Ranking the Final 8 Teams Left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
We are near the halfway point through the NHL playoffs, and although there is still a way to go before we make it to the Stanley Cup Finals, the favorites are starting to emerge.
With eight teams left in the competition, here’s my ranking of them from the team at the top of my board to lift Lord Stanley and which franchise I’m already wishing well wishes to Cancun for the offseason.
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1. Colorado Avalanche
This team is unfair to play against. Colorado has arguably the best remaining offensive player in the tournament, Nathan MacKinnon, and the best defensive player, Cale Makar. It would be a shock at this point if they’re not representing the West in the Stanley Cup Final.
2. Carolina Hurricanes
On the other side of the bracket, Carolina is doing similar things in the East as the Avs are doing in the West. Like Colorado, there are no surprises here. It’s a juggernaut team expected to contend for a title in the offseason, and it’s followed the script.
After beating the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, the Hurricanes are the seventh team in the past 50 years to open the NHL playoffs with seven straight wins. Colorado can join them on Saturday.
3. Buffalo Sabres
The natural disaster climax of Avalanche vs. Hurricanes seems already penciled in, but if there is one team that could disrupt it, it’s the heroic Sabres. After not winning a postseason series in nearly two decades, Buffalo has proven so far that they’re no regular-season fluke, eliminating the Boston Bruins and winning the first game of the East semifinal series against Montreal.
4. Minnesota Wild
This might feel strange, seeing as the Wild are down 0-2 to the Avalanche and seem destined to probably fall short of the Western Conference final once more, but this Minnesota team is tremendous. In any other playoff format, they’re probably beating up on the Anaheim Ducks or Vegas Golden Knights right now.
5. Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are still probably a year or two away from being a true contender for the Stanley Cup, but their time is coming. It might be difficult to get through the Sabres and then, especially, the Hurricanes, but Montreal should be optimistic about the future.
6. Anaheim Ducks
Copy and paste what I said about the Canadiens with the Ducks. The highest ceiling they have this year may be getting sacrificed to the Avalanche in the West finals, but the young core is only going to get better as Anaheim continues to invest in one of the brightest rosters in hockey.
7. Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are a perennial contender since their very first season in the NHL, and it hasn’t changed since, but this is definitely one of their weaker overall teams.
Don’t worry, though, like always, they’ll probably trade or sign another superstar player in the offseason.
8. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers weren’t expected anywhere near the postseason coming into the year, but they’ve shattered all expectations and have been one of the most interesting stories to watch throughout the campaign. Unfortunately, down 0-3 to the Hurricanes, unless there is another fairytale twist, it’s the end of the road for Philly.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 12:15 AM.