The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have reached the conference finals stage, featuring two highly anticipated rematches. In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers meet again after their 2023 series. The Western Conference final pits the Dallas Stars against the Edmonton Oilers, a repeat of their 2024 matchup.
This preview delves into the remaining four teams, offering insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and key factors that could determine who advances to the Stanley Cup Final.
Dallas Stars
How they got here: Defeated Avalanche 4-3, defeated Jets 4-2
Goalie Confidence Rating: 9/10. Jake Oettinger has been a pillar of stability for the Stars. He leads playoff goalies in shots faced, saves made, and minutes played, providing a crucial foundation. His performance in overtime (Stars are 3-0 in extra frames) highlights his clutch value.
What We`ve Learned: Adaptability has been key. The Stars navigated early rounds despite injuries to star players like Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. While they seek more consistent offensive production from certain depth players, their ability to win different types of games demonstrates resilience.
X Factor: Scoring Depth. A significant 81% of the Stars` goals (26 out of 32) have come from just five players: Rantanen, Roope Hintz, Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston, and Mikael Granlund. Key forwards like Jamie Benn, Evgenii Dadonov, Mason Marchment, Tyler Seguin (combined 5 goals), and Matt Duchene (0 goals) need to increase their offensive contributions, especially against a stingy defensive team like the Oilers.
Are they ready for the next step? This is their third consecutive conference final appearance, signalling a clear championship window. Building on past playoff experiences – learning from overtime losses in 2023 and struggling against the Oilers` depth in 2024 – the Stars have shown growth this year, winning multiple overtime games, starting series stronger, overcoming adversity, and extending Peter DeBoer`s perfect Game 7 record (9-0). The question remains if this accumulated experience is enough to reach and potentially win the Final.
Edmonton Oilers
How they got here: Defeated Kings 4-2, defeated Golden Knights 4-1
Goalie Confidence Rating: 8/10. While goaltending was a concern early, leading to a switch from Stuart Skinner to Calvin Pickard, Skinner returned after Pickard`s injury and finished the second round with two shutouts against Vegas. Despite past criticism, Skinner has backstopped the Oilers to within four wins of the Final. Improved defensive structure has also bolstered confidence in the netminder.
What We`ve Learned: The Oilers might be the deepest team remaining. While Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are offensive leaders, the team has consistently shown contributions from beyond their superstars. Depth players like Kasperi Kapanen and Corey Perry have made impacts. They`ve navigated goaltending issues and found defensive cohesion even with injuries. Their ability to get scoring from multiple lines makes them difficult to match up against.
X Factor: Special Teams Consistency. Last postseason, Edmonton boasted an elite penalty kill (94%) and a strong power play. This year, their power play is still effective (25%), but their penalty kill (66.7%) is the worst among the final four teams. They need to find the necessary adjustments, particularly as their power play struggled in the second round (9.1%), to regain their special teams dominance.
Is the Vegas win a blueprint? By utilizing their full roster and deploying a stifling defensive strategy, the Oilers neutralized the Golden Knights` depth and held several key players scoreless. This success in shutting down an opponent`s offensive threats provides a potential blueprint for how they can approach a series against a Dallas team that has relied heavily on its top scorers. Can they replicate this defensive effort?
Carolina Hurricanes
How they got here: Defeated Devils 4-1, defeated Capitals 4-1
Goalie Confidence Rating: 9.5/10. Frederik Andersen is having a remarkable playoff run, leading all goalies with a .937 save percentage and 1.36 goals-against average. He`s been exceptional against high-danger chances and boasts a strong goal differential. The main concern is his injury history, which sidelined him briefly in the first round, but when healthy, he is arguably the best goaltender currently playing.
What We`ve Learned: The Hurricanes play a suffocating, full-team pressure game that limits opponent space and shots (second fewest allowed per game). They control the offensive zone effectively, using a strong cycle game to wear teams down. Their defense, led by Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns, excels at breaking up plays. Combined with Andersen`s performance and timely offense, like Andrei Svechnikov`s eight goals, this makes them incredibly hard to play against.
X Factor: Coach Rod Brind`Amour`s adjustments. This is a rematch of the 2023 conference final where the Hurricanes were swept by Florida. Brind`Amour, facing fellow Cup-winning coach Paul Maurice, needs to bring his tactical best. His ability to make key adjustments on the fly, manage matchups, and keep the team composed is critical for Carolina to overcome their previous failure against the Panthers and finally push through to the Stanley Cup Final.
Have they faced enough adversity? Carolina has been dominant, winning both series 4-1 without facing significant pressure or difficult losses. They are now up against a Florida team that has been tested and shown resilience. How the Hurricanes respond if they fall behind, lose momentum, or face a must-win situation will be a key test for a team that has cruised through the early rounds. They must avoid getting complacent.
Florida Panthers
How they got here: Defeated Lightning 4-1, defeated Maple Leafs 4-3
Goalie Confidence Rating: 8.5/10. Sergei Bobrovsky has proven clutch, particularly in the crucial later games of the Toronto series where he significantly improved after a shaky start. While not flawless, his ability to bounce back and deliver strong performances when it matters most is invaluable. He also possesses Cup Final experience, which is an advantage when facing an elite goalie like Andersen.
What We`ve Learned: The Panthers possess a strong killer instinct and impressive adaptability, capable of exploiting opponent weaknesses while maintaining their own structure. Their depth is significant, with scoring coming from multiple players and defensemen contributing offensively. While they rank fourth in playoff offense (3.75 goals per game), their defensive effort and penalty kill (second best at 89.5%) are particularly standout. They are a balanced, resilient, and battle-tested team that knows how to close out games.
X Factor: Star Offensive Production. Key Panthers stars like Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, and Sam Reinhart were relatively quiet offensively in the second round. While the team`s depth compensated, they will need their top-end talent to elevate their game against Carolina`s stifling defense and Frederik Andersen. Creating scoring opportunities and capitalizing on them will heavily rely on these players breaking through.
Can Florida beat Carolina at their own game? This series pits two defensive powerhouses against each other, both excelling in limiting shots and boasting strong special teams. While Florida has a slight edge in overall offense, Carolina has shown a knack for timely scoring. Florida`s adaptability is paramount here. Leveraging their experience from sweeping Carolina in 2023 and their ability to overcome challenges this year, the Panthers must find a way to crack the code against a team that mirrors many of their own strengths.
Gareth Tenby 
Duncan Priestley