The Stanley Cup Final is the grand finale of the NHL season. It's just that some finales are a bit grander than others.
Here are the 10 best possible Stanley Cup Final matchups in 2024, based on the teams that have a mathematically significant chance of making the playoff cut (better than 5%) heading into Thursday's games.
Our rankings are based on storylines, star power and other attributes that might entice a casual sports fan to watch the greatest postseason tournament in sports. We tried to spread the wealth through all the possible playoff teams instead of just saying "Vegas vs. everyone" -- as valid as that answer might have been.
We release this ranking with apologies to the good people of Winnipeg, as the Jets are a great team but one that didn't naturally fit into our top 10. If it's any consolation, the "White Out" remains one of hockey's greatest playoff traditions.
Let's look at the best Stanley Cup Final matchups on the board: