1 Reason Why Your Favorite NHL Team Won't Win the 2026 Stanley Cup
Exhale, folks: We're about one month out from the 2025-2026 NHL season.
We can finally feel it in the air, we're dusting off our line charts and we're getting familiar with the prospects we're about to see compete for roster spots at camp.
A few short months ago, we watched the Panthers hoist their second straight Stanley Cup and thought to ourselves, "Why not us next year?"
An uneventful offseason has come and gone, and we're starting to remember there are plenty of reasons why it won't be "us." Here's the biggest reason your favorite team won't win the 2026 Stanley Cup.
Anaheim Ducks
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Why They Could Surprise: The Ducks made some big moves to shore up their veteran and proven playoff presences all over the ice, acquiring Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider. Plus, Lukas Dostal is primed for a major year in between the pipes with some improved defense in front of him.
Reason Why They Won't: Let's start with making the playoffs, eh? The Ducks are anticipating a significant step forward this season, but for them, a significant step forward would be simply entering the playoff conversation.
Boston Bruins
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Why They Could Surprise: If Jeremy Swayman comes back looking more like the goaltender the Bruins thought he was when they signed him to his extension, you can't totally count them out. Then there's the return of healthy Charlie McAvoy.
Reason Why They Won't Win: For once, the Bruins have sacrificed making the playoffs to actually restock the barren prospect pool and try to compete for a Stanley Cup at some point in the future. That means a few years of struggle, but it'll all be worth it when David Pastrňák's prime isn't wasted on one heartbreaking Cup Final loss in 2019.
Buffalo Sabres
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Why They Could Surprise: How fed up is Tage Thompson? Given his desire to make Team USA and to finally lead the Sabres to the playoffs, we may just get a Taylor Hall Hart Trophy season-esque performance from the star center.
Reason Why They Won't: The Sabres are baffling not just because they hold the league's longest playoff drought at 14 consecutive seasons, but because it seems like management is in no real rush to fix it. Buffalo has made some decent moves as of late, but none of them ever feel like enough to get them out of this playoff drought. The replacement-level players are not the issue, and slight upgrades in that department are not the solution.
Calgary Flames
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Why They Could Surprise: The Flames surprised us all last year with their playoff push, right? Maybe we've underestimated the group they already have, especially with Calder Trophy finalist goaltender Dustin Wolf in the mix.
Reason Why They Won't: Calgary has been trying to soft-launch a rebuild since the Matthew Tkachuk trade. It's probably time to get to the point and attempt to build a future contender that aligns with Wolf's prime.
Carolina Hurricanes
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Why They Could Win: The Canes finally won an Eastern Conference Final game last season, which is a start! Moreover, they were one of the few teams to make significant roster upgrades this offseason, adding free agent Nikolaj Ehlers and trading for and extending K'Andre Miller.
Reason Why They Won't: You get the sense that until the Panthers' reign is over, the Canes just cannot advance past the conference finals.
Chicago Blackhawks
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Why They Could Surprise: The pressure's off -- they finally aren't featured in an outdoor game this year.
Reason Why They Won't: No team with this amount of cap space — $18.6 million as of writing — is trying to win the Stanley Cup, and the Blackhawks are still in a rebuilding mode. There's nothing wrong with that, and we'd like to see Connor Bedard and his supporting cast take some big development steps this year.
Colorado Avalanche
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Reason Why They Could Win: They've got captain Gabriel Landeskog back on the ice for a full season, and any team featuring Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon is a major threat. Plus, with the goaltending situation figured out from the jump, there won't be any unnecessary stress or drama. Hopefully.
Why They Won't: If the Blackhawks have too much cap space to win a Cup, the Avalanche don't have enough with just $1.33 million available. It's the reason they had to surrender Mikko Rantanen, and try as they might, they weren't the same playoff team without him.
Columbus Blue Jackets
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: What if last season was an appetizer for this season? Zach Werenski was one of the best defenders in the league and he's looking for a spot on Team USA this year.
Why They Won't: You still want to see the Blue Jackets' youth movement blossom with more minutes and more trust from the coaching staff. Once they get that experience and management adds a couple more pieces, you're looking at a playoff team.
Dallas Stars
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: It's the next logical move. These Stars have done everything short of making the Cup final, but their youth movement has gained experience and their star power has grown in the process.
Why They Won't: Does their star power shine bright enough? A full season with Rantanen will surely help on that front. You want to see Jake Oettinger come back more confident in the net, which he should be with more experience under his belt. You also want to see young stars like Wyatt Johnston make a consistent postseason impact, and of course, you want a healthy Jason Robertson. It all has to click at once for the Stars to win it all, and it hasn't happened like that quite yet.
Detroit Red Wings
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: Detroit's immediate turnaround upon hiring Todd McLellan was palpable, and they may have solved their goaltending weakness in acquiring John Gibson.
Why They Won't: Has Steve Yzerman been a bit too cautious with the plan? What's the worst that would happen if the Red Wings signed a true impact center or top defenseman in his prime? We're still waiting on that kind of thing.
Edmonton Oilers
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Reason Why They Could Win: The Oilers have lost some of these Cup Final games by literal inches and plays, haunted by the absence of Zach Hyman or Leon Draisaitl playing hurt.
Why They Won't: You get the feeling some of those aforementioned inches and plays were golden opportunities the Oilers missed. Golden opportunities don't exactly fall in your lap every day on the quest to win a Stanley Cup.
Florida Panthers
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Reason Why They Could Win 3 in a Row: They barely had to part ways with any key players, as all major free agents in Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad signed modest deals to run it back. Some people have it all.
Why They Won't: It's pretty exhausting appearing in three consecutive Cup Finals and winning two. The exhaustion -- or injury bug -- could get to the Panthers. That's pretty much the only thing threatening to stop these guys.
Los Angeles Kings
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Reason Why They Could Win: Perhaps the Oilers will finally give out and allow the Kings to get past the first round. It seems like that's the only way at this point, with the Kings' management making baffling moves -- signing Cody Ceci for four years at $18 million needs to be double-checked -- in the offseason after flailing to another first-round exit.
Why They Won't: The moves the Kings make seem three steps behind contending team moves. They keep losing to the Oilers in the first round, then acquiring Oilers players like they're collecting Infinity Stones, and it's simply not working. Try something new.
Minnesota Wild
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Reason Why They Could Win: The Wild played as solid a first-round exit as those come last season, with Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy exploding and showing the hockey world they're here to stay.
Why They Won't: The Wild have got to find a way to make things easier on themselves, and that means a few more power-play weapons.
Montreal Canadiens
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Reason Why They Could Win: The never-say-die attitude the Canadiens showed last season will become an identity for this young core as the team skates back into relevance. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson all impressed, showing us what this core is going to look like for years to come.
Why They Won't: As great as it was to watch the best players on the Canadiens reach new levels last season, they're going to need a stronger supporting cast on their way to a Stanley Cup.
Nashville Predators
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: Well, what have the Predators been for the past few seasons if not surprising?
Why They Won't: While you remain hopeful that stars like Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault should be able to figure it out on the chemistry front, they've had more than enough time and haven't figured that out.
New Jersey Devils
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Reason Why They Could Win: This Devils roster is one of the best in the league at full strength, with a healthy Jack Hughes and a functioning defense. Jesper Bratt is underrated and Nico Hischier is one of the better two-way centers you need to know about.
Why They Won't: When is this roster ever at full strength? The injury history is worrying, as is the aging defense in need of a few upgrades.
New York Islanders
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: Everything's coming up Islanders, with new management and No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer in tow. One monster season from Ilya Sorokin and one healthy Mat Barzal could push the Islanders past the same old mediocrity.
Why They Won't: It often feels like two steps forward, one step "Ugh!" for the Islanders. They made big changes and solid moves this offseason that will benefit them in the future, but they also had to trade playoff-impact center Brock Nelson in the process.
New York Rangers
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: So much about these Rangers is a surprise heading into this season. They've restructured the defense, highlighted by the signing of Vladislav Gavrikov and the shedding of former captain Jacob Trouba. The defense was in trouble last season, so you get the feeling that this is going to be an improvement, even if the overall number of changes was a lot to stomach. Igor Shesterkin in net should help stabilize everything and having Mike Sullivan behind the bench should be an overall upgrade.
Why They Won't: Is there going to be a hangover from last year's drama and/or an acclimation period with all of the changes? This is always a risk with big moves, just ask the Predators.
Ottawa Senators
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: The Senators unloaded some pressure in finally making the playoffs in the Brady Tkachuk era last season, now they're hungry for more. Dylan Cozens was the perfect move to shore up the offense, and a few more savvy moves could really take the team to the next level.
Why They Won't: Will Linus Ullmark finally grab that signature playoff run, or at least live up to his regular-season abilities, come postseason? He's struggled to put it all together, but one playoff run could turn it around for him and take the Senators far.
Philadelphia Flyers
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: What a time to be a Flyers fan, with Rick Tocchet set to coach the team and the Matvei Michkov era in full swing. The addition of Trevor Zegras has some potentially significant upside, and you're seeing a team with potential to fly -- not just crawl -- out of the basement.
Why They Won't: The Flyers still need an elite goalie and a few more premier pieces like a top-six left-winger here and a top-four defenseman there. They aren't ready yet.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: There's not much scarier in hockey than a Sidney Crosby looking to prove people wrong.
Why They Won't: Crosby knows it's for his own good that the team endures a quick rebuild while he's still a major contributor so he can take a run at one more Cup.
San Jose Sharks
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: It would be hilarious, and it would make so many middling teams who can't figure it out furious.
Why They Won't: Let's be serious. We love the Sharks' skilled and budding youths, but they've got a ways to go. At least we can watch Macklin Celebrini make some highlight reels in the meantime.
Seattle Kraken
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: Not so long ago, the Kraken were a dangerous team that made an early franchise playoff run. They were well-structured and got satisfying contributions from each line. It was a Type A person who loves consistency's dream.
Why They Won't: The problem with that structure is you're only as good as your fourth line, and then you have to ask: What's going on with your first line? We haven't seen what we needed to see from Matty Beniers or Shane Wright yet, and they don't have much star-caliber help with the scoring.
St. Louis Blues
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: The Blues were the hottest team in the league in the second half of the season under new head coach Jim Montgomery. Then they put up quite the fight, pushing the Presidents' Trophy-winning Jets to Game 7 double overtime in the first round. They'll return with a full season under Montgomery and a much healthier roster.
Why They Won't: The Blues are often looking for that extra gear to push them from solid to great, even when the injury bug bites. Perhaps they'll get lucky with no depth injuries this year and everything will go according to plan, but the "depth in a crisis" options remain lacking, and you need those to win a Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Reason Why They Could Win: The Panthers themselves said the Lightning were the hardest team to conquer on their way to the 2024-25 Stanley Cup. Mind you, Victor Hedman (leg), Nikita Kucherov (wrist), and others were playing through injuries that specifically affected the roles they play. New addition Jake Guentzel did a fantastic job holding it all together.
Why They Won't: The Lightning still won't leave us alone, but they've grown at least slightly inconsistent as the years go on. Head coach Jon Cooper said, "It was our time for a while. Now it's theirs," after falling to the Panthers. This doesn't mean they're going to roll over, but the quote was great because it was honest and accurate. The Lightning are still great, but are they "beat the Panthers" great?
Toronto Maple Leafs
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Reason Why They Could Win: The pressure of winning in the "Core Four" era is behind the Leafs now, as is the hometown kid aspect of Marner's role. Could Auston Matthews and William Nylander revel in a fresh start on these new-look Leafs? Could freshly extended Matthew Knies build on his encouraging career year?
Why They Won't: At the end of the day, the Leafs lost a 100+ point player in Marner, and it was a particularly hard market to try to replace him this offseason. It's a blow, no matter how you look at it.
Utah Mammoth
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: The Mammoth suffered a slew of inopportune injuries last season as their playoff push fell apart, so it's reassuring to know that falling apart was largely due to injury. They'll be back healthier, with a few more pieces gained and questions answered.
Why They Won't: The forward core is young, and the scoring drying up last season was majorly concerning. Year two will be huge in determining what the Mammoth are really made of.
Vancouver Canucks
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Reason Why They Could Surprise: Hey, Brock Boeser saw something in this team to stick around and re-sign, and who are we to scoff at that? A healthy Thatcher Demko can take a team anywhere. So could a bounce back from Elias Pettersson.
Why They Won't: There are too many "if"s for even a remote sense of comfort in the land of the Canucks right now. Pettersson hasn't lived up to post-JT Miller expectations, and you worry the pressure got to him. Demko's health is always a concern. Losing Pius Suter certainly didn't help.
Vegas Golden Knights
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Reason Why They Could Win: Acquiring a 100+ point forward with a chip on his shoulder is peak Vegas Golden Knights. Why wouldn't Mitch Marner thrive like the misfits before him in this environment?
Why They Won't: How much impact can one player who hasn't made it to the conference finals realistically make on an entire team's complexion? Marner sure addresses Vegas' need for more help scoring, but how far can it go?
Washington Capitals
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Reason Why They Could Win: Remember when folks counted the Caps out last season? Some were saying Alex Ovechkin would slow down after breaking the scoring record. The dude broke the scoring record in the first place because he loves nothing more than scoring goals.
In what could be his last NHL season, he'll be going out doing exactly what he loves: Scoring goals.
Then there's the rest of the team, featuring budding Connor McMichael, thriving Dylan Strome, and reigning Jack Adams Trophy winner Spencer Carbery. The Caps are going to be just fine.
Why They Won't: As clutch and confident as Washington seemed in the regular season and the first round, depth scoring became an issue against a formidable opponent. What can they realistically do to change that?
Winnipeg Jets
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Reason Why They Could Win: The defending Presidents' Trophy winners are returning with the best goaltender and one of the best first lines in the league. Maybe for once it'll all be that simple. Plus, they've got hometown veteran Jonathan Toews under contract, which could be a motivator as he's eager to return to the ice.
Why They Won't: Not only did the Jets' great regular season end in the same old playoff pattern they can't break out of, but now Ehlers is off to the Hurricanes.
