2025 Conference Finals Preview

32 teams started this journey in October. 16 qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and at exactly one month in to this wonderful annual madness, we are now down to the final four teams remaining. I've said this many times before; I absolutely love the last round before the championship, because the pomp and circumstance increases. In every one of the main leagues, whether it's the League Championship Series in baseball, the Conference Championships in the NFL, or the Conference Finals in the NBA and NHL, there is always an aura. Trophies are awarded at the end of the penultimate round of each sport's playoffs, and regarding the NHL's trophies, I'll get to those later.

As I stated, four teams remain in the chase for the Stanley Cup, and here's a look at each conference's series:

Eastern Conference Final

Once again, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers are facing off for the right to claim the Eastern Conference. Once again, the Hurricanes find themselves in the Final Four as the best team remaining. I had my doubts about the Canes after each of the last two years, but here they are, four wins away from the Cup Final. However, there's one tiny problem: the Final Four has been a dead end for them. The Canes have lost twelve straight Conference Final games. They won the Stanley Cup in 2006, but each of their last three ECF appearances have seen them swept out of the series.

This includes 2023, which saw the Hurricanes swept by the Panthers, who are making their third straight Final Four appearance--somehow. This team's dead end should have been Round 2, but they're thankful that the refs hate the Maple Leafs. With this appearance, that's six straight Final Four appearances for the state of Florida, and eight in the last 11 seasons dating back to 2015. The Sunshine state is really becoming what the province of Alberta was in the 80s. Oh man.

For the Hurricanes, Seth Jarvis (4G/6A) and Sebastian Aho (3G/7A) are tied for the points lead with 10. Andrei Svechnikov has nine points, but eight of them went in the net! For the Panthers, Brad Marchand has been rejuvenated; he's tied with Eetu Luostarinen for the team lead in points with 12 (both with 3G/9A).

Western Conference Final

The Dallas Refs, I mean Stars, are back in full form and are now in the Western Conference Final for the third straight year and the fourth time in this decade. They started the playoffs without Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen, but now have them back because the refs despise the Avs and helped Dallas advance. Ref privilege and Connor Hellebuyck turning into a pumpkin in the playoffs (again!) resulted in Dallas' third straight WCF appearance.

As for the Oilers... are they really Canada's team now? This is the fourth straight year that the Oilers have been the last Canadian team standing. Yes, I know that both the Oilers and Leafs lost in Round 2 in 2023, but the Leafs lost in five that year while the Oilers lost in six, so that statement stands. The Oilers engaged in their favorite pastime--owning the Kings--before ousting Vegas, and now, they're four wins away from returning to the Final. Even scarier? Their longtime goalie problems? They may be solved. Stuart Skinner had back-to-back shutouts to end that second round. If he keeps that up along with McDavid and Draisaitl doing McDavid and Draisaitl things? Oh boy.

This is a rematch of last year's WCF, which the Oilers won in six games. Guess who's leading the Stars in points? That's right, Mikko Rantanen, Big Moose himself. 19 points (9G/10A) for the Moose. As for the Oilers, of course, it's Connor McDavid with 17 points--14 of them being helpers.

Trophies

I mentioned trophies earlier, and there they are, the respective conference trophies. The Eastern Conference Champion is awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy, while the Western Conference Champion is awarded the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Of course we all know the superstition: don't touch the trophies! It's that long belief that if you touch the trophies, then you won't win the Cup because you're just happy to get to the Final, yet I've seen a lot of teams touch those trophies. The Capitals did in 2018 and won. In 2022, both the Avs and Lightning touched their respective trophies. That superstition doesn't always come true, but some teams swear by it.

Regarding telecasts, this year, TNT will carry the Eastern Conference Final, while ESPN will carry the Western Conference Final. In Canada, Sportsnet will have both series. We could get history here. If the Oilers advance, they'll be the first Canadian team to play in back-to-back Finals since the same team did so back in 1987 and 1988. If we get Oilers and Panthers again, it'll mark the first time we receive a repeat Final matchup since 2008 and 2009, when the Red Wings and Penguins faced off both years. This could be a very interesting Final Four; I foresee a lot of wild moments!