2025 Stanley Cup playoffs: The conference finals matchups, the favorites and what to watch for
Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) celebrates after scoring the game winning goal during overtime in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Toronto Maple Leafs, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) scores on Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the first period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Dallas Stars' Thomas Harley celebrates after scoring in overtime in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in Dallas, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Dallas Stars' Thomas Harley celebrates after scoring in overtime in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in Dallas, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) celebrates after scoring the game winning goal during overtime in Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Toronto Maple Leafs, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) scores on Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the first period of Game 1 in an NHL hockey second-round playoff series in Toronto, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Edmonton Oilers right wing Kasperi Kapanen, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights during overtime of Game 5 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Dallas Stars' Thomas Harley celebrates after scoring in overtime in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in Dallas, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
The NHL playoffs have reached the conference finals, with four teams ready to battle for the Stanley Cup.
The defending champion Florida Panthers face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, while the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars meet up for a rematch of the 2024 West final.
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Canada's hopes of ending the nation's Cup drought — dating to Montreal's win in 1993 — rests with the Oilers.
All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven, and the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup. It's a grind that won't end until June.
Final four matchups
Florida vs. Carolina. These teams played this round two years ago, and the Panthers swept the series, winning all four games by a goal. They are much different now, with Florida having won the first title in franchise history and the Hurricanes changing their roster with a series of trades over the past several months. The big question is whether Carolina can get that one big goal they've been missing in six consecutive playoff appearances under Rod Brind'Amour that ended with disappointing exits.
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Dallas vs. Edmonton. Play starts in Texas, with the Stars owning home-ice advantage. They should have the edge in goal with Jake Oettinger, and coach Peter DeBoer has a team in the West final for the sixth time in seven seasons. The Oilers have the edge of experiencing from their long playoff run last year, plus two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
How to watch
Every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs is nationally televised in the U.S on an ABC/ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT's coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max's B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.
Who to watch
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Florida: Brad Marchand is more than a decade removed from hoisting the Cup with Boston, and he was the Bruins' captain until getting traded to the Panthers at this year's deadline. He was arguably their best player in Game 7 of the second round against the Maple Leafs and even at age 37 remains a difference-maker.
Carolina: Jaccob Slavin may be one of the best defensive defenseman in the history of the sport. Capitals coach Spencer Carbery lavished praise on Slavin at the end of their series, and the 31-year-old American is an expert at blocking shots, clearing pucks and doing all the little things that lead to wins at this time of year.
Dallas: Mikko Rantanen — traded from Colorado to Carolina and then Carolina to Dallas this season — leads all playoff scorers with 19 points. He has driven the bus for the Stars and is must-see entertainment every game given how dominant he has been.
Edmonton: Connor McDavid. The best hockey player in the world had a down season by his standards and dealt with injury, yet McDavid still finished with 100 points. Maybe he was on cruise control waiting for this moment, and the Stanley Cup is close enough to feel again for the three-time league MVP.
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Who are the Stanley Cup favorites?
Before the playoffs: Dallas and Florida were listed as co-favorites by BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by Colorado, Carolina, Edmonton and Vegas (tied) and Washington.
After the first round (in order): Florida, Carolina, Dallas, Edmonton, Vegas, Toronto, Winnipeg and Washington.
After the second round (in order): Edmonton, Florida, Dallas, Carolina.
When is the Stanley Cup Final?
The playoffs began April 19 to open three rounds of seven-game series in the East and West before the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could be as late as June 23.
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Washington Post
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Stanley Cup Final for old men: Brad Marchand and Corey Perry shine on hockey's biggest stage
EDMONTON, Alberta — Brad Marchand and Corey Perry are by far the oldest players in the Stanley Cup Final . Marchand just turned 37 last month, and Perry is 40. Naturally, they combined for a third of the goals in Game 2 on Friday night, showing this is indeed a Cup final for old men, not for the earth but certainly in hockey. Marchand scored his second of the game to win it in double overtime for the Florida Panthers after Perry got the latest tying goal in the history of the final in the waning moments of regulation to give the Edmonton Oilers hope.
Miami Herald
24 minutes ago
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‘He just finds a way': Panthers' Brad Marchand, at 37, has another big playoff moment
Anton Lundell retrieved the puck on the left side of the defensive zone midway through double overtime, took a couple strides and saw Brad Marchand streaking toward the neutral zone uncontested. 'He's a fast guy,' Lundell said. 'I saw him open. I just tried to give him the puck.' Once Marchand got the puck on his stick, he was off to the races. He charged down the ice, pushing toward the net on a breakaway. As he prepared to take his shot, Marchand felt a backcheck from Leon Draisaitl, trying to stymie the attempt and keep the game alive. Marchand adjusted on the fly. He moved the puck to his backhand and flicked it past Stuart Skinner. Marchand, at 37 years old, is the hero once again. His second goal of the game sealed the Florida Panthers' 5-4 double overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, a win that leveled the best-of-7 series at 1-1 as it now shifts to South Florida for the next two games. Marchand leapt in the air before being mobbed by his teammates as the euphoria of the win took over. 'Pure excitement and adrenaline for the whole group,' Marchand said. 'It's obviously a very important game for our team. We all knew we were one shot away, and luckily it went our way. You can tell the excitement that we had in that moment for sure.' Marchand has had his share of big moments in the playoffs throughout his career. He had 13 postseason game-winners, including three in overtime, during his first 15 seasons with the Boston Bruins before being traded to the Panthers in March. On this run into the Stanley Cup Final, on this chance for Marchand to win the Cup for the second time in his career, he has seven goals, 17 points and a pair of overtime winners. Three of his seven goals have come in the first two games of this Stanley Cup Final series, giving him 10 in his career — the most among active players and making him one of just 37 players in NHL history with double-digit goals in the Stanley Cup Final in his career. 'He enjoys the moment,' forward Evan Rodrigues said. 'He doesn't shy away from it. He's not worried about making a mistake, per se. He goes out there, he competes and he lives and dies by his game. He's done a great job for us, and we'll need him to continue to do that.' Added defenseman Nate Schmidt: 'He just finds a way. He did a great job throughout the game, finding open ice around their net, and I think he just, I dunno, just shoved a pitchfork or however he gets it in there. We'll take it.' They'll take everything Marchand has to offer. Obviously his production on the ice has been critical as Florida attempts to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. But what he provides off the ice is just as critical. He's vocal. He's brash. He's authentic. 'Brad's an honest man, and that's why he fits in our room,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'He loves the game. He loves the people around him. He's very open, very gregarious, so he just fits right in. He's completely accepted. An incredibly positive human being. He's up and down our bench all the time just pumping tires, stay in the fight. He is going to be the same way at breakfast tomorrow morning. He's just going to be jacked, high-fiving everybody at the table.' And he's defying the clock while he does it. At the ripe age of 37 years and 26 days old, Marchand became the fourth-oldest player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in the Stanley Cup Final, behind Igor Larionov (41 years, 187 days; Game 3 in 2002), Steve Thomas (39 years, 322 days; Game 4 in 2003) and Ron Francis (39 years, 95 days; Game 1 in 2002). He plays with the joy and youthful exuberance of the rookie who has the experience of a veteran who has seen 1,276 NHL games between the regular season and the playoffs. 'He could play till he's 47 the way he's going,' star Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk said. 'Unreal player, unreal competitor. He's scored, when you think about it, two of our biggest goals than playoffs so far. Hopefully he can keep it going.' Marchand's goals — he also scored on a shorthanded breakaway in the second period — helped give the Panthers life in this series after it almost slipped away from them again. Florida saw a two-goal lead in Game 1 slip away when it gave up a goal in the second, another in the third and lost with 31 seconds left in the first overtime. In Game 2 on Friday, the Panthers led 4-3 after two periods — overcoming a wild, five-goal first period after which they trailed 3-2 by scoring twice in the second — and was in control for most of the third period until Corey Perry scored with 17.8 seconds left to tie it and force overtime for a second consecutive game. 'Obviously you're disappointed they tied it up like that, but the emotion on the bench and in the room after the third, we've always had a very calm team,' Marchand said. 'I think you draw from your experiences. We do a really good job of focusing on the moment. A lot of guys have been through big moments, and we have a lot of really good leaders on this team, so you just try to draw on that. It didn't seem like there's any panic. There's a good feeling in the room. It doesn't faze guys. You can't let it this time of year.' Florida didn't. It weathered through the first overtime, one in which Edmonton had a 13-8 edge in shots on goal and waited for its opportunity to strike. It came 8:55 into the second overtime, with Marchand's breakaway ending the game and tying the series. 'It's just a huge play at a huge time and he's been incredible for us this whole playoffs,' center Sam Bennett said. 'He's scoring massive goals at massive times. That one was definitely the biggest.'
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