The Eastern Conference was a battlefield last season.
Each team that made the playoffs fought tooth and nail for their spot. Each round only became more intense. Going into next season, NHL fans can expect the competitive nature of this conference to return.
Four teams are undoubtedly the strongest going into next season, and one is the most competitive.
4. Physicality In Florida
The Florida Panthers are a historically physical team. They are difficult to play against because they are not afraid to play a gritty game. In addition, this offseason, the Panthers have added multiple players that elevate their physical presence.
In the 2025-2026 NHL season, the Florida Panthers finished second in the league in hits per team with 2,024. Within this statistic, the Panthers had seven players finish the season with over 100 hits, and 11 players who averaged more than one hit per game. The Panthers accomplished this without their captain, Aleksander Barkov, or forward Matthew Tkachuk, who both averaged over a hit per game in the 2024-2025 season.
Despite being a physical team, the Panthers have made several acquisitions to increase this aspect. First, the Panthers traded for Czech defenseman Radko “The Butcher” Gudas. Gudas is a famously physical player, most well known this season for two controversial hits—one on Sidney Crosby at the Olympics and one on Auston Matthews during the NHL regular season. The Panthers also added Brady Tkachuk, who threw 162 hits last season. This physicality will continue in the 2026-2027 season.
3. Scoring Starpower on the Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have one of the brightest futures of any team in the league. They have a collection of highly skilled players who are dynamic offensively. The level of play executed by this team in each game only gets more impressive, and it will continue to improve as the Canadiens’ young core develops.
For starters, the Canadiens were one of the highest-scoring teams in the league last season, finishing sixth in goals-for. The Canadiens had the tenth-best power play in the league. The Canadiens also had a 51-goal scorer this year in 25-year-old Cole Caufield, who finished second in the league in goals. Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had 101 points this season and set a franchise record for most points for a Montreal Canadiens captain.
This offense is driven by the creativity and small-area game work the Canadiens employ in their style of play. The player on the Canadiens who exemplifies this small-area game work best is Suzuki. He is an elite playmaker who is exceptional at setting his teammates up in big moments. This, combined with the team’s youth, skill, and chemistry, makes them a threat going into the 2026-2027 season.
2. Sabres’ Strong Defense
The Buffalo Sabres are coming off a great season in which they won the Atlantic Division and won a round of the playoffs. The Sabres will continue to be a power in the Eastern Conference, and they will achieve this by utilizing their solid defensive core to its fullest potential.
The Sabres’ first defensive pairing is made of captain Rasmus Dahlin and alternate captain Mattias Samuelsson. Dahlin had 74 points in 77 games played and finished third in James Norris Memorial Trophy voting for the league’s best defenseman. Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games played and was a plus-41 on the season. Samuelsson was also 13th in the league in blocked shots with 154.
The Sabres finished 7th in goals against in the league, only allowing 241 goals. This is owed to the physical nature of Buffalo’s defense. Buffalo’s defensemen range from 6’2″ to 6’8″ and weigh up to 230 pounds. In the 2025-2026 season, the Sabres threw 1,576 hits and blocked 1,116 shots in 82 games. This defensive core averages 25 years old and will only become stronger in the 2026-2027 season.
1. Carolina’s Depth Scoring
There is no doubt that the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, are coming into this season as one of the strongest teams in the league. They were the best team in the East last season and had a dominant playoff driven by one key aspect. The Carolina Hurricanes have the best scoring depth in the league.
Throughout the playoffs, the Canes relied heavily on their second line, Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall. On the third line, the Canes have Conn Smythe winner Jordan Staal. The Carolina Hurricanes evenly divide the ice time among most of their forwards. Even in the game that secured their Stanley Cup victory, all four lines were rolling consistently.
Depth scoring provides three things for the Canes. It eases the pressure on the first line to be responsible for all of the scoring. It also allows the Canes to keep one set of talented forwards from becoming exhausted. Depth scoring also allows Carolina to keep increased offensive pressure on their opponents, something that will be evident throughout each game in the 2026-2027 NHL season.
The Carolina Hurricanes are the team to beat.
2026-2027 Season Projections
There is no doubt that one of these four teams will win the Eastern Conference next season, but keep a close eye on the defending champions.
Tune in for puck drop on the 2o26-2027 NHL season, which begins on September 29.
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