The Conference Finals are set in the NHL, with four teams battling for their spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final. Two powerhouses will collide in the East: the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, in a rematch of the 2022-23 postseason meeting in the same stage. It’s shaping up to be a tight, hard-fought showdown that could come down to the smallest details.
The Hurricanes hold home-ice advantage, though it hasn’t been much of a factor throughout this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. So far, teams with home-ice advantage are 6-6 in the postseason, with every home-ice side falling in the second round.
The Panthers and Hurricanes enter the matchup with very different schedules, as the Canes have had time to cool off after their series victory over the Capitals, enjoying four days of rest. The Cats, on the other hand, had no time to relax after winning in seven games against the Leafs. Just two days later, Florida is in Raleigh ahead of a crucial Game 1 at Lenovo Center.
Whether Carolina finds itself a bit slow when the puck drops on May 20, or Florida looks gassed, the Eastern Conference Final is set to be an electric contest between two sides that’ve headlined the NHL for quite some time now. The Hurricanes and Panthers meet once again, each hoping to seize the pen and write their own chapter in NHL history.
Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes warms up prior to Game Three of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals at Lenovo Center at Lenovo Center on May 10, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Forechecking monsters
The Panthers and Hurricanes share a common sentiment towards the forecheck: they love it, they basically live and thrive from it. Neither side is afraid to skate the extra mile and lay the body on their opponents, and it’s paid dividends for both of them—clearly.
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This series will be characterized by the aggressive forechecking from both sides and fans can expect plenty of scoring opportunities directly after board battles for the puck and errant passes out of the defensive zone.
Are you not entertained? Carolina couldn’t care less
Lately, there’s been plenty of noise surrounding the Hurricanes’ gameplan, with analysts and fans labeling Carolina’s style of play as boring. But the Hurricanes are a defense-first team that thrives on discipline and structure, whether that’s amusing to the eye or not, it’s a subjective matter.
The Canes put opposing forwards through hell all night long, offering little to no space on the ice to exploit. So far in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they’ve lost just two games, allowed only 18 goals, and shut down opposing power plays at an astonishing 93.3%—all league-best marks.
Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers looks on against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
If there’s a team capable of withstanding Carolina’s pressure and tight gameplan, though, it’s Florida. The Panthers feature a deep lineup with contributors in every line, exploiting the smallest mistakes to their advantage. Moreover, their stars can make magic in the tightest of spaces, and no shift in the offensive zone is put to waste by the relentless Cats.
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The Hurricanes have a tab to settle when it comes to the Eastern Conference Final, where they’ve been swept the last three times they reached the stage—most recently in 2023 against Paul Maurice and the Panthers. Revenge is a dish best served cold, and the Hurricanes are determined to set the table for the Cats this time around. Especially after losing twelve straight games in the Conference Final.
Bought into the system
Carolina is arguably the team that sticks the most to its system. Rod Brind’Amour has done an excellent job conveying his players of what’s needed for success and they have clearly bought into it. Rarely do the Hurricanes go off-script, and they have little reason to do so as they tend to strike first and set the pace right after puck drop night in and night out.
The Panthers, however, are convinced of Maurice’s system, too. And the 58-year-old coach has built an almost unbeatable team with a killer mentality that can never be taken for granted—no matter the score. Florida boasts an unbelievable record in the postseason: the Panthers under Maurice are 27-0 when leading after the end of the first or second period.
Who wants it more?
As in every playoff series, especially in the Conference Finals stage, both sides have shown enough merit to be predicted to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, and hoist it—why not? Still, it often comes down to specific moments of the game, which can’t be accounted by coaches and escape the whiteboard.
In the Hurricanes-Panthers showdown, the winner could easily be decided by the goaltending battle. Who will steal the spotlight between Frederic Andersen and Sergei Bobrovsky? Andersen has been an absolute momentum-killer for opponents throughout the playoffs, registering the best GAA and SV% in the league with 1.36 and .937 marks, respectively.
Bobrovsky, however, has recorded the most shutouts with 2 perfect outings so far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Russian brick wall has held the Panthers together when the sky was falling and all hell was breaking loose through some stretches of the series against Toronto. His acrobatic saves could very well take the wind out of the Canes’ sails, and propel the Cats to their third straight Cup Final appearance—and hopefully, back-to-back Stanley Cups.
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Series prediction
Right from the get-go in Game 1, the Panthers and Hurricanes will show exactly why they’ve made it this far. The score could come down to puck bounces and which team capitalizes on the other’s misfires.
However, the Panthers seem better-built for these type of battles, and I expect them to move on to the Stanley Cup Final in no less than five games, but I don’t believe this series will be decided in Game 7, either.
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Final prediction: Florida Panthers win the series 4-2.
