Leafs and Jets fans might need a few days to simmer, but it's been a fantastic NHL postseason so far.
Only four teams are left in the race for the Stanley Cup: the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and the Edmonton Oilers who are Canada's team once again after both Toronto and Winnipeg lost out in the second round over the weekend.
Each potential Stanley Cup Final provides some juicy storylines:
Edmonton vs Florida
Rematch.
Simple enough, right? Everyone remembers last year's final when the Oilers went down 3-0 to the Panthers, and then nearly made a miraculous comeback falling short in Game 7. The Panthers cup win came a year after losing in the finals to Vegas, and the Oilers will be looking for a similar script this year if they can get past a good team in Dallas.
Dallas vs Florida
Another easy storyline. Dallas and Florida wouldn't only be a battle between southern hockey teams, but also a battle between teams in no-income tax states. Without getting into the numbers, it's a common instance to see teams with no state-tax bring in players on a discount contract because they can still bring home more money compared to other teams possibly offering a higher salary.
However, sunny tax havens are far from the reason these teams are competitive. Drafting and development comes first, and both teams are a great example of how to build a franchise.
Dallas vs Carolina
While Carolina doesn't have the advantage of no-state income tax, they share with Dallas the fact that they are warm weather hockey cities. They also share a former player, Conne Smythe Award frontrunner Mikko Rantanen, who gained a ton of attention this year for being traded from Colorado to Carolina, and then from Carolina to Dallas where Mikko has more than earned his freshly inked extension.
The game has grown significantly down south, and while Dallas/Carolina wouldn't be the most attractive matchup from a league marketing standpoint, the two die-hard fanbases would make up for it as the Stars aim for their first cup since 1999, the Hurricanes last winning in 2006 against....
Edmonton vs Carolina
This matchup presents another chance for Edmonton to exercise Stanley Cup demons — from nearly 20 years ago — against a buzzsaw Carolina squad who would no doubt welcome the challenge of Connor McDavid and company.
Setting the nostalgia factor aside, 2025's edition would be a completely different animal from the Oilers '06 run from the bottom of the table. Florida taking the cup last year was tough, but the Hurricanes getting back on the championship pedestal against the Oilers would re-open an even older wound for the
Take part in the poll below, as the Panthers/Hurricanes fire up their series with Game 1 tonight in Raleigh, the Oilers/Stars series beginning Tuesday in Dallas.