The Stanley Cup may be the hardest trophy to win in sports.
After a long 82-game season, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are a brutal gauntlet of punishing hockey, where only the strongest — and least battered — team makes it out alive to become the next NHL champion. And with the 2023-24 NHL season in sight for these five teams, their chances at victory are certainly higher than most.
MORE: Why these 5 NHL teams (Canadiens) won’t win the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
After all, there are the haves and have nots in every sports league. The NHL has its own set of teams destined for the bottom of the league — looking at you, San Jose — while others rise to the top as the best of the best each season. Last season, it was the Vegas Golden Knights. This year? A handful of teams already stand out from the outset.
Ahead of the 2023-24 season, these are five NHL teams that you can count on winning the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.