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The Stanley Cup is set to find a new home this year after the Florida Panthers, who won back-to-back titles, were sidelined by injuries and missed the playoffs. Along with Florida, several other regular contenders failed to qualify, opening the door for fresh faces in the postseason.
The Buffalo Sabres are among about six newcomers in the 16-team playoff field. They broke the longest playoff drought in NHL history, ending a 14-season absence despite a rough start to their campaign, having lost 18 of their first 29 games. The Pittsburgh Penguins also made a return to the playoffs.
Dominating since October, the Colorado Avalanche secured the NHL’s best regular-season record and enter as favorites. However, history shows that the top regular-season team doesn’t always claim the Cup. The Eastern Conference remains unpredictable, as does the Western side.
“Every team in the playoffs can win,” said Dallas Stars defenseman Tyler Myers. “Every series is a tough series. That’s what’s so amazing about the NHL playoffs: It brings out the best in everybody, in every team, and it creates an unbelievable battle no matter who’s playing.”
Buffalo’s playoff berth is a major achievement after such a long drought. “It’s something that we strived for from Day 1,” said coach Lindy Ruff, a candidate for coach of the year. “You’ve got to feel good about getting there. It’s hard. We’re in a division that’s been extremely hard to get there. You’ve got to look back and say that we did a lot of good things to get to this point.”
The Sabres have gained momentum, especially since the Olympic break, and look poised to make an impact in the wide-open Eastern Conference without Florida. Similarly, Pittsburgh heated up late in the season to qualify for the first time since 2022 under new head coach Dan Muse. The Penguins were 6-1 longshots to reach the playoffs back in October, but now Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang get another shot at postseason success.
“A lot of people doubted us, and I guess counted us out, and it just put fuel on the fire for us,” said defenseman Ryan Shea, gearing up for his NHL playoff debut at 29. “I’ve been in the playoffs in the AHL, which was fun, but this is the best league in the world.”
The Utah Mammoth secured a playoff spot in just their second season in Salt Lake City. The Anaheim Ducks also return, led by a young core and three-time Cup champion coach Joel Quenneville.
Colorado remains the favorite, boasting stars such as Nathan MacKinnon, who could win MVP, and Cale Makar, a candidate for top defenseman. The Avalanche added depth with Nazem Kadri’s trade deadline return, fueling hopes of another Stanley Cup parade in Denver, four years after their last.
“To be confident for sure: Believe in this group. I know we have what it takes,” said captain Gabriel Landeskog. “It’s going to be a long, tough road and mentally, physically grinding. I think we’re ready for it.”
Their path to the final includes a tough second-round matchup against either Dallas or the Minnesota Wild, both strong teams. The playoffs kick off with the Central Division showdown between the Stars and Wild, two of the league’s top seven teams, guaranteeing an early exit for one. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman praised the divisional format for creating “great matchups” and entertainment for fans.
Several players fresh off Olympic gold in Beijing have the chance to add a Stanley Cup ring this year. Colorado’s Brock Nelson, Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, Buffalo’s Tage Thompson, Tampa Bay’s Jake Guentzel, Minnesota’s Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, along with Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman and Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger, are all contenders.
Canadian stars carrying silver medals from the Olympics see the playoffs as a chance to make up for their losses. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, coming off two consecutive final defeats, and Pittsburgh’s Crosby, recovering from an injury that kept him out of the gold medal game, chase a fourth NHL championship.
“That’s the best time of year,” Crosby said. “That’s why you play.”
