Fatal Flaws for the Top 2026 Stanley Cup Contenders
We're just two weeks out from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it will likely take until the final day of the regular season to determine the entire field.
The playoff bubble has been close for almost the whole season. While the rest of the potential playoff field has been duking it out, though, most of the top Cup contenders have been busy dominating the league.
There's been so much talk about the movement on the bubble that we haven't had as much time to dissect the top Stanley Cup competitors. Let's pause for a second and consider the fatal flaws of each top contender.
Colorado Avalanche: Mackenzie Blackwood's March
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The concept of "peaking early" is silly. You want to win as many games as possible whenever you can for seeding and good measure.
Plus, the Avalanche were significantly more dominant than the rest of the league for most of the season, so they earned the right for a pre- and post-Olympic breather. The fact that they took the foot off the gas a bit shouldn't ring too many alarm bells.
What should sound a few sirens is the play of goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood as of late. He had been solid in net since joining Colorado, but he's had more than a few clunkers recently, and an overall concerning end to the season.
Blackwood ended March with a .863 save percentage and a 2.99 goals against average, a significant decline from his .929 save percentage and 1.79 goals against average in February. His first performance of April didn't exactly turn things around: He posted a .684 save percentage in Wednesday's 8-6 loss against the league-worst Canucks, allowing six goals on 19 shots before getting pulled.
Let's not totally panic, though. Scott Wedgewood currently ranks first in the NHL with a .917 save percentage and a 2.18 goals against average through 40 games. He'll likely start the playoffs as the No. 1 option in net and all will be well for the Avs.
However, Colorado is known for its goaltending depth, and that has become a bit of a raised eyebrow for the Avalanche.
Dallas Stars: Trade Deadline Duds
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The Dallas Stars have put together a perennial powerhouse of a team, and general manager Jim Nill deserves all of his flowers for the two-steps-ahead tweaks he's made over the years to get them to this point.
Still, especially with Tyler Seguin out, they needed more scoring and stronger overall defense on the right side. Nill acquired Michael Bunting for the scoring depth issue and Tyler Myers for the defense. These were solid moves considering the barren market, but both players have been taking a concerning amount of time to adjust.
Bunting had one (power-play) goal, one assist and a rough minus-seven rating through his first 11 games with the Stars. Now he's on the bench with a lower-body injury sustained March 29, and his return for the playoffs is questionable.
Myers hasn't been trusted in a big role, mostly playing low minutes on the third pairing next to Lian Bichsel.
Perhaps the star power Dallas does have—along with a career performance out of Jake Oettinger—will be enough for the team to finally get it done this year.
If they do win the Stanley Cup, though, this year's deadline will have had little to do with it.
Carolina Hurricanes: Groundhog Day?
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The Hurricanes finally have a playoff path that doesn't involve the Panthers, but don't plan the parade just yet. Another familiar foe could rain on it.
What do we always talk about when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes' problems? Lack of star-level goal-scoring and goaltending uncertainties.
Things actually look better than usual in the scoring department headed into the playoffs. Seth Jarvis continues to impress, with his third consecutive 30-goal season under his belt. Andrei Svechnikov has had a revival with 27 of his own, and even Nikolaj Ehlers has 24.
No one's going to hit the 40-goal mark this season, but there are some heavy hitters in the mix. The 'Canes will be fine on offense if they can keep up this scoring rate.
The bigger concern this year has been goaltending, as Brandon Bussi's great start now open to question.
The 27-year-old turned things around in his most recent start, posting a .920 save percentage in a 5-2 win over the Blue Jackets Tuesday, but he had a concerning string of sub-.900 save percentages in his prior seven consecutive starts.
Bussi needs to get his early-season confidence back fast if the Hurricanes are to avoid another disappointing playoff run.
Buffalo Sabres: Lack of Experience
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The Sabres have been the story of the season as they look to finally end the longest running drought in the league after 14 long years without playoff hockey.
This season is a major success and a defining, unforgettable moment in the franchise no matter what. And who's to say it doesn't end in a Stanley Cup?
We don't want to kill the buzz, but it's not looking great based on league history. A team has only missed the playoffs in a previous season and won the Cup three times since the end of the Original Six in 1967: the 1991 Penguins, the 1994 Rangers, and the 2006 Hurricanes (although the prior year was a lockout).
Most teams need a taste of the playoffs and some experience before winning it all. This could be that all-important step for the Sabres to cap off a beautiful season.
Minnesota Wild: Defensive Holes
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As if a potential first-round matchup with the Stars wasn't enough of an obstacle for both contenders, the Wild have some defensive issues that could threaten their Cup run.
Their penalty kill is operating at 78.8 percent, the worst of any contender. This is especially concerning knowing the Stars have the second-best power play in the league.
According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the Wild have allowed the third-most shots against among all NHL teams this season at five-on-five. Only the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs have fared worse in this department.
Minnesota has been saved by its goaltending tandem, one of the best in the league in Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt. But as the competition elevates in the playoffs, the shot selection gets better and the stakes increase.
The Wild need to tighten up in front of their goalies if they want a chance at the Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning: The Penalty Kill
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Sometimes the truth is simple: You need to kill penalties against the best teams in the league in the playoffs.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have rediscovered their swagger after a post-Olympic lull, but they have struggled to kill penalties.
Of course, Victor Hedman has been a huge missing piece, so it's encouraging that the winning has even resumed in his absence. He could come back for the playoffs and do what he does best, and Tampa Bay's late-season penalty woes will be forgotten.
However, the Lightning have allowed 10 power-play goals in the last 16 games, and the bad habit needs to go before it becomes the difference between a playoff win or loss.
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