Stanley Cup contender flaws: Top issues for NHL playoff teams - ESPN

The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us, and more so than in years prior, the playoff format is under fire from fans.

The Central and Atlantic Division teams remain the «teams being penalized for being too good.» We have all marked the Dallas Stars-Minnesota Wild series down as the best of the first round, but it's a shame that two of the top seven teams in the NHL should be playing each other right off the bat.

Meanwhile, the winner of the Pacific Division might finish with fewer points than the Washington Capitals, who didn't qualify for the playoffs in the East. So, the biggest flaw of the playoffs in general might be the seeding system.

Drilling down to the team level, every team that makes the postseason has a chance to win it all, but not every team is a true contender. This year, there are some teams that grossly outperformed preseason expectations — looking at you, Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres. They were significant beneficiaries from teams that fell off a cliff — looking at you, back-to-back Cup champion Florida Panthers and reigning Atlantic Division champion Toronto Maple Leafs. Can teams like the Pens and Sabres continue to overperform expectations? Or will the clock strike midnight on their Cinderella seasons?

Every team has a fatal flaw — an issue that is likely to be its undoing. The team that best mitigates its fatal flaw — and gets some luck — is likely to lift the Stanley Cup. Given how wide open the field is this year, it feels like 13 or 14 teams can make a run to the Cup Final. Obviously, only two will get there, so here's a look at a weakness for each team set to begin its postseason journey this weekend.

Jump to a team:
ANA | BOS | BUF | CAR
COL | DAL | EDM | LA
MIN | MTL | OTT | PHI
PI