Stanley Cup contender rankings: Who dethrones the Panthers, Oilers?

The NHL, particularly successful the wage headdress era, is usually defined by alteration and upheaval -- acquainted contenders turning their rosters over, portion caller powers look successful their place.

That's wherefore it was truthful striking to spot the aforesaid 2 Stanley Cup finalists -- the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers -- successful back-to-back seasons, the league's first Cup rematch since 2008-09, and lone the 2nd since 1983-84. Add successful Florida's quality successful the 2023 Final arsenic well, and the NHL hasn't had less unsocial finalists implicit a three-year span (just 3 antithetic teams) since 1954-56, erstwhile lone the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens reached the Final successful those 3 years.

This tally of Panthers-Oilers dominance won't past forever, and it astir surely won't past past 2025-26 if Connor McDavid doesn't re-sign with Edmonton aft his existent declaration ends astatine the extremity of the year. But for now, ESPN BET's preseason likelihood again database Florida (+300) arsenic the East favourite and Edmonton (+400) arsenic the West's apical pick, suggesting that different rematch is the likeliest outcome.

Of course, that's lone existent until it's not. So the question becomes: If it's not Florida and Edmonton yet again, who's adjacent successful enactment to look disconnected for the Cup?

Let's dive into the astir plausible challengers from each conference, conscionable waiting to skate done if the Panthers and/or Oilers gaffe up, positive a mates of up-and-coming teams who could clang the enactment arsenic well.

Note: All likelihood beneath courtesy of ESPN BET.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Carolina Hurricanes

Odds to marque Final: +360 | Win Cup: +800

Why they haven't breached done yet: It's an fantabulous question that the Canes are inactive trying to answer. Despite making the postseason 7 consecutive years, Carolina's 44 playoff wins person ne'er led to a Stanley Cup Final quality -- giving them the astir victories amassed successful specified a agelong without getting determination astatine slightest once, topping Toronto's aged grounds of 41 from 1998 to 2004.

Along the way, the squad has made the Eastern Conference finals successful 2 of the past 3 seasons, but couldn't people capable to debar a Florida expanse successful 2023. And their goaltending, ever a immense concern, couldn't halt capable Panthers (most notably Sam Bennett) successful 2025.

Why 2025-26 could beryllium different: Carolina volition erstwhile again thrust with Pyotr Kochetkov and Frederik Andersen successful net, which is crushed capable to wonderment if things volition b...