Stanley Cup Playoff Tiers - Who's In It to Win It & Who's Hoping for a Run to Build From
Putting each NHL Stanley Cup playoff team in tiers ahead of the postseason.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially locked in.
Of course, not every team that makes it in is created equal. For some, a successful postseason would mean forcing a Game 7 in the opening round. For others, it’s championship or bust.
Where do each of the 16 clubs that qualified for the playoffs find themselves? Here they are, in their own tiers:
The Tier List
From top to bottom, let’s look at what each tier means and why each team belongs there.
Tier 1: Stanley Cup (Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets)
The way I see it, these are the four teams with the best chance of wearing a championship ring in June. Three of these clubs won their division, while the Florida Panthers have represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final back-to-back.
Florida Panthers
Starting with them, their case is evident. Though they saw an underwhelming finish to the 2024–25 season, that was due to Matthew Tkachuk’s injury and Aaron Ekblad’s suspension, which will last through Game 2 of their opening-round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
When the Panthers are healthy and clicking, they’re the best team in the NHL. Full stop.
Tkachuk remains one of the premier play-drivers in the sport, while a first-line duo of Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart is one that few can rival. A blue line with Gustav Forsling, Ekblad, and Seth Jones, coupled with the ever-so-athletic Sergei Bobrovsky, is a nightmare to deal with.
The Panthers’ biggest test may be the Lightning. With a series victory, they may never look back.
Vegas Golden Knights
As for the Vegas Golden Knights, they may have a better roster than they did when they won the Stanley Cup in 2023. With Jack Eichel at his absolute peak and a well-rounded roster to boot, Vegas has under-the-radar dynasty potential here.
The Golden Knights have a lot of things going for them—they excel in all situations. Whether it be high-scoring or low-scoring, the misfits-turned-juggernauts can prevail.
Vegas is annoying to play against because of how well-run they are. Over their last two trips to the postseason, they only gave up 2.59 goals per 60 minutes when leading, the fifth-best mark of all teams. Their 60.24% goal share is third-best. If you trail early, good luck getting back in the game.
The Golden Knights are deep on offense and defense. Even when outmatched against the one-seeded Dallas Stars in 2024 (as the eighth seed), they forced a Game 7 in a back-and-forth series. Stronger this time around, Vegas is looking to pick up where it left off in 2023.
Washington Capitals
By far the biggest surprise of this season is the Washington Capitals. From a team that allowed 37 more goals than they scored to the best team in the Eastern Conference—how’d they do it?
