 NHL season begins Tuesday with a tripleheader on ESPN: Chicago Blackhawks-Florida Panthers at 5 p.m. ET (including the Stanley Cup banner-raising), Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers at 8 p.m., and Colorado Avalanche-Los Angeles Kings at 10:30 p.m.

But we’re looking beyond those contests.

Will the Panthers three-peat as Stanley Cup champions? Which teams will finish the season atop the division standings? And which players will take home the major individual awards?

We’ve gathered our cross-platform ESPN hockey family together to predict the winners of each division, along with the Stanley Cup champion and the players who will win all of the hardware.

Dive deep on all 32 teams
Lapsed fan’s guide to the season
Bold predictions for every club
Fantasy hockey hub page
Goalie mask guide for 2025-26

Atlantic Division

All of ESPN. All in one place.

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
John Buccigross: Lightning
Stormy Buonantony: Lightning
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Maple Leafs
Sach Chandan: Lightning
Meghan Chayka: Lightning
Ryan S. Clark: Lightning
Ray Ferraro: Lightning
Emily Kaplan: Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Senators
Rachel Kryshak: Lightning
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning
Steve Levy: Maple Leafs
Vince Masi: Lightning
Victoria Matiash: Lightning
Sean McDonough: Lightning
AJ Mleczko: Lightning
Mike Monaco: Lightning
Arda Öcal: Lightning
T.J. Oshie: Lightning
Kristen Shilton: Maple Leafs
P.K. Subban: Lightning
John Tortorella: Panthers
Bob Wischusen: Lightning
Greg Wyshynski: Lightning

Totals: Lightning (19), Maple Leafs (4), Senators (1), Panthers (1)

Metropolitan Division

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

Sean Allen: Devils
John Buccigross: Hurricanes
Stormy Buonantony: Hurricanes
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Hurricanes
Sach Chandan: Devils
Meghan Chayka: Hurricanes
Ryan S. Clark: Hurricanes
Ray Ferraro: Hurricanes
Emily Kaplan: Hurricanes
Tim Kavanagh: Devils
Rachel Kryshak: Hurricanes
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Devils
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Devils
Sean McDonough: Rangers
AJ Mleczko: Hurricanes
Mike Monaco: Hurricanes
Arda Öcal: Devils
T.J. Oshie: Capitals
Kristen Shilton: Hurricanes
P.K. Subban: Capitals
John Tortorella: Devils
Bob Wischusen: Hurricanes
Greg Wyshynski: Hurricanes

Totals: Hurricanes (15), Devils (7), Capitals (2), Rangers (1)

Central Division

Fantasy hockey essentials

• Which league is right for you?
• Position tiers: Forwards | Defensemen
• Goalie guide | Category/Roto picks
• Projections | Mock draft lobby
• Rankings | Best team names
• Greg Wyshynski’s 10 players to draft
• Sign up and play for free today!

Sean Allen: Stars
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Stormy Buonantony: Avalanche
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Avalanche
Sach Chandan: Avalanche
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche
Ryan S. Clark: Avalanche
Ray Ferraro: Stars
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: Avalanche
Rachel Kryshak: Stars
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Stars
Steve Levy: Stars
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Stars
Sean McDonough: Stars
AJ Mleczko: Stars
Mike Monaco: Avalanche
Arda Öcal: Stars
T.J. Oshie: Stars
Kristen Shilton: Stars
P.K. Subban: Wild
John Tortorella: Wild
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche

Totals: Avalanche (12), Stars (11), Wild (2)

Pacific Division

Breaking News from Emily Kaplan

Download the ESPN app and enable Emily Kaplan’s news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here.

Sean Allen: Oilers
John Buccigross: Oilers
Stormy Buonantony: Golden Knights
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Golden Knights
Sach Chandan: Golden Knights
Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights
Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Rachel Kryshak: Oilers
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights
Steve Levy: Kings
Vince Masi: Golden Knights
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights
Sean McDonough: Oilers
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights
Mike Monaco: Oilers
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights
T.J. Oshie: Golden Knights
Kristen Shilton: Golden Knights
P.K. Subban: Oilers
John Tortorella: Golden Knights
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights
Greg Wyshynski: Oilers

Totals: Golden Knights (17), Oilers (7), Kings (1)

Stanley Cup

The enhanced ESPN App

Watch your favorite events in the newly upgraded ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Sean Allen: Panthers
John Buccigross: Hurricanes
Stormy Buonantony: Golden Knights
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Jets
Sach Chandan: Avalanche
Meghan Chayka: Avalanche
Ryan S. Clark: Stars
Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Panthers
Tim Kavanagh: Stars
Rachel Kryshak: Stars
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights
Steve Levy: Kings
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights
Sean McDonough: Oilers
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Mike Monaco: Oilers
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
T.J. Oshie: Oilers
Kristen Shilton: Stars
John Tortorella: Devils
Bob Wischusen: Panthers
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche

Totals: Avalanche (5), Golden Knights (4), Stars (4), Panthers (3), Oilers (3), Hurricanes (1), Jets (1), Kings (1), Maple Leafs (1), Devils (1)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Sean Allen: Kirill Kaprizov
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Stormy Buonantony: Jack Eichel
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor McDavid
Sach Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon
Meghan Chayka: Nathan MacKinnon
Ryan S. Clark: Kirill Kaprizov
Ray Ferraro: Nikita Kucherov
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon
Tim Kavanagh: Nathan MacKinnon
Rachel Kryshak: Connor McDavid
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nikita Kucherov
Steve Levy: Connor McDavid
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Nikita Kucherov
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Connor McDavid
Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
T.J. Oshie: Connor McDavid
Kristen Shilton: Auston Matthews
P.K. Subban: Kirill Kaprizov
John Tortorella: Kirill Kaprizov
Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid
Greg Wyshynski: Nathan MacKinnon

Totals: McDavid (11), MacKinnon (5), Kaprizov (4), Kucherov (3), Eichel (1), Matthews (1)

Art Ross Trophy (points leader)

Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Stormy Buonantony: Nikita Kucherov
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor McDavid
Sach Chandan: Nikita Kucherov
Meghan Chayka: Connor McDavid
Ryan S. Clark: Mitch Marner
Ray Ferraro: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon
Tim Kavanagh: Nikita Kucherov
Rachel Kryshak: Connor McDavid
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nikita Kucherov
Steve Levy: Kirill Kaprizov
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Nikita Kucherov
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Mitch Marner
Mike Monaco: Connor McDavid
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
T.J. Oshie: Nikita Kucherov
Kristen Shilton: Nathan MacKinnon
P.K. Subban: Connor McDavid
John Tortorella: Kirill Kaprizov
Bob Wischusen: Connor McDavid
Greg Wyshynski: Nathan MacKinnon

Totals: McDavid (12), Kucherov (6), MacKinnon (3), Marner (2), Kaprizov (2)

Rocket Richard Trophy (goals leader)

Sean Allen: Auston Matthews
John Buccigross: Auston Matthews
Stormy Buonantony: Connor McDavid
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Auston Matthews
Sach Chandan: Leon Draisaitl
Meghan Chayka: Leon Draisaitl
Ryan S. Clark: Nikita Kucherov
Ray Ferraro: Leon Draisaitl
Emily Kaplan: Leon Draisaitl
Tim Kavanagh: Kirill Kaprizov
Rachel Kryshak: Leon Draisaitl
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Auston Matthews
Steve Levy: Leon Draisaitl
Vince Masi: Brayden Point
Victoria Matiash: Auston Matthews
Sean McDonough: Leon Draisaitl
AJ Mleczko: Auston Matthews
Mike Monaco: Auston Matthews
Arda Öcal: Auston Matthews
T.J. Oshie: Leon Draisaitl
Kristen Shilton: Auston Matthews
P.K. Subban: Jake Guentzel
John Tortorella: Connor McDavid
Bob Wischusen: Auston Matthews
Greg Wyshynski: Leon Draisaitl

Totals: Matthews (10), Draisaitl (9), McDavid (2), Kucherov (1), Kaprizov (1), Point (1), Guentzel (1)

Norris Trophy (best defenseman)

Sean Allen: Cale Makar
John Buccigross: Cale Makar
Stormy Buonantony: Shea Theodore
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Cale Makar
Sach Chandan: Zach Werenski
Meghan Chayka: Cale Makar
Ryan S. Clark: Cale Makar
Ray Ferraro: Quinn Hughes
Emily Kaplan: Zach Werenski
Tim Kavanagh: Quinn Hughes
Rachel Kryshak: Cale Makar
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Cale Makar
Steve Levy: Quinn Hughes
Vince Masi: Quinn Hughes
Victoria Matiash: Quinn Hughes
Sean McDonough: Cale Makar
AJ Mleczko: Quinn Hughes
Mike Monaco: Cale Makar
Arda Öcal: Cale Makar
T.J. Oshie: Cale Makar
Kristen Shilton: Quinn Hughes
P.K. Subban: Lane Hutson
John Tortorella: Quinn Hughes
Bob Wischusen: Cale Makar
Greg Wyshynski: Rasmus Dahlin

Totals: Cale Makar (12), Hughes (8), Werenski (2), Theodore (1), Hutson (1), Dahlin (1)

Vezina Trophy (best goaltender)

Sean Allen: Jake Oettinger
John Buccigross: Jake Oettinger
Stormy Buonantony: Jake Oettinger
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Connor Hellebuyck
Sach Chandan: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Meghan Chayka: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Ryan S. Clark: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Ray Ferraro: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Emily Kaplan: Jake Oettinger
Tim Kavanagh: Jacob Markstrom
Rachel Kryshak: Igor Shesterkin
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Steve Levy: Jake Oettinger
Vince Masi: Linus Ullmark
Victoria Matiash: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Sean McDonough: Igor Shesterkin
AJ Mleczko: Jake Oettinger
Mike Monaco: Jake Oettinger
Arda Öcal: Andrei Vasilevskiy
T.J. Oshie: Connor Hellebuyck
Kristen Shilton: Igor Shesterkin
P.K. Subban: Andrei Vasilevskiy
John Tortorella: Sergei Bobrovsky
Bob Wischusen: Igor Shesterkin
Greg Wyshynski: Andrei Vasilevskiy

Totals: Vasilevskiy (9), Oettinger (7), Shesterkin (4), Markstrom (1), Ullmark (1), Bobrovsky (1)

Calder Trophy (rookie of the year)

Sean Allen: Alexander Nikishin
John Buccigross: Ivan Demidov
Stormy Buonantony: Ivan Demidov
Cassie Campbell-Pascall: Ivan Demidov
Sach Chandan: Michael Misa
Meghan Chayka: Ivan Demidov
Ryan S. Clark: Ivan Demidov
Ray Ferraro: Ivan Demidov
Emily Kaplan: Zeev Buium
Tim Kavanagh: Jimmy Snuggerud
Rachel Kryshak: Ivan Demidov
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Ivan Demidov
Steve Levy: Zeev Buium
Vince Masi: Jimmy Snuggerud
Victoria Matiash: Jimmy Snuggerud
Sean McDonough: Ivan Demidov
AJ Mleczko: Zeev Buium
Mike Monaco: Ivan Demidov
Arda Öcal: Yaroslav Askarov
T.J. Oshie: Ryan Leonard
Kristen Shilton: Ivan Demidov
P.K. Subban: Matthew Schaefer
John Tortorella: Ryan Leonard
Bob Wischusen: Ivan Demidov
Greg Wyshynski: Alexander Nikishin

Totals: Demidov (12), Buium (3), Snuggerud (3), Nikishin (2), Leonard (2), Misa (1), Askarov (1), Schaefer (1)

Source link

Bookmakers across the sportsbook marketplace don’t see a consensus Stanley Cup favorite as the Florida Panthers gear up to attempt a very rare NHL three-peat.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers are the co-favorites (+800) at ESPN BET, with the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and Panthers at +900, and the Tampa Bay Lightning at +1000. However, no major American sportsbook has the same combination of solo or co-favorites, with Florida and Vegas taking the top billing at some shops.

“The way I look at it, there’s no real clear-cut, short favorite,” DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello told ESPN. “This year, it’s more wide open at the top, and then you have a whole second tier of teams that are in that 20-to-40 range. There’s another 10 teams there. Could the Stanley Cup winner come from there? Absolutely. But the top tier has eight teams that we believe will contend for the title.”

The last preseason Stanley Cup favorite to win it all was Colorado (+600) in the 2021-22 season.

The Panthers opened as one of the favorites to win the Cup immediately following their second straight championship. They were +600 solo favorites by mid-September following offseason contract extensions for Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett — despite offseason surgery for superstar Matthew Tkachuk, who is expected back before the new year.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

However, a training camp knee injury to captain Aleksander Barkov, which is expected to keep him out for the entire regular season, if not longer, derailed Florida’s Stanley Cup lines at most books. Several operations immediately dropped the team’s championship odds, with ESPN BET briefly lengthening them to +1000.

Still, action on the Cats has remained robust, with ESPN BET reporting its highest portion of bets (17.1%) and handle (21.4%) backing them to three-peat, while BetMGM says the team’s 13.8% handle is the second-highest in the market. Some bookmakers, such as Karry Shreeve, the head of hockey at Caesars Sportsbook, refused to even dethrone the Panthers as favorites, noting that Barkov and Tkachuk’s injuries have more effect on the team’s regular-season odds.

“We’re not ready to drop them in price significantly, at least for the Stanley Cup, just because I’m not convinced who’s going to fill their spot [in the playoffs],” Shreeve told ESPN. “So long as Florida’s getting into the playoffs again, as far as right now, not knowing anything else, they’re still, to me, the favorite. Not by a lot, but still a favorite, and not a team we’re willing to push out in price just yet.”

Several sportsbooks, including DraftKings and ESPN BET, are instead high on the Hurricanes, even though bettors are backing them at a relatively low clip in terms of both the number of tickets and money wagered.

“Carolina is one of the most consistently dominant teams we have seen in recent years, having recouped some talent over the summer as they look to make another deep run,” ESPN BET senior director Adrian Horton said by email. “Patrons will likely have their postseason struggles in mind, but it took the Panthers at full steam to eliminate them. We fully expect Carolina to be back battling in the playoffs.”

In the favorites tier, bettors are more focused on the Avalanche, who have garnered the third-highest handle at BetMGM and ESPN BET. Beyond the first tier, many patrons are keying on the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1600), who have taken the most tickets and money at BetMGM.

Source link

The Florida Panthers are the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions, but they aren’t the preseason favorites to take home the title during the 2025-26 NHL campaign.

That honor belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Carolina is the favorite at +750 (bet $100 to win $750). That puts it just ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers, the latter of which faced the Panthers in each of the last two Stanley Cup Finals.

Here is a look at the top 10:

Some might be surprised to see anyone but the Panthers atop the list.

After all, they took home each of the last two Stanley Cups and had a successful offseason that saw them bring back Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand.

However, injuries are a significant concern for the team with forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Tomas Nosek expected to miss the start of the season and Aleksander Barkov potentially out for the entire campaign after suffering a torn ACL and MCL.

That could open the door for another team, and the Hurricanes are potentially positioned to take advantage of the situation.

Carolina lost to the Panthers in last year’s Eastern Conference Final and has made the playoffs in each of the last seven years. It advanced to the Eastern Conference Final three times during that span and will look to take the next step this season.

Sebastian Aho is set to lead a dangerous offensive attack that will also have to deal with the formidable Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference as well.

Still, the Panthers are champions until someone eliminates them and will surely be a factor once again come playoff time.

Source link

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Seth Jones had waited most of his life to get a Stanley Cup ring. And then he had to wait even longer before he could see it.

The Florida Panthers handed out the rings from their second consecutive title on Monday, and Jones was the first person on the long list of players, coaches and staff who got the prized pieces of jewelry during the ceremony.

But the Panthers have a rule: Nobody opens the box until everybody can open the box together. So, Jones — who joined the team midway through last season — had to wait … and wait … and wait … before he and everyone else got to see the new shiny bauble.

“Awesome,” Jones said. “It’s a collection piece for the rest of my life.â€

Among the highlights of the ring: A play on the speeches that Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett gave at the Stanley Cup parade, where they both gleefully pointed out that they apologize to no one for the Panthers being the Panthers. That phrasing is etched on the inside of the ring, which has more than 250 diamonds and rubies and is created out of white and yellow gold.

On the sides of the players’ rings: Their name and number on one side, along with the team logo and “back-to-back champions†on the other.

“It’s just a little bit bigger than last year,†Panthers forward Sam Bennett said as he gazed down, with the two rings on one of his hands. “You got the two Cups on there, which is unbelievable. They definitely outdid themselves, for sure.”

The Panthers did the ceremony in private, with the players all in dark suits and red ties. The celebration for fans comes Tuesday, when the team will raise the banner before its opener at home against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The ownership group — Vincent and Teresa Viola and their families — presented their rings to one another, and then the word finally came to open the boxes.

“I never believed that owning a sports team could be as invigorating, as heart-touching, that you’d care about the players when they get hurt,” said Teresa Viola, the wife of team owner Vincent Viola said. “You want to run down there like a mom and just go, ‘My goodness, are you OK?†This team has shown me the spirit of togetherness, family, everything that I hoped it would be.â€

All the trophies from last season were on a table near the stage. There were the two won by captain Aleksander Barkov — the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward and the King Clancy in recognition of his leadership and humanitarian work on and off the ice. There was the Conn Smythe Trophy, the one Bennett got as MVP of the playoffs. There was the Prince of Wales Trophy, which the Panthers have won in each of the last three seasons as Eastern Conference champions.

And, of course, there was the Stanley Cup. The Panthers have taken it everywhere for the better part of the last 3 1/2 months — hospitals, fire houses, fishing trips, even eaten meatballs out of the thing — and now start the quest toward trying to win it again.

The rings have been handed out. The banner goes up on Tuesday. There will be reminders along the way, like taking a ring to the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Stanley Cup Final rematches with Edmonton, rematches of playoff matchups. But the Panthers know it’s time to turn the page to what awaits.

“Dealing with that and not living in the past is very important,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “But also, we want to make sure that weâ€re not mandating that. Itâ€s OK to enjoy tonight. And itâ€s OK when we have to do other things that bring us back. Weâ€re just not having a reunion every day that we come to the rink.â€

Source link

The new season of Prime Videoâ€s behind-the-scenes hockey series FACEOFF: Inside the NHL dropped on Friday.

Florida Panthers fans are going to enjoy a lot of what the new season has to offer.

While there are fun Panthers tidbits that can be seen throughout, there are some key episodes that focus much of their runtime on Panthers-related content.

First, Episode 1 features the life of Ottawa Senators star forward Brady Tkachuk on and off the ice.

Much of it focuses on his time at the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he and his brother, Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk, were key elements of the Team USA squad that came within an overtime goal of winning the tournament.

The injury suffered by the elder Tkachuk was also a main point of emphasis in this episode.

Another episode that Panthers fans are going to love is the final one, Episode 6.

That one is all about the Cats and their quest for a second straight Stanley Cup, and it give the same incredible, in-depth access that we received during the first season of FACEOFF.

Similarly to last year, we get some great micâ€d up moments from the players, including another frustrated Oilers screaming moment in their locker room and some great bytes from Panthers Head Coch Paul Maurice.

No surprise there.

Let us know in the comments below which moments were your favorites from the new season of FACEOFF!

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS – FLORIDA

Penalties consume Panthers preseason-ending win over Tampa; Aaron Ekblad leaves game early

‘It was a no-brainer’: Niko Mikkola latest Panthers player to take long-term, team friendly deal

The Hockey Show: Discussing fallout from Sasha Barkov injury, Kirill Kaprizov signing massive extension

Panthers Claim Cole Schwindt From Golden Knights

Panthers’ A.J. Greer Receives Maximum Fine

Photo caption: Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team United States forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) and Team Canada forward brandon Hagel (38) fight in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

Source link

DENVER — Defenseman Erik Johnson announced his retirement Wednesday after a 17-year career that was highlighted by a 2022 Stanley Cup title with the Colorado Avalanche.

Picked No. 1 in the 2006 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues, Johnson was traded to the Avalanche as part of a blockbuster deal in 2011. He played in 1,023 regular-season games with the Blues, Avalanche, Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers. He finished with 95 goals, 253 assists, 1,717 blocks and 1,695 hits.

The 37-year-old Johnson has long been a fan favorite in Denver, where he spent 14 of his 17 seasons. His most iconic moment, though, may have taken place away from the ice. He led the crowd in the singing of “All the Small Things,” by Blink-182 after the parade to celebrate Colorado hoisting the Stanley Cup. It was the theme song that season.

In a statement, Johnson said: “I am retiring with a heart full of gratitude.”

He thanked organizations, teammates, coaches, staff members, family, friends and, of course, the fans.

“Your passion made every moment unforgettable,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s 14 seasons in Colorado — 2011 to 2022-23, along with a return late last season — trails only Adam Foote (17) for most seasons among Avalanche/Nordiques blueliners. His 731 regular-season games in an Avalanche sweater are also second only to Foote (967) among the franchise’s defensemen.

The player known as “EJ” is first in franchise history in blocked shots (1,373) and third in hits (1,288) among defensemen. The Bloomington, Minnesota, product leaves the NHL rink 25th on the most games played list among American-born defenseman in league history.

His first NHL game was with St. Louis on Oct. 4, 2007, against the then-Phoenix Coyotes. He had an assist on a goal by Keith Tkachuk.

His last regular-season game was with Colorado on April 13 at the Anaheim Ducks. He scored an empty-net goal. Johnson also played in two games in the first-round series against the Dallas Stars, where the Avalanche lost in seven.

“Hockey has been my life, and I’m grateful for every second,” Johnson said. “I’m excited for what’s next and will always cherish this journey.”

Source link

• 

  Neil PaineSep 25, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

  Close

  Neil Paine writes about sports using data and analytics. Previously, he was Sports Editor at FiveThirtyEight.

The NHL, especially in the salary cap era, is usually defined by change and upheaval — familiar contenders turning their rosters over, while new powers emerge in their place.

That’s why it was so striking to see the same two Stanley Cup finalists — the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers — in back-to-back seasons, the league’s first Cup rematch since 2008-09, and only the second since 1983-84. Add in Florida’s appearance in the 2023 Final as well, and the NHL hasn’t had fewer unique finalists over a three-year span (just three different teams) since 1954-56, when only the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens reached the Final in those three years.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

This run of Panthers-Oilers dominance won’t last forever, and it almost certainly won’t survive past 2025-26 if Connor McDavid doesn’t re-sign with Edmonton after his current contract ends at the end of the year. But for now, ESPN BET’s preseason odds again list Florida (+300) as the East favorite and Edmonton (+400) as the West’s top pick, suggesting that another rematch is the likeliest outcome.

Of course, that’s only true until it’s not. So the question becomes: If it’s not Florida and Edmonton yet again, who’s next in line to face off for the Cup?

Let’s dive into the most plausible challengers from each conference, just waiting to skate through if the Panthers and/or Oilers slip up, plus a couple of up-and-coming teams who could crash the party as well.

Note: All odds below courtesy of ESPN BET.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Odds to make Final: +360 | Win Cup: +800

Why they haven’t broken through yet: It’s an excellent question that the Canes are still trying to answer. Despite making the postseason seven straight years, Carolina’s 44 playoff wins have never led to a Stanley Cup Final appearance — giving them the most victories amassed in such a stretch without getting there at least once, topping Toronto’s old record of 41 from 1998 to 2004.

All of ESPN. All in one place.

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Along the way, the team has made the Eastern Conference finals in two of the past three seasons, but couldn’t score enough to avoid a Florida sweep in 2023. And their goaltending, always a huge concern, couldn’t stop enough Panthers (most notably Sam Bennett) in 2025.

Why 2025-26 could be different: Carolina will once again ride with Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen in net, which is reason enough to wonder if things will be different from last year (when they combined for a .823 SV% in the Eastern Conference finals loss to Florida). But new forward Nikolaj Ehlers ought to provide an offensive charge, while trade addition K’Andre Miller and prospect Alexander Nikishin give this blue line — usually a big strength anyway — more youth and upside, especially if Miller can recapture his 2022-23 form after a downturn in recent years.

Otherwise, the Hurricanes are counting on their familiar puck-possession system to finally add up to victory against a Florida core that returns mostly intact from last year. We’ll see.

Odds to make Final: +650 | Win Cup: +1400

Why they haven’t broken through (recently): Tampa Bay certainly has broken through before, winning two Cups — in 2020 and 2021 — and reaching another Final in 2022. And just when it seemed like that dynastic run was winding down, the Lightning rebounded in 2024-25, with their best goals per game differential since 2018-19 (+0.91).

But, as in the 2019 postseason, that regular-season success didn’t translate. The Lightning were bounced in the first round by Florida in five games for the second straight year, a huge reversal from the old days of Bolts domination in the cross-state rivalry.

Why 2025-26 could be different: First and foremost, the Lightning continue to boast one of the league’s most talented cores, which offers reason to think they can get back to seriously contending for the Cup again. They lost little of consequence over the offseason — defenseman Nick Perbix was the only real departure — though they also added little, and a team that was the NHL’s fifth oldest in 2024-25 isn’t getting any younger.

Someday Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Victor Hedman and Jake Guentzel will slow down. But until then, this team still carries the potential to go toe-to-toe with Florida, even if the past two playoff results aren’t what Tampa Bay has experienced previously in that rivalry.

Odds to make Final: +850 | Win Cup: +1600

Why they haven’t broken through yet: So much depends on the availability of Jack Hughes. When Hughes last played more than 62 games in a season in 2022-23, the Devils ranked No. 4 leaguewide in goals per game; with him missing 20 games in each of the past two seasons, New Jersey’s ranking in that metric fell to 12th in 2023-24 and then 20th last season.

Fantasy hockey essentials

• Which league is right for you?
• Position tiers: Forwards | Defensemen
• Goalie guide | Category/Roto picks
• Projections | Mock draft lobby
• Rankings | Best team names
• Greg Wyshynski’s 10 players to draft
• Sign up and play for free today!

Along with that offensive slide, the team fell out of the playoffs in 2023-24 — costing coach Lindy Ruff his job — and lost in Round 1 to Carolina in five games a year ago, a disappointing end for a team that was third best in goal differential and third youngest (a promising combo!) back in 2022-23.

Why 2025-26 could be different: Hughes’ return to health at the start of 2025-26 camp has New Jersey eyeing a return to the potential of a few years earlier. The Devils have scored 3.13 GPG over the past two seasons with Hughes in the lineup, versus 2.93 without him, which would be the difference between 12th and 21st in the league in 2024-25.

To help them score even more, the Devils added Evgenii Dadonov this summer. Russian right wing Arseny Gritsyuk might be an interesting pickup as well. If they can resolve their contract impasse with Hughes’ brother Luke, the Devils could challenge for the East — but they’ll need to figure out how to solve a Carolina team that bounced them in 2023 and 2025.

Worth a flier?

Odds to make Final: +1200 | Win Cup: +3500

Ottawa finally broke its seven-year playoff drought in 2024-25 with a young core starring Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson and Shane Pinto, who were all 25 or younger a year ago.

The Senators are still learning how to win, but they’ll return that same young core — plus good young defenseman Jordan Spence — to see if they can improve further after last season’s 19-point upgrade in the standings.

Odds to make Final: +2800 | Win Cup: +5000

The Habs have made real progress in recent seasons — three straight campaigns of an improved goals differential — culminating in their first playoff berth since 2021. Nick Suzuki’s 89 points were the most by a Canadien in nearly three decades, and Cole Caufield’s 37 goals were the most by a Montreal player his age since 1989-90.

With that young duo leading the way, and an upgraded roster that added defenseman Noah Dobson and forward Zack Bolduc, Montreal may finally be on the verge of something big.

The rest of the East

Toronto Maple Leafs (+1000 to make Stanley Cup Final)
Washington Capitals (+1400)
New York Rangers (+1600)
Boston Bruins (+3300)
Columbus Blue Jackets (+3300)
Detroit Red Wings (+3300)
Philadelphia Flyers (+3300)
New York Islanders (+4000)
Buffalo Sabres (+6000)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+6000)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Odds to make Final: +450 | Win Cup: +800

Why they haven’t broken through (recently): The Avs had one of the best teams in hockey history when they won the Cup in 2022, seemingly portending a run of future success in the same style the team enjoyed during the ’90s and 2000s.

Breaking News from Emily Kaplan

Download the ESPN app and enable Emily Kaplan’s news alerts to receive push notifications for the latest updates first. Opt in by tapping the alerts bell in the top right corner. For more information, click here.

Instead, they fell victim to the familiar attrition that champions face during the salary cap era, between injuries (Gabriel Landeskog) and departures (Darcy Kuemper, Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Andre Burakovsky). Colorado has remained among the league’s better teams, but its goal differential has declined for four seasons running now.

Why 2025-26 could be different: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar aren’t slowing down. They’ve collectively posted 438 points over the past two seasons, the most in consecutive years by any forward/defenseman duo in more than three decades.

With that kind of talent at the core — bolstered with the return of trade deadline acquisition Brock Nelson and the veteran additions of Brent Burns and Victor Olofsson — the Avs may have another run in them despite losing to the Dallas Stars in consecutive postseasons.

Odds to make Final: +450 | Win Cup: +850

Why they haven’t broken through (recently): The Golden Knights were better on paper last regular season (+0.68 goal differential per game) than they were when they won the Cup — still the only team to beat Florida in its past 12 postseason series — in 2023 (+0.52).

But the playoff offense that once carried them has vanished, dropping from 4.00 goals per game in that Cup run to just 2.44 since, capped by back-to-back shutout losses to Edmonton in the second round last spring. The talent and depth have still been there, but the results have not quite followed.

Why 2025-26 could be different: The main reason for optimism in Vegas is that the Knights reeled in the biggest fish of the 2025 offseason, acquiring star winger Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade from Toronto in late June. Marner has averaged 29 adjusted goals, 65 adjusted assists and 94 adjusted points per season since 2020-21, making him one of the most dangerous offensive threats (particularly among setup men) in the league.

While we’ve seen players take time to adjust to new systems and teammates, Marner will ease into his new situation alongside talents like Jack Eichel, which is a scary pairing to think about in the playoffs (where Marner’s struggles have tended to be overstated).

Odds to make Final: +475 | Win Cup: +1000

Why they haven’t broken through yet: Why, indeed? Much like Carolina, the Stars keep slamming into a wall just shy of the Cup Final: Dallas has piled up 29 playoff wins over the past three seasons — the most by a team in a three-year span without reaching the Final — and all it has yielded is back-to-back losses to Edmonton in the conference finals.

ESPN Draft Coverage

Stay up to date with the latest intel from ESPN’s experts.
MLB: McDaniel’s 2025 MLB draft recap »
NBA: 2025 draft value picks, risky moves »
NFL: Early 2026 first-round predictions »
NHL: 2026 draft class watch list »
WNBA: Top 15 prospects for 2026 draft »

Some historic franchises with similar near misses eventually broke through, but the lingering question for the Stars is whether their current group can ever take the final step.

Why 2025-26 could be different: Mikko Rantanen will be with the team for an entire season, which can only help after the Finnish winger became the best player in NHL history to skate for three different teams in the same campaign (Avalanche, Hurricanes, Stars) a year ago.

Otherwise, the Stars also shuffled the deck a fair amount over the offseason, firing coach Pete DeBoer — bringing back former bench boss Glen Gulutzan — and undergoing the biggest net loss in goals above replacement of any team. That may not seem like cause for optimism at all, but the Panthers could tell you that sometimes a drastic shakeup in identity is exactly what a team needs to finally get over the hump.

Worth a flier?

Odds to make Final: +1000 | Win Cup: +2000

It might seem wild to think the Kings, of all teams, could dethrone the Oilers in the West — seeing as L.A. has now lost to Edmonton in four straight postseasons, becoming just the fourth team in any of the big four men’s leagues to drop four consecutive playoff matchups to the same opponent (without a head-to-head win preceding the streak).

However, the Kings remain intriguing for their mix of youth and experience. And not for nothing, their offseason additions included Corey Perry, whose team has made the Cup Final in five of the past six seasons.

Odds to make Final: +2000 | Win Cup: +4000

It isn’t very hard to get excited about the Mammoth as the next potential West contender. This was the league’s seventh-youngest roster a year ago — led by Clayton Keller, Mikhail Sergachev, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther, all 26 or younger — and the team improved its goal differential for the third consecutive season.

Adding to that foundation, Utah traded for talented forward JJ Peterka and signed veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt and forward Brandon Tanev during an offseason that was a net positive on talent added. Dating back to its Arizona days, this franchise has made the playoffs just once (2020) since 2012, but brighter days are on the horizon in Utah.

The rest of the West

Winnipeg Jets (+1200 to make Stanley Cup Final)
Minnesota Wild (+1700)
St. Louis Blues (+2200)
Vancouver Canucks (+3000)
Nashville Predators (+3300)
Calgary Flames (+4000)
Anaheim Ducks (+5000)
Seattle Kraken (+10000)
Chicago Blackhawks (+15000)
San Jose Sharks (+30000)

Source link