Ranking the Remaining Stanley Cup Playoff Teams

Now that I have posted my rankings of the remaining NBA teams, it is time to give the remaining NHL teams similar treatment! Here are my rankings of who I want to win and who I think will win the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Who I Want to Win

1. Dallas Stars

   I will preface this pick with the fact that I am very all over the place with who I want to win. I could give legitimate reasons that I love and hate all four teams remaining. Somebody has to be first place, so I will give the nod to the Dallas Stars. Dallas gets my rooting interest for a few reasons. First, I like when a team that has never won before gets the job done. Since all four teams remaining have won a Cup, I then default to teams that have little Cup success. Dallas has been knocking on the door in the past few Stanley Cup Playoffs, but they have only brought the Cup home to Texas once (1999 vs. Buffalo). Secondly, I have family in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so I have that as an excuse to root for them. Lastly, I was so bummed to see Dallas eliminate Winnipeg on the day that Mark Scheifele's dad passed away. If Winnipeg had to be eliminated in such devastating fashion, I hope that it was because Dallas was ultimately a team of destiny.

   
   

   

   Dallas Stars pin that I got in 2015

   
   

2. Edmonton Oilers

   In prior years, Edmonton would have been an easy last place pick for me. I have found the Canadian Cup drought (going on 34 years) to be downright hilarious. But without necessarily writing my reasoning in boldface...you can take a guess at why I would not be upset if the Canadian Cup drought ended this year (or in the next few). Petty national rivalries aside, the Oilers have a storied hockey history, but they have the longest Cup drought of the four teams remaining. It would also be cool to see one of the greatest hockey players of all time (Connor McDavid) get his name etched onto Lord Stanley's Cup.

3. Florida Panthers

   It is not often that I root for back-to-back champions unless my team is involved (hence why the Panthers are 3rd out of 4 in rooting interest). But there is one thing I enjoy about the Panthers in particular- their unique fanbase situation. Do they enjoy the same number of fans that teams such as my Red Wings or other Original Six teams do? Probably not. But they still have a growing fanbase, especially after capturing their first Stanley Cup in franchise history last spring. Another ring should mean even more fans attracted to the sport of hockey, and I will always be a fan of that. Oh- and Ariana Grande, the actress for Glinda in Wicked (my new favorite film) is a lifelong Panthers fan. That does not hurt!

4. Carolina Hurricanes

   Oh...Hurricanes. I will admit that I am punishing you guys a little bit. WHY do the Hurricanes insist on wearing their black uniforms for every home playoff game when their red uniforms are SO much better. I kid you not...the uniform situation being fixed would bump up their ranking by at least two spots on this list. Maybe even three. The Hurricanes have one of the best uniforms in hockey and they do not even wear them during the playoffs! Gross! That said- I do have family in the Raleigh area as well- and I know for a fact that they actually watch hockey. So, I will be happy for them if the Hurricanes go the distance and capture their first Cup since 2006.

Who I Think Will Win

1. Edmonton Oilers

   I think that the Oilers are going to win the Cup and break the Canadian drought. They will do something very similar to what Florida did last year. Florida answered their 2023 Finals blowout series loss with a 2024 Finals triumph in seven games. Edmonton knows what it takes to get to the Finals. Not only that, but they also came back from down 3-0 to force a Game 7 and only lost the final game by one goal. Edmonton has the experience, they have the sore taste in their mouth from last year, and they have the best player in the world in Connor McDavid. I believe this is Edmonton's year.

2. Florida Panthers

   Experience is such a gift this time of year, and Florida has it in spades. They have played in two straight Stanley Cup Finals, and they are well positioned to make it three in a row. Their matchup with Carolina will be a Conference Final rematch of last season. I believe that Florida's all-around depth will be a great advantage in their series with Carolina. I think we are heading towards a 2024 Finals rematch, and while I think Edmonton gets it done this time, Florida has the tools necessary to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Should they do it, they would be the first back-to-back champions since their in-state rivals pulled off the feat in 2020 and 2021.

3. Dallas Stars

   Dallas has a great shot at winning their first Stanley Cup since 1999. They have defeated two worthy opponents in Colorado and the President's Trophy winning Winnipeg Jets. But I struggle to see them taking down Edmonton. If Dallas will finally knock down the door and bring home the Cup, Mikko Rantanen and Jake Oettinger will have to continue playing their A-games.

   
   

   

   American Airlines Center in 2023

   
   

4. Carolina Hurricanes

   The Hurricanes remind me a lot of the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. That is- a team that dispatched their first two opponents in five games. It looked relatively easy. But I find myself wondering if they are battle-tested enough. Surely the Hurricanes are a talented squad, and they very well could lift the Cup in a few weeks. But they will not be able to dispatch the Panthers in five games like they did against New Jersey and Washington. Do they have what it takes to push Florida into a longer series and take it in six or seven? I have a hard time seeing it.

Those are my picks! Let me know in the comments if you agree or disagree. Who do you want to see lift Lord Stanley's Cup? Who do you think will win it all in June?