It was an exciting last few days of the regular season in the Western Conference. Three of the four Stanley Cup Playoff matchups on this side of the bracket came down to the last two days of the season. The Eastern Conference might have the better overall bracket one through eight, but the West has a couple of power teams as well, including the Presidents’ Trophy winners and two of the best three teams in the league. It’s going to be a fun race to the Stanley Cup in the West.
Read More: Last Stanley Cup win for each Eastern Conference team
Last Stanley Cup Win: Western Conference
Anaheim Ducks
Last Stanley Cup: 2007
The Anaheim Ducks, then the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, made their first Stanley Cup Final in 2003 but fell short in Game 7 to the New Jersey Devils. It felt like maybe it was the start of something but they took a real step back the next season and missed the playoffs. They fired Mike Babcock and hired Randy Carlyle for the 2005-06 season. The Ducks then returned to the playoffs and made it to the Western Conference Final. It was the start of something special, as the next season, in 2007, when they rebranded to the Anaheim Ducks, they won their first Stanley Cup.
The Ducks haven’t made a final since, and leading up to this season, they missed the playoffs for the last seven years. Now they enter the playoffs after taking a huge step forward with 92 points in their first season with Joel Quenneville.
Colorado Avalanche
Last Stanley Cup: 2022
In 1995, the Quebec Nordiques officially moved to become the Colorado Avalanche. They had great early success as in their first season in Colorado, they won the Stanley Cup. The Avalanche then went on to make the Western Conference Final in three of the next four years. They broke through again the next year after that stretch and won their second Stanley Cup in 2001. The team made the conference finals yet again the following season but fell short.
2001 would be their last appearance in the Stanley Cup Final until 2022, when they won their third Stanley Cup. The Avalanche are three for three in cup finals and have a great chance to win their fourth this season, as they won the President’s Trophy and accumulated a franchise record 121 points.
Dallas Stars
Last Stanley Cup: 1999
Two seasons before the Nordiques moved to Colorado, in 1993, the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas to become the Dallas Stars. In their Minnesota days, they went to two Stanley Cup Finals, ultimately falling short in both. In their sixth season as the Stars in Dallas, they made it back to the Stanley Cup Final, this time winning it all in 1999. They attempted to win back-to-back, making the final again in 2000 but fell short in six games to the Devils.
The Stars would make it back to the cup final until 2020, falling short to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Dallas would have several chances from then to now to win their second Stanley Cup but were never able to break through. They made the Western Conference Final three years straight between 2022 and 2025 but again, weren’t able to break through. The Stars have yet another chance to claim the throne in 2026 as they’re one of the favorites to win the cup, finishing second in the West and third in the entire league with 112 points.
Edmonton Oilers
Last Stanley Cup: 1990
Tied with the sixth-most Stanley Cups in NHL history, the Edmonton Oilers have one of the most storied franchises in the sport and that’s in part because of one man, Wayne Gretzky. The Oilers began play in 1979, which was the Great One’s first NHL season. The franchise made their first cup final in 1983 before going back the next season in 1984 and hoisting the cup. The Oilers won back-to-back as they won it all in 1985 as well. They went back-to-back yet again in 1987 and 1988 before winning another in 1990, this time without Gretzky. This Oilers dynasty is one of the most famous in all of sports history, winning five Stanley Cups in seven years.
They took a break from the Stanley Cup Finals until 2006, when they were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes. The Oilers didn’t make it back until 2024. In fact, they made it again in 2025 but they lost both years to the Florida Panthers. Edmonton has a wide open window with Connor McDavid and would finally like to win with him while they have a chance. Their last Stanley Cup win coming in 1990 doesn’t sit well with a franchise with history.
Minnesota Wild
Last Stanley Cup: never
The Minnesota Wild are one of the youngest teams in the league, beginning play in 2000. They made the Western Conference Final in their third season in 2003 but that would be the closest they got to glory. The Wild have never won a Stanley Cup or even been to a cup final.
They had one of the best regular seasons in franchise history in 2025-26, tallying 104 points, which was tied for the third-most ever for the Wild. Minnesota will have a tough task ahead of them when they face the Stars in round 1, but it should be one of the most interesting matchups to start the playoffs.
Los Angeles Kings
Last Stanley Cup: 2014
The Los Angeles Kings’ first Stanley Cup win came in 2012, when they made an incredible run as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. It marked their first win in the franchise’s 45-year history at that time. The Kings won their second cup in three years when they won in 2014.
Their enemy became the first round of the playoffs after that. In their six appearances in the playoffs from then to now, the Kings have lost all in the first round. This year, they finally lifted the burden of playing the Oilers in round one for the fifth straight year but now they will have to go against the heavily-favored Avalanche to open up the playoffs.
Utah Mammoth
Last Stanley Cup: never
In 2024-25, the Utah Mammoth franchise played its first-ever season in the NHL. The Phoenix Coyotes dissolved as a franchise, and that’s where Utah came in. They played their first season under the name “Utah Hockey Club” and finally established their identity this season.
It goes without saying that the team has never won a Stanley Cup, and it looks like they’re on the rise as they make their first playoff appearance, finishing with 92 points.
Vegas Golden Knights
Last Stanley Cup: 2023
The Vegas Golden Knights are one of the latest expansion teams in the NHL, playing their first season in 2017-18. They almost did the unthinkable as they made the Stanley Cup Final in their first season, but lost to the Washington Capitals in five games.
Five years later, in 2023, they ended up winning their first Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights have made the playoffs yet again in 2026, as they’ve now made it in eight of their first nine seasons.
Western Conference Matchups:
Minnesota Wild (Central 3) vs Dallas Stars (Central 2)
Los Angeles Kings (Wild Card 2) vs Colorado Avalanche (Central 1)
Utah Mammoth (Wild Card 1) vs Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific 2)
Anaheim Ducks (Pacific 3) vs Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2)
