2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 3 Preview: The Conference Finals
Then there were four. This hasn't been the tightest playoffs in recent memory, with only two Game 7s (both involving the same team). Still, it has had its share of surprises and some impressive breakout performances from emerging young stars and unexpected veterans. The Conference Finals look to be especially compelling with the top teams in the East and the West still alive and star-studded challengers poised to give them a tough ride as they pursue the Stanley Cup.
I'm going to break down these series using data from HockeyStats as well as tracked stats from AllThreeZones and the Hockey PDOcast, matching up teams by evaluating the offence versus defence matchups, seeing where stylistic advantages might lie, and mapping out what the series might look like.