.jpg)
1 hour ago
3
The main event of the entire NHL season has arrived, with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes taking place on Tuesday.
The Hurricanes have been dominant throughout the post-season, losing just one game so far. They’ve been getting excellent secondary scoring from their second line of Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake.
A Stanley Cup for Carolina would do wonders for coach Rod Brind’Amour’s coaching legacy. That would list him as a Cup winner for the Canes, both as a player in 2006 and now as a head coach, if his team can pull it off.
As for the Golden Knights, it may be slightly surprising to see them in the final, considering where the team was trending before John Tortorella was hired as Bruce Cassidy’s successor as the team’s head coach.
Vegas’ goaltender, Carter Hart, and right winger Mitch Marner both deserve plenty of credit for the team’s success to this point. Marner leads the league in scoring this post-season, and Hart is emerging as a potential Conn Smythe favorite for the Knights as the playoff MVP.
Going into this 2026 Stanley Cup final, here is what the experts have to say, and who they believe will lift the holy grail over their heads when it’s all said and done.
2026 Stanley Cup Final Predictions
Imagn Images
Julian Gaudio
Prediction: Vegas in 6
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Jack Eichel
Thoughts: The Vegas Golden Knights are playing structured hockey, receiving great goaltending, and scoring timely goals from up and down the lineup. That’s the recipe for success in the playoffs, and it’s also proved to be what the Carolina Hurricanes can’t overcome.
The Hurricanes do have a slightly different feel this season, but the Golden Knights have made it impossible to get to the middle of the ice, and I’m not sure the Hurricanes are equipped to overcome it. Despite just a 4.8 shooting percentage, Eichel has notched 18 points, and it feels like his game can hit another level.
MORE: Hurricanes Goaltender Frederik Andersen Is Playing For More Than Just His First Stanley Cup
Adam Kierszenblat
Prediction: Carolina in 5
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Frederik Andersen
Thoughts: It is time for Carolina to once again lift the Stanley Cup. They have arguably the most dangerous line in hockey right now, one of the deepest defensive groups and a goaltender who is determined to silence the critics and win a Stanley Cup.
The biggest question now is what candy Seth Jarvis will put in the Stanley Cup bowl later this month.
Imagn Images
Gary Pearson
Prediction: Carolina in 7
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Taylor Hall
Thoughts: The Carolina Hurricanes are the deepest, most well-rounded team, which they’ll prove in a back-and-forth series against the sizzling-hot Vegas Golden Knights. Excluding their power play, the Hurricanes have no notable flaws.
They can roll all four lines and have the best collective defense, allowing more than two goals once in 13 games.
Michael Traikos
Prediction: Carolina in 5
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Taylor Hall
Thoughts: If the playoffs are a war of attrition, then Carolina has already won the war. The Hurricanes, who have only played 13 games to get to this point, are fast, fresh and physical — a combination that should overwhelm the Golden Knights in what I predict will be a short series.
Frederik Andersen has a 1.41 goals-against average with three shutouts, but look for Taylor Hall, who has a team-leading 16 points, to be the X-Factor.
MORE: Unlikable? Why It's OK To Hate On The Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Tye
Prediction: Carolina in 6
Conn Smythe Trophy Winner: Jackson Blake
Thoughts: Blake has finally broken out as a legit NHL forward, with the 22-year-old coming off a 53-point season and averaging over a point per game in the playoffs with 15 points over 13 playoff games.
The North Dakota native is one point off the team lead held by Taylor Hall and has a case for being able to make up ground with a goal and an assist over his last three games versus the Golden Knights.
More NHL News
- Taking a look at Judd Brackett's history as a talent evaluator; What he'll bring to the Maple Leafs
- Drafting Gavin McKenna is the only option for the Maple Leafs at the 2026 NHL draft
- ‘It’s upsetting,’ Bruce Cassidy speaks about Golden Knights denying him permission to speak to NHL teams
- Jack Eichel, Chris Chelios are wrong about the history of Mitch Marner and the Maple Leafs
- 'It’s pretty clear I’ll be moving on,' Longtime Canadiens star gets emotional discussing future
English (US)