Florida Panthers Predicted to Win 2026-27 Stanley Cup Over Colorado Avalanche

The Florida Panthers are projected to win their third Stanley Cup in four years by defeating the Colorado Avalanche in the 2026-27 finals.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski predicts the Florida Panthers will win the 2026-27 Stanley Cup, defeating the Colorado Avalanche in the final round. This projected victory would mark Florida’s third championship in four seasons, following previous titles and three conference championships during that span. The Panthers entered the season having acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the New Jersey Devils to replace Sergei Bobrovsky. The roster also features new addition Brady Tkachuk, who recorded 59 points in 60 games for the Ottawa Senators last season.

In the Atlantic Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning are projected to finish at the top after amassing 106 points in the previous campaign. Key performers for Tampa Bay included Nikita Kucherov, who won the Hart Trophy with 130 points, and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who earned the Vezina Trophy with 39 wins. The Montreal Canadiens are expected to follow in the standings, led by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and defenseman Lane Hutson, a predicted Norris Trophy candidate.

Other significant roster moves include the Toronto Maple Leafs acquiring Kirill Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Matthew Knies. The New York Rangers signed Pavel Dorofeyev to a seven-year contract worth $11 million annually following a trade with Vegas. In the Metropolitan Division, the Carolina Hurricanes are projected to lead the standings with a roster featuring Jaccob Slavin, Jordan Staal, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Logan Stankoven.