Overview

• The defending champion Florida Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, a repeat of their 2023 matchup that Florida swept in four close games.
• The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers meet in the Western Conference finals for the second straight year, with Edmonton having won their 2024 series in six games.
• MoneyPuck analytics give Florida a narrow edge in Stanley Cup odds at 28.5%, followed closely by Carolina at 28.3%, Dallas at 24.9%, and Edmonton at 18.3%.
• Key players to watch include Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky and Carolina’s Frederik Andersen in goal, as well as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for Edmonton and Mikko Rantanen for Dallas.
• Both series begin this week, with the Panthers and Hurricanes opening Game 1 on Tuesday night in Raleigh, while the Stars and Oilers start their series Wednesday in Dallas.