Bold Predictions for Every NHL Playoff Team and 2026 Stanley Cup Winner 2 Weeks In
We're two weeks into the NHL season, and although things are still fresh and subject to change, we're starting to see some patterns and underlying trends emerge.
We're also getting enough eye-test evidence to determine whether a team's start is well-represented by its record.
It's fun to pick on the New York Rangers' lack of production at home, but you know the goals are going to come if you're watching all their near-misses. We've learned enough about the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers to know their slow starts are nothing to panic about.
Now we've had a few good looks at the top teams in the league, let's try to predict the entire 2026 Stanley Cup playoff field and crown a winner.
Metropolitan Division Playoff Teams
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Division Winner: New Jersey Devils
Jack Hughes and the whole Devils squad look ready to follow up last year's injuries and disappointments with a serious playoff run. Hughes recently netted his third career hat trick, Jesper Bratt looks primed for a career season, and they're doing it all with an injured Jacob Markstrom.
Second-Placed Team: Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes look great as expected to start the season, despite the task of a long West Coast road trip right off the bat. Again, it's early in the season, so we can't take every win or loss to heart. But their performance against the Golden Knights earned them the No. 2 spot instead of the No. 1 spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Their shootout thriller win over the Avalanche could have kicked them into the next gear, but we'll see where they're at in 15 games or so.
Third-Placed Team: New York Rangers
The Rangers have had a tough start to the season, especially at home. But anyone watching knows the team is much better than its 3-5-1 would indicate. The chances are there for the Rangers, and they've been winning battles consistently, especially at even strength.
They've got to put it all together and make it count on the scoresheet, but their play suggests they'll get there; they've just been running into some super-hot goalies and some new team growing pains. Igor Shesterkin is the best goaltender in the league right now, and if he can hang on and keep the team in it, it will pay off.
Surrendering to a Macklin Celebrini hat trick and an overtime loss to the Sharks has got to be a wakeup call.
Atlantic Division Playoff Teams
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Division Winner: Florida Panthers
The Panthers aren't off to the hottest start this year, but you could say that about any of the past few years in which they ended up making it to the Cup Final. They know the trick is not to exhaust themselves too soon, especially without No. 1 center Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk.
Second-Placed Team: Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens look ready to build on last year's playoff appearance with sustainability, and Jakub Dobes is emerging as a potential mainstay answer in net.
Sure, there are potential depth scoring issues if Kirby Dach doesn't have the season of Habs fans' dreams, but that's nothing the Canadiens can't solve with a trade or two.
Third-Placed Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs have had some spooky moments and all-around bad vibes to start the season, but it makes sense: They're navigating without Mitch Marner for the first time.
The power play is a mess, which is actually good news. Once they figure that out, the goals will come easier.
Still, they're going to need to find a replacement for Marner on the trade market, and we're assuming that's going to happen while placing them in this No. 3 spot.
Eastern Conference Wild Cards
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First Wild Card: Detroit Red Wings
Head coach Todd McLellan has made a palpable impact on his team since taking over in the middle of last season, and his influence has shown up early through this Red Wings' hot start.
Not only did he keep seventh-round pick rookie Emmitt Finnie on the roster out of training camp, but he also decided to keep him with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the first line.
If the defense and goaltending can improve all around, either internally or via a few trades, Detroit will return to the playoffs this season.
Second Wild Card: Ottawa Senators
The Senators' early struggles have been alarming, as has the team's lack of resolve in light of Brady Tkachuk's injury.
It's a shame the team is wasting Shane Pinto's incredible goal-scoring start, but you get the sense that too many pieces are missing in the puzzle. The abysmal goaltending hasn't helped, either.
Is the defensive structure sound enough to improve upon last year's first-round exit? Is the center depth good enough here? The Senators have to answer several questions, but that's what the beginning of the season is for.
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Central Division Playoff Teams
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Division Winner: Colorado Avalanche
At times, this Avalanche team has looked like it's playing in a different league than the rest of the NHL. Every position is stacked, every shift is dangerous, and the goaltending is holding up. No surprise they'll end up at the top of the Central, even though it's looking like the toughest division in the league this season.
Second-Placed Team: Dallas Stars
The Stars have had a surprisingly inconsistent start to the season. Again, though, special teams have been the biggest culprit, which is something you expect a team with top talent to eventually sort out on a game-by-game basis. It's tough to imagine a scenario in which Dallas doesn't get it together.
Third-Placed Team: Winnipeg Jets
It's been business as usual for the reigning Presidents' Trophy champions with a strong start to the season all around. No one's expecting this team to miss the playoffs. The question with the Jets is always: What are they actually going to do in the playoffs?
Pacific Division Playoff Teams
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Division Winner: Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas is meeting every lofty expectation placed on the team since acquiring Marner so far. The ability to rise to the occasion and handle the pressure is a great sign.
Mark Stone's injury will make things harder in the short term, but if he makes his return around playoff time as he has in the past, this will be a formidable team.
Second-Placed Team: Edmonton Oilers
Why is it that the teams that have made it to the Cup Final for two years straight always have slow starts? If the Oilers and Panthers have taught us anything, it's that great teams eventually rise to the top and know how to pace themselves. Perhaps it's actually that these teams are so talented and confident that they can afford to lose a game or two. Either way, don't worry about them early on.
Third-Placed Team: Vancouver Canucks
Sure, why not? A healthy Thatcher Demko can take this team anywhere, but a struggling Kevin Lankinen had better shape up. The Canucks need to ensure the No. 2 goalie is as reliable as possible, given Demko's history. Elias Pettersson could also contribute more offensively.
Western Conference Wild Cards
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First Wild Card: Utah Mammoth
The Mammoth needed to come back with more scoring, a few more depth pieces, and a healthy roster. They have accomplished all of that and more this season, especially on the scoring front. Logan Cooley had the franchise's first natural hat trick in Thursday's 7-4 win over the Blues, and this offense just keeps gaining traction.
Second Wild Card: Minnesota Wild
The Wild have had some startlingly bad moments to start the season, and most of them have come on defense. However, the best players on this team are young, and the start of the season can be a rocky road when you're looking for consistency from a young core. The fundamentals are there, and it's hard to imagine the Wild don't figure it out eventually and squeak into the playoffs much like last season.
2026 Stanley Cup Winner Prediction
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Stanley Cup Winner: Colorado Avalanche
Have the Avalanche learned their ultimate lesson? Have they learned that it is better to have Mikko Rantanen'ed and lost than to have never Mikko Rantanen'ed at all?
This could make or break their Cup chances this season, as Martin Necas is in line for a contract extension, and he's becoming one of the most important players on the team.
If the Avalanche let the season play out, let the chemistry between Necas and Nathan MacKinnon flourish, and mentally go all-in this season, they've got the right blend of experience, motivation, talent, and depth to win the 2026 Stanley Cup.
Their five-on-five play has been mind-blowing, and it's been enough to sit atop the Central Division despite one of the worst power plays in the league right now.
The Avs are just warming up.
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