Blue Jackets Sabres Hockey

Buffalo Sabres players celebrate after a victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y.

Tags

As featured on

The NHL playoffs have plenty of fresh blood, and a new Stanley Cup champion will be crowned

The NHL playoffs have plenty of fresh blood, and a new Stanley Cup champion will be crowned

The Stanley Cup will have a new home this year after the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers had their season derailed by injuries. They're not the only perennial contender to miss the playoffs, either, with the Buffalo Sabres among half dozen or more newcomers. The Colorado Avalanche have been dominant since October and go in as the favorite after clinching the best regular-season record in the NHL. That has rarely been an indicator of who hoists the Cup at the end of four rounds, and it's anyone's guess who comes out of the East as well as the West.