2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: B/R Staff Conference Finals Predictions
Down to four teams.
The best of the best begin their last leg of their Stanley Cup journey as the Carolina Hurricanes, Montréal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, and Vegas Golden Knights vie for the last two berths in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final.
So, who's going to the Final?
The B/R NHL staff writers made their picks to determine who will be the final two teams in June.
Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montréal Canadiens
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The Carolina Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers to reach the Eastern Conference Final. The Montréal Canadiens eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in seven games each.
Led by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson, Montréal has a slight offensive advantage, with a 3.07 goals-per-game average compared to Carolina's 3.00. However, the Hurricanes' second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven, and Jackson Blake gives them the additional firepower they've lacked in previous postseasons.
Frederik Andersen has gone the distance thus far for the Hurricanes, leading all goaltenders with a 1.12 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage. Jakub Dobeš has started every game for the Canadiens, with a 2.52 GAA and .910 SP.
Carolina's deep defense corps has allowed the second-fewest shots against per game (25.1), while Montréal ranks seventh with 28.7. The Canadiens' blue line is led by the game-changing puck-mover Hutson, but the Hurricanes have the experience advantage, led by defensive stalwart Jaccob Slavin.
The Canadiens have the edge on the power play with a 25.0 percent success rate compared to the Hurricanes' 13.5 percent. However, the latter has the second-best penalty-killing percentage (95.0) in this postseason, with the Canadiens a distant 74.1.
While the young Canadiens have taken their fans on a wonderful postseason run thus far, the Hurricanes' experience, their solid defense, and Andersen's goaltending will make the difference in this one.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 6
-Lyle Richardson
Though the Hurricanes have a distinct edge in prime-time experience and Andersen has been a rock star through two consecutive sweeps, there's something to be said about youthful exuberance and being forced to dig deep to advance.
The Canadiens have not only had their mettle tested with consecutive Game 6 losses on home ice that necessitated road wins in consecutive Game 7s at Tampa Bay and Buffalo, but they've also had it forged into a championship-worthy weapon.
Add the fact that they swept the season series between the teams—beating Carolina by 7-5, 5-2, and 3-1 scores—and it's clear Martin St. Louis and Co. are up to the task, whether it's a run-and-gun game or a tight defensive struggle.
There's something about inevitability.
Prediction: Canadiens in 6
-Lyle Fitzsimmons
Remember the Carolina Hurricanes? They clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference Final about two weeks ago and have yet to lose a playoff game. Crazy, right? They're good and play the kind of game that should best counteract the Montréal Canadiens' speed when they use it.
Carolina's puck control and volume shooting could make life a nightmare for the Canadiens. Everything is clicking well for the Hurricanes, and they're heavy favorites for a reason. The Habs, meanwhile, have had fits of inconsistency and brilliance in the playoffs, which would explain why they've gone to seven games in both series they've played. They've also dealt with much stiffer competition and come through it to land here.
Montréal is good, but so is Carolina and they've been waiting for them.
Prediction: Hurricanes in 6
-Joe Yerdon
Western Conference Final: Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights
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The Colorado Avalanche reached this stage by sweeping the Los Angeles Kings and eliminating the Minnesota Wild in five games. The Golden Knights dispatched the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks each in six games.
Colorado possesses a deep roster with superstar Nathan MacKinnon and winger Martin Necas leading their offensive attack. They lead all postseason clubs with a 4.11 goals per game average.
All-Star defenseman Cale Makar anchors the Avs' blue line, but an upper-body injury hampered him during the Wild series. That could become a factor if he hasn't fully recovered for this series.
Goaltending became a concern as Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood had some difficulty against the Wild. Nevertheless, the Avalanche's 2.56 goals-against per game ranked fifth among postseason clubs.
Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner has silenced critics of his postseason play, leading all playoff performers with 18 points. Young winger Pavel Dorofeyev has a playoff-leading nine goals, and Jack Eichel leads with 14 assists.
Center William Karlsson returned from a long absence due to injury, but captain Mark Stone missed the final three games of the Ducks series. Goaltender Carter Hart has been solid between the pipes thus far, with the Golden Knights sitting just behind the Avalanche with a 2.58 goals-against per game.
Both clubs are pretty much even with the man advantage, with Vegas' power-play percentage of 25.7 just ahead of Colorado's 25 percent. However, the Golden Knights have been better at killing penalties, with a kill percentage of 86.8 compared to the Avalanche's 79.3.
What could tilt this series against the Golden Knights is that they faced inexperienced competition from the Mammoth and Ducks, who were making their first postseason appearances in years. The Avs had short series with the Kings and Wild, but both were experienced playoff clubs.
The Golden Knights have the talent to pull off an upset, but the Avalanche's depth should make the difference here.
Prediction: Avalanche in 6
- Lyle Richardson
The Golden Knights didn't find themselves until the end of the regular season and the arrival of John Tortorella, and they parlayed the momentum into a surprising (to me, at least) defeat of a young, talented Utah team in Round 1.
Beating an Anaheim team that had already exceeded expectations by dumping Edmonton wasn't quite as jarring, but it does set up an interesting battle between the two first-place teams in the Western Conference.
Colorado, though, is another animal.
The Avalanche have been the league's best team all season, with only a few minor hiccups, and the quick runs against both Los Angeles and Minnesota show they've got the right mindset to get the job done.
MacKinnon is the best player on either team, and a healthy Makar and Necas might be Nos. 2 and 3, meaning it'll take a huge effort by Vegas and a few off nights for the favorites to make it anything more than a competitive blowout.
Sorry, Torts. Just not seeing it from here.
Prediction: Avalanche in 5
- Lyle Fitzsimmons
Vegas has shown a lot of wherewithal in making it to the Western Conference Final. Colorado has shown they're on a mission to lay waste to everyone they come across.
The Avalanche made it this far without hitting too many roadblocks and stayed healthy along the way. But the Golden Knights haven't exactly done that, and they're going to need everyone and everything to be there and ready if they're going to stun the world.
If there's a coach who can help make that happen, it's John Tortorella, but even his best strategizing will find the Avalanche to be incredibly difficult to counteract with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar running the show.
Prediction: Avalanche in 5
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