The conference finals of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are set, and ESPN’s panel of experts has released their series predictions for both matchups. Carolina faces Montreal in the Eastern Conference final, while Colorado meets Vegas in the Western Conference final.
In the Eastern Conference, 20 of 22 ESPN experts picked the Carolina Hurricanes to advance past the Montreal Canadiens, according to ESPN. Ten panelists projected Carolina would close the series in five games, nine picked the Hurricanes in six, and one opted for a seven-game finish. Two analysts, Tim Kavanagh and Vince Masi, sided with Montreal — Kavanagh forecasting a Canadiens win in six and Masi picking Montreal in seven.
On the Western side, 20 of 22 ESPN experts backed the Colorado Avalanche to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights, according to ESPN. The most common projection was an Avalanche victory in six games, chosen by 14 panelists. Three experts predicted Colorado would win in five, and three expected a seven-game series. Two members of the panel — Tim Kavanagh and Steve Levy — forecasted Vegas to prevail in seven games.
The ESPN panel provided a full list of individual picks and the expected number of games for each matchup, reflecting a strong consensus for Colorado and Carolina to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Detailed results from all 22 experts were included in ESPN’s conference finals coverage.
