EDMONTON – The journey tells the story.
Consider the lineup of teams in the last three National Hockey League final fours: 12 available spots in the Conference Final series across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The Dallas Stars? They`ve been a fixture every season—making it to three consecutive Conference Finals.
The Florida Panthers? The same applies to them.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers have each appeared twice in this span, with the Oilers having lost the 2022 Western Conference Final to Colorado. This marks three out of the last four for Edmonton.
Yet, as we arrive at the second-to-last playoff round in the spring of 2025, four specific teams have claimed 10 of the last 12 Conference Final berths, and these very four teams are back again this season.
The matchups are Carolina against Florida and Dallas versus Edmonton.
Interestingly, none of them finished atop their division this season, but all of them are still standing – and the Stanley Cup Final is guaranteed to start in the Western Conference champion`s city, regardless of the outcome of Round 3.
Carolina vs. Florida. Dallas vs. Edmonton.
What`s the explanation?
How did the Oilers manage to win three road games in Vegas during Round 2, while the Winnipeg Jets—who were the league`s top team in the regular season—couldn`t secure a single road victory across two playoff rounds?
Why do the Stars` star players consistently manage to produce goals throughout the playoffs year after year, whereas the Toronto Maple Leafs` `Core Four` haven`t been able to master playoff hockey?
Tristan Blackwood