Ranking the Top 10 Contenders for the 2026 Stanley Cup
We've reached mid-August, that hazy time of year where hockey is so close yet so far away. As Panthers players spend their last days with the Cup all around the world, we're turning the page on last season and looking ahead to next season.
Before we know it, we'll be pacing around our living rooms, getting way too mad at where our favorite prospects are slotted in training camp line rushes. We should warm up before diving headfirst into that minutiae, so let's ease into the 2025-26 NHL season with a look at the top contenders for the 2026 Cup.
10. Winnipeg Jets
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Why They’re On the List: As frustrating as the Jets' playoff performances in this window have been, their Presidents' Trophy last season wasn't a fluke. They still boast one of the best lines in the NHL with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi. They've added a potentially intriguing piece in 37-year-old hometown "kid" Jonathan Toews, and Gustav Nyquist was a solid addition. Connor Hellebuyck's playoff record is growing more concerning by the season, but he's still the best regular-season goaltender in the game. All it takes is one postseason for the regular season to translate into the postseason, but until then, it's hard to feel great about Winnipeg's Cup hopes.
Why They Aren't Higher: If the Florida Panthers have taught us anything, it's that there's value in making the playoffs year after year, even if at first you don't win it all. The Panthers progressed and made the correct roster moves every year, though, while the Jets make the same mistakes, succumb to the same patterns and do little to address roster inadequacies. This keeps them on the same old first- or second-round exit hamster wheel despite any accolades and stellar Hellebuyck performances they rack up in the regular season.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs
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Why They’re On the List: The failures of the Toronto Maple Leafs are about much more than just on-ice stats and happenings -- they're about the pressure of the market, the core four's offense drying up when the postseason rolls around, and the lack of that intangible "oomph" they are desperately searching for in this era.
On paper, Mitch Marner is one of the best two-way forwards in the game and a 100+ point player. In reality, the team couldn't get it done in the core four era, partially due to the combination of key players and the ability to handle pressure. The Leafs aren't making leaps and bounds while losing a player that has been a team centerpiece for years, but they are certainly entering a new era and moving on from a disappointing vibe that has haunted them for years. Shedding that counts for something.
Why They’re Not Ranked Higher: Again, the Leafs aren't returning an improved roster on paper after losing Marner to the Golden Knights and failing to replace his point production on a sparse free agency market. We'll see how they're doing at the trade deadline, and it should be a big year for Matthew Knies, but this year could be a step back before a step forward type scenario.
8. Colorado Avalanche
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Why They’re On the List: The Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon factor is always going to move the needle, and last season's first-round exit was lost by a matter of dramatic inches. Brent Burns has still got it at 40 and could provide some oomph to the power play behind Makar, and a full season of Brock Nelson never hurt anybody.
Why They’re Not Ranked Higher: The Avalanche are in a tough spot with their cap (currently $3.35 million under) that pretty much constrains them from making the moves they might have to make to survive the gauntlet of the West. The competition is just brutal out there and last season's exit showed us every play matters.
7. Tampa Bay Lightning
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Why They’re On the List: The mighty Panthers said themselves that the Lightning were the hardest team they had to face leading up to the Cup Final last season, and that was with major injuries to key players like Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman. If this roster can maintain its health, and if Andrei Vasilevskiy can skip a rough start this season and pick up where he left off in the second half of last season, it should be a solid year for the Lightning.
Why They’re Not Ranked Higher: Some of the inconsistencies that reared their heads at the beginning of last season are worrying -- especially on defense. Can the Lightning clean it up and claim a defensive identity as they attempt to make the playoffs for the ninth straight season?
6. New Jersey Devils
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Why They’re On the List: The New Jersey Devils of next year could become what the New Jersey Devils of last year were supposed to be if it weren't for heartbreaking injury after heartbreaking injury. It was a tough draw as goaltender Jacob Markstrom had a stellar first year with the Devils and an even better round-one playoff performance that was rendered useless as half the defense was broken and Jack Hughes was out of commission with a shoulder injury.
Why wouldn't this team take a big jump this year given the context?
Why They’re Not Ranked Higher: New Jersey's ceiling is a bit of an unknown with so many players out of commission at the worst times last season. Plus, many division and conference rivals were able to improve their rosters pretty significantly this offseason.
5. Edmonton Oilers
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Why They’re on the List: No matter what else is happening on this roster, Connor McDavid is the best hockey player in the world and Leon Draisaitl is right there with him at the top. These two are going to make an impact and muscle you through a few playoff games every time. Plus, a returning Zach Hyman should be a breath of fresh air.
Why They Aren't Higher: For years, it's been clear to everyone except apparently the Oilers' front office that the goaltending situation needed to change. It's not that Stuart Skinner hasn't had his fair share of crucial saves and statement games, but he's needed a tandem partner more consistent than him to turn to when things were getting sticky. It's tough to look at two straight seasons of losing in the Cup final and not wonder if this Oilers team has run out of chances. The Oilers have also lost a lot of depth this offseason in Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown and Evander Kane.
4. Vegas Golden Knights
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Why They’re On the List: Vegas and the front office's trade market maneuvering are always in the mix. Winning the Marner sweepstakes was huge for a team relying too heavily on only a few players, and he could fit in a few enticing places alongside Jack Eichel or Tomas Hertl.
Why They’re Not Higher: The Golden Knights have moved with a certain confidence and swag in the playoffs since they've existed as a franchise, and it has gotten them places despite various roster challenges. Marner makes the team extremely enticing -- especially since he adds elite scoring depth they clearly need -- but that series with the Wild wasn't as Vegas-dominant as it looked. Is one player enough to fix the even-strength scoring issue here? We also need to remember that Marner has never qualified for the Conference Finals in his career, which, of course, isn't entirely his fault, but it has to raise an eyebrow as he looks to enter uncharted territory.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
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Why They’re On the List: In classic Hurricanes fashion, Carolina crept up on us this offseason and made some sneaky great moves despite the market. They won the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes, they traded for and signed K'Andre Miller to improve the defense, and they extended Logan Stankoven to a very reasonable deal. Many thought they'd take a significant step back last season due to inevitable departures with their cap situation, but they finally won an Eastern Conference game. Perhaps they'll win two this year.
Why They’re Not Higher: This team has been searching for the "it" factor to send it over the edge in this window for around seven years at this point, and it has been a consistently great team, but it just hasn't found the magic to push through to the Cup Final. Mind you, this is an extremely difficult feat to accomplish when you're tasked with getting past the Panthers.
2. Dallas Stars
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Why They’re On the List: The best GMs of the moment are steps ahead of the market, making trades and signing deals at the right time to avoid scarcity markets and upcharges. Perpetual GM of the year candidate and winner Jim Nill is among the best at this, and it's why they've made it to the Western Conference Final for three seasons straight.
Not much has changed on this roster headed into next year. The Stars will get their first full season with Mikko Rantanen, plus another year of development for some of their young core. Perhaps a new head coach can give them the last big push they need to make it to the Final. Not to mention, Glen Gulutzan knows the Oilers' tricks, as he was behind their bench as an assistant for the past seven seasons. Can Dallas' new bench boss use that to the team's potential as it looks to finally get over that Edmonton-shaped hump?
Why They’re Not Higher: You wonder if there's a level of fatigue from Dallas' missed opportunities in this window. You also wondered in the past if the talent was high-end enough to send a solid overall roster over the edge, but the addition of Rantanen sure helps in this department. Still, there's only one team that has proved over and over again that it has the best of all worlds...
1. Florida Panthers
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Why They're No. 1: As sports fans, we're always looking for the catch, the caveat, and the Devil's Advocate to consider why something won't happen. This process should be relatively easy when we're talking about a team going for a Stanley Cup three-peat, right?
The Panthers should be tired after back-to-back Stanley Cups and three straight appearances in the Final. The roster should be depleted after a few offseasons in which core players were supposed to become free agents. Maybe they should even be content, as staff and players alike have proved the haters wrong and the believers right twice over.
Nah. The Panthers look as invigorated as ever. The returning roster is essentially the same, as key would-be free agents were quick to sign hometown deals for the past two offseasons. The concept of contentment is nowhere to be found as the potential to reach dynasty status looms.
The Stanley Cup winner is hard to predict given the general parity of the NHL and the playoff format, so think about it like this: Who the heck is going to beat these Panthers?
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