Only four teams are left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ahead of the Conference Finals, we looked back at some <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-playoffs-roundtable-second-round-predictions-stanley-cup-favourite">previous predictions</a> and ahead to who we expect to see playing come June.

<h2>How have your playoff predictions gone so far? Any surprises in the Conference Finals?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: I am surprised the Dallas Stars are in the Western Conference Final. I thought the loss of Miro Heiskanen was going to affect them more. Additionally, Mikko Rantanen wasn&#8217;t playing well when the playoffs began, but has quickly turned that around. I also had Washington and Tampa Bay making it on the East.
Tyler Yaremchuk: I had the Leafs making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, so obviously that wasn&#8217;t correct. I really thought the Panthers were going to run out of gas at some point in these playoffs and the fact that they haven&#8217;t is very, very impressive.
I also had the Stars losing in round one to the Avalanche and the fact that they got through that series despite getting outplayed in pretty much every game was stunning. It wasn&#8217;t surprising to see them get past Winnipeg though.
I always believed in the Oilers, but I did not have any of the other three teams making it this far.
Zach Laing: Oh, just wonderfully. I had the Oilers and Hurricanes in the Conference Finals on the West and East side of the brackets, but I also had Colorado and Tampa Bay still alive. Ouch. On the bright side, at least my bracket looks better than P.K. Subban&#8217;s.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
When the bright lights come on, who will show up? <a href="https://t.co/rpfkHaxRgy">pic.twitter.com/rpfkHaxRgy</a>
&mdash; P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) <a href="https://twitter.com/PKSubban1/status/1913667321253838949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cam Lewis: My <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-playoffs-roundtable-first-round-predictions-stanley-cup-favourite">original</a> prediction before the playoffs started had Edmonton, Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Washington going through to the Conference Finals, so I was very wrong about that. Things became more predictable in the second round. The only series I was wrong about was the one between Washington and Carolina. It was surprising to see the Hurricanes cruise through in five games. The Oilers, Stars, and Panthers being back in the Final Four is no surprise, though it wasn&#8217;t what I saw coming this year.
Baggedmilk: I originally had the Oilers facing off against the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Final. I thought the idea of a revenge tour on the way to the Cup sounded fun. On the other side, I had Washington beating Carolina, and I also had Tampa beating Florida in the second round. Once again, everyone other than the Oilers are a disappointment.
&nbsp;
<h2>What do the Oilers need to do to beat the Stars? What can Dallas do to win this rematch?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: If the Oilers can average three or more goals per game, they will win this series. The Stars have the players to push the offence, but they&#8217;re playing so poorly right now that it would have to change drastically. If Dallas were to win, they would need players to show up more consistently.
Tyler Yaremchuk: The Oilers need their depth to continue being a driving force for their offence, and their goaltending needs to be just a tick above average. If those two things happen, then I think that the Oilers will move on.
For Dallas, they need Mikko Rantanen to keep producing at a superstar level. If he doesn&#8217;t and their depth continues to get caved, then they won&#8217;t have a chance in this series. It also goes without saying that Oettinger also needs to be good.
Zach Laing: I have a feeling the team that scores more goals is going to win the series — just a hunch. Kidding aside, as I wrote the other day, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/depth-scoring-special-teams-define-edmonton-oilers-dallas-stars-western-conference-final">depth scoring and special teams</a> are going to define this series for both teams.
Cam Lewis: Stuart Skinner needs to keep playing like he did in the latter part of the series against Vegas when he came into the net for Calvin Pickard. He was the MVP of the series last year against the Stars, posting a .922 save percentage over six games, and the Oilers need that type of rock-solid goaltending to beat Dallas again.
Baggedmilk: More of the same from what we got against the Vegsa Golden Knights. They need to defend off the rush, they need goaltending, and they need their depth to keep coming through with key goals as we&#8217;ve seen through the first two rounds. There&#8217;s a path to the Stanley Cup Final, but we&#8217;re going to need every single piece chipping in when we need it.
<h2>Which two teams are going to the Stanley Cup Final?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-vs-dallas-stars-breakdown-forwards-defence-goaltending">Edmonton</a> and Carolina.
Tyler Yaremchuk: The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will play a rematch. I think the Hurricanes have played two very average teams to get to this point and I&#8217;m going to ride with the battle-tested Panthers.
Zach Laing: Edmonton and Carolina and it&#8217;s &#8217;06 all over again. Somebody get me some frosted tips and a puka shell necklace.
Cam Lewis: It&#8217;ll be Edmonton and Florida in a rematch of last year&#8217;s Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers know how to beat Dallas and they&#8217;re rolling, while nobody in the Eastern Conference seems to have a solution for the Panthers.
Baggedmilk: I&#8217;m going to with a rematch of the 2006 Final. Oilers/Hurricanes, let&#8217;s right some history.
<hr />
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Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scores goal vs Dallas Stars

Only four teams are left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ahead of the Conference Finals, we looked back at some <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-playoffs-roundtable-second-round-predictions-stanley-cup-favourite">previous predictions</a> and ahead to who we expect to see playing come June.


<h2>How have your playoff predictions gone so far? Any surprises in the Conference Finals?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: I am surprised the Dallas Stars are in the Western Conference Final. I thought the loss of Miro Heiskanen was going to affect them more. Additionally, Mikko Rantanen wasn't playing well when the playoffs began, but has quickly turned that around. I also had Washington and Tampa Bay making it on the East.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I had the Leafs making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, so obviously that wasn't correct. I really thought the Panthers were going to run out of gas at some point in these playoffs and the fact that they haven't is very, very impressive.

I also had the Stars losing in round one to the Avalanche and the fact that they got through that series despite getting outplayed in pretty much every game was stunning. It wasn't surprising to see them get past Winnipeg though.

I always believed in the Oilers, but I did not have any of the other three teams making it this far.

Zach Laing: Oh, just wonderfully. I had the Oilers and Hurricanes in the Conference Finals on the West and East side of the brackets, but I also had Colorado and Tampa Bay still alive. Ouch. On the bright side, at least my bracket looks better than P.K. Subban's.

https://twitter.com/PKSubban1/status/1913667321253838949

Cam Lewis: My <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/nhl-playoffs-roundtable-first-round-predictions-stanley-cup-favourite">original</a> prediction before the playoffs started had Edmonton, Colorado, Tampa Bay, and Washington going through to the Conference Finals, so I was very wrong about that. Things became more predictable in the second round. The only series I was wrong about was the one between Washington and Carolina. It was surprising to see the Hurricanes cruise through in five games. The Oilers, Stars, and Panthers being back in the Final Four is no surprise, though it wasn't what I saw coming this year.

Baggedmilk: I originally had the Oilers facing off against the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference Final. I thought the idea of a revenge tour on the way to the Cup sounded fun. On the other side, I had Washington beating Carolina, and I also had Tampa beating Florida in the second round. Once again, everyone other than the Oilers are a disappointment.

&nbsp;
<h2>What do the Oilers need to do to beat the Stars? What can Dallas do to win this rematch?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: If the Oilers can average three or more goals per game, they will win this series. The Stars have the players to push the offence, but they're playing so poorly right now that it would have to change drastically. If Dallas were to win, they would need players to show up more consistently.

Tyler Yaremchuk: The Oilers need their depth to continue being a driving force for their offence, and their goaltending needs to be just a tick above average. If those two things happen, then I think that the Oilers will move on.

For Dallas, they need Mikko Rantanen to keep producing at a superstar level. If he doesn't and their depth continues to get caved, then they won't have a chance in this series. It also goes without saying that Oettinger also needs to be good.

Zach Laing: I have a feeling the team that scores more goals is going to win the series — just a hunch. Kidding aside, as I wrote the other day, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/depth-scoring-special-teams-define-edmonton-oilers-dallas-stars-western-conference-final">depth scoring and special teams</a> are going to define this series for both teams.

Cam Lewis: Stuart Skinner needs to keep playing like he did in the latter part of the series against Vegas when he came into the net for Calvin Pickard. He was the MVP of the series last year against the Stars, posting a .922 save percentage over six games, and the Oilers need that type of rock-solid goaltending to beat Dallas again.

Baggedmilk: More of the same from what we got against the Vegsa Golden Knights. They need to defend off the rush, they need goaltending, and they need their depth to keep coming through with key goals as we've seen through the first two rounds. There's a path to the Stanley Cup Final, but we're going to need every single piece chipping in when we need it.
<h2>Which two teams are going to the Stanley Cup Final?</h2>
Liam Horrobin: <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-vs-dallas-stars-breakdown-forwards-defence-goaltending">Edmonton</a> and Carolina.

Tyler Yaremchuk: The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will play a rematch. I think the Hurricanes have played two very average teams to get to this point and I'm going to ride with the battle-tested Panthers.

Zach Laing: Edmonton and Carolina and it's '06 all over again. Somebody get me some frosted tips and a puka shell necklace.

Cam Lewis: It'll be Edmonton and Florida in a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers know how to beat Dallas and they're rolling, while nobody in the Eastern Conference seems to have a solution for the Panthers.

Baggedmilk: I'm going to with a rematch of the 2006 Final. Oilers/Hurricanes, let's right some history.

<hr />

<h2><a href="http://LitcoLaw.com">Presented by Litco Law</a></h2>
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Litco Law has been serving Edmontonians and all of Alberta for over 50 years. A family-owned and operated company, their purpose is to balance the power for people who find themselves having to navigate the complex legal system. They can help with personal injury claims (like car accidents), employment matters (such as wrongful dismissal or severance package reviews), or if you’ve been denied long-term disability benefits. Litco Law is known for being experienced, responsive, and genuinely caring. You might not believe Lawyers You’ll Love™ exist—but they do. To learn more or book a free consultation, visit LitcoLaw.com.

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