Four possible – With just one game into the third round, four teams are still alive—and the possible Stanley Cup Final pairings are already stacking up into compelling, high-stakes storylines. Here’s a ranking of every matchup, from Colorado vs. Carolina’s collision course to
And then there were four.
More than halfway through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the final picture is beginning to sharpen—but only slightly. Two more series wins stand between one team and the Cup. The other three will have to restart their climbs from the bottom of the mountain.
Even though the third round is still in its early days—just one game in—this is the point where fans start asking the same question with growing urgency: who might actually be standing on the other side of the final?. With the Canadiens, Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Golden Knights all still alive, the potential combinations feel like more than matchups. They feel like disputes waiting to happen.
Stanley Cup Final Stanley Cup Playoffs Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes Colorado Avalanche Vegas Golden Knights Mikko Rantanen Nathan MacKinnon Jaccob Slavin Alex Newhook Mitch Marner Pavel Dorofeyev Cale Makar Lane Hutson
Stanley Cup matchups already?? I feel like this is still way too early lol.
How are the Golden Knights even in it like that if it’s only one game into the third round? I don’t get the “stacking up storylines” part. Sounds like hype to me.
So they’re basically saying it could be Avalanche vs Hurricanes?? I saw someone say Rantanen already picked Carolina for the Cup which makes zero sense but whatever. Also Montreal still being alive like… okay sure.
Honestly I’m just here for whoever plays Vegas because that seems like the easiest win on paper. They mention Slavin and Newhook and Hutson and I’m like wait which team is which again? Also I thought the Canadiens were out already last week, but apparently not. This is why I can’t keep up with hockey.