Who Will Win the 2026 Stanley Cup? Expert Picks for Hurricanes vs Golden Knights
The Stanley Cup Final is finally here.The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights will battle for the NHL’s ultimate prize in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, beginning Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from Raleigh, North Carolina.Both teams have been dominant this postseason.
Carolina sits at 12-1, with their only loss coming in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Vegas enters at 12-4 after sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. While the path to the Final was relatively smooth for both, the championship series promises to be a much tougher test.Here are the Stanley Cup Final predictions from USA TODAY’s NHL experts:
Stanley Cup Final Picks: Hurricanes vs Golden Knights
Mike Brehm: Hurricanes in 6
No team has been able to solve Carolina’s suffocating defense yet. The Golden Knights are excellent at clogging the middle of the ice, but the Hurricanes forecheck relentlessly and possess a deeper defense. Vegas has elite scorers, but Carolina’s depth — especially the Taylor Hall–Logan Stankoven–Jackson Blake line — should prove too much.
Kevin Skiver: Hurricanes in 6
I’ve picked against Vegas throughout the playoffs, so I’m giving them one final chance to prove me wrong. Carolina has looked like a complete juggernaut this postseason. John Tortorella has done a remarkable job with the Golden Knights, but I expect a timely resurgence from Carolina’s top line of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov to carry the Hurricanes to victory.
Jace Evans: Golden Knights in 6
Picking against a 12-1 team in the Stanley Cup Final might be foolish, but I’m doing it anyway. While Carolina has been incredible, I trust Vegas’ star power and their ability to stifle elite forwards. The Golden Knights have the top-end talent and defensive structure to match Carolina. This series could feature several overtime games, but I see Vegas ultimately prevailing.
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