And then there were four!
The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially at their midpoint as the Conference Finals loom. The second round of the playoffs saw more heavyweight favorites in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers fall, making way for the most unconventional Conference Finals hockey fans have seen in some time.
Chaos is king in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but things have been taken to a new level this season. The last time any of the four teams remaining won a Stanley Cup? The Carolina Hurricanes way back in 2006. Not only that, two of the remaining teams haven’t even won a Stanley Cup in franchise history!
Expect the unexpected really is the name of the game here as the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin to wind down. After all, there are only a finite number of hockey games left in the season before a long summer, so why not enjoy it all while it lasts?
Here’s how we rank the four teams remaining in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with a final eulogy for the ones left behind.
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Eliminated teams
8. New Jersey Devils
Outside of the lone Devils win — an 8-4 shellacking in Game 3 — there wasn’t much for New Jersey fans to cheer about in this series. Vitek Vanecek had a rough series, posting a .824 save percentage in four games and allowing 12 goals on 68 shots seen. And at the other end, the Devils’ offense went dry at the wrong time, leading to a swift exit from the second round in five games.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
Once the Maple Leafs went down 3-0 to the Panthers, it was essentially over. Only four teams in NHL history have come back from that deficit to win a playoff series and this time, it just wasn’t to be. The Maple Leafs may have won a round, but there will be a lot of questions to answer — and changes to possibly come — in the long offseason ahead. Given the talent on their team, Toronto should have been able to win multiple rounds in these playoffs and it’s disappointing to see them bow out like this.
6. Edmonton Oilers
While the power play was the Oilers’ bread and butter last round, a lack of even strength scoring was their downfall against the Golden Knights. In the second round, the Oilers were outscored 18-9 at even strength and were unable to generate much without the man advantage. Add the goaltending woes of Stuart Skinner (.875 save percentage in this six-game series) into the mix and the Oilers just couldn’t overcome their faults despite having the two best players in hockey.
5. Seattle Kraken
The Kraken made it further in these playoffs than anyone gave them credit for in just their second year as a franchise. While it’s a shame to see their playoff run come to an end, what a postseason it was. The Kraken’s diverse offensive spread was a boon in the first round, but turned into a hinderance when the team just couldn’t get the timely scoring it needed.
4. Dallas Stars
Last ranked: 5
Jake Oettinger might not be the world-beater he was during last year’s playoffs (.903 save percentage in 13 playoff games played), but the Stars are more than making up for it with their offense. Roope Hintz has nine goals and 19 points, which leads both categories factoring in the four remaining playoff teams. Out of all the teams remaining, the Stars have scored the most goals (47) in these playoffs, thanks in part to playing in a six-game and seven-game series.
Facing a tough Golden Knights team, Oettinger will no doubt be relied upon more as the games get harder. Still, Dallas has a lethal offense that will be hard to contain if it gets going.
3. Florida Panthers
Last ranked: 7
This Panthers team is a feisty one, aren’t they? After their disappointing 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they were swept in the second round, this Panthers team made some huge changes to make it back to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1996. Matthew Tkachuk leads the team with five goals and 16 points, but the Panthers’ depth is coming alive at the right time. Carter Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour and Sam Reinhart are all having monster playoffs, with key contributions from players up and down the lineup.
Right now, Florida is playing like a team with nothing to lose, and that’s a scary proposition for their opponents halfway through the playoffs. The Hurricanes will be their toughest stylistic matchup to date this postseason, but underestimate the Panthers at your own peril.
2. Vegas Golden Knights
Last ranked: 3
For a franchise that’s only six years old now, the Golden Knights have turned themselves into a perennial playoff performer. Vegas now has reached the Western Conference Final four times in their six-year history, a monumental achievement for the league’s 31st team. Mark Stone could not have returned at a better time for the Golden Knights, as his 12 points since coming back from injury have been key to their success. Plus, it’s great to see Jack Eichel thriving in a deep playoff run and his six goals and 14 points lead the Golden Knights this postseason.
While the Stars aren’t going to be a pushover, the Golden Knights look to have the upper hand as long as their top talent continues to produce.
1. Carolina Hurricanes
Last ranked: 1
Not much has changed here for the Hurricanes after handily dealing with the Devils in the second round. Despite having lost Andrei Svechnikov’s offensive capabilities due to injury, the Hurricanes scored 24 goals in their five-game series and looked as deadly as we’ve seen them. After all, the Hurricanes were just middle of the pack when it came to goals scored in the regular season, but they’ve really turned it on in the playoffs.
Carolina’s defensive system will no doubt be put to the test against a plucky Florida squad in the Eastern Conference Final. On paper, however, the Hurricanes have the defensive system and offensive firepower to outlast the biggest surprise team in these playoffs.
