The Hockey News Canucks Site Predicts The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have officially begun. The Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Philadelphia Flyers have already won Game 1 of their respective series’ so far, with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montréal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, and Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights set to begin their series’ today. The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks Site Editors have put together their predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: here are our picks. 

First Round Results 

Adam Kierszenblat, Site Editor: 

Eastern Conference: 

Carolina Hurricanes over Ottawa Senators

Buffalo Sabres over Boston Bruins

Tampa Bay Lightning over Montréal Canadiens

Pittsburgh Penguins over Philadelphia Flyers 

Western Conference: 

Colorado Avalanche over Los Angeles Kings

Dallas Stars over Minnesota Wild

Utah Mammoth over Vegas Golden Knights

Edmonton Oilers over Anaheim Ducks

Izzy Cheung, Deputy Site Editor: 

Eastern Conference: 

Hurricanes over Senators 

Sabres over Bruins 

Lightning over Canadiens 

Penguins over Flyers 

Western Conference: 

Avalanche over Kings 

Stars over Wild

Golden Knights over Mammoth 

Oilers over Ducks 

Second Round Results

AK: 

Eastern Conference: 

Hurricanes over Penguins 

Lightning over Sabres 

Western Conference: 

Avalanche over Stars 

Mammoth over Oilers 

IC: 

Eastern Conference: 

Hurricanes over Penguins 

Lightning over Sabres 

Western Conference: 

Avalanche over Stars 

Oilers over Golden Knights 

Third Round Results

AK: 

Hurricanes over Lightning 

Avalanche over Mammoth 

IC: 

Hurricanes over Lightning 

Avalanche over Oilers 

Stanley Cup Final Result

AK: Hurricanes over Avalanche 

IC: Avalanche over Hurricanes 

Who Will Win The Conn Smythe? 

AK: Sebastian Aho 

IC: Nathan MacKinnon 

Who Will Finish Playoffs With The Most Points? 

AK: Nathan MacKinnon 

IC: Nathan MacKinnon 

Who Will Finish Playoffs With The Most Goals? 

AK: Nathan MacKinnon 

IC: Andrei Svechnikov 

Which Goaltender Will Have The Strongest Post-Season? 

AK: Frederik Andersen 

IC: Frederik Andersen 

Which Former Canuck Will Have The Best Performance? 

AK: Jalen Chatfield 

IC: Vasily Podkolzin 

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