EDMONTON — Consistency speaks volumes.
Examining the NHL`s final four over the past three seasons (2023, `24, `25) reveals a clear pattern: a total of 12 Conference Final berths were available.
The Dallas Stars? They`ve claimed one of those spots each year – making three consecutive trips to the Conference Final.
The Florida Panthers? The same remarkable consistency applies to them.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers have each reached this stage twice. The Oilers also made the Western Conference Final in 2022, losing to Colorado, giving them three appearances in the last four years.
As we enter the penultimate playoff round in the spring of 2025, four specific teams have secured 10 out of the last 12 Conference Final berths, and these very four teams are the ones still competing this season.
It`s Carolina versus Florida and Dallas versus Edmonton.
Interestingly, none of these four teams finished the regular season as division champions. Yet, they are the last remaining contenders, with the Stanley Cup Final guaranteed to start in the Western Conference regardless of which team emerges from Round 3.
Carolina faces Florida, and Dallas plays Edmonton.
This prompts the question: Why?
How is it that the Oilers were able to secure three road victories in Vegas during Round 2, while the Winnipeg Jets – who were the top team in the regular season – couldn`t manage a single road win across their two playoff series?
Why do the key players for the Stars consistently manage to generate offense throughout the playoffs year after year, while the Toronto Maple Leafs` `Core Four` seem to struggle to adapt to the heightened intensity of playoff hockey?
