The 2026 Stanley Cup Final has the makings of a series worth watching. For all the talk about market sizes and TV dollars, both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes brought genuine talent to this matchup. When the conversation turns to the very best players on the ice, Vegas probably holds an edge.
Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner are established stars, and they were instrumental in Vegas rolling through the Western Conference Final. The Golden Knights lost just one game across three rounds—that kind of dominance doesn't happen by accident.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
Carolina is no slouch either. A 12-1 record through the first three rounds speaks for itself. Sebastian Aho has been one of the league's elite two-way centers for years, and this Final gives him a chance to get the recognition he's earned. On defense, Jaccob Slavin fills a similar role—one of three players in this series who won Olympic gold in February.
The goaltending situation is worth watching. Carter Hart and Frederik Andersen both had regular seasons with struggles, and whether those resurface will matter in the Final.
Here are the top 10 players in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final:
10. K'Andre Miller, D, Carolina Hurricanes
Miller was a solid player with the New York Rangers, but there was always a sense he had another level. Since joining Carolina, he has reached that potential on a team known for getting the best from its defensemen. In these playoffs, Miller has posted a 64.6% expected goals share and a plus-13 goal differential at five-on-five. He gives the Hurricanes another top-four piece that could matter against Vegas.
9. Pavel Dorofeyev, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
Eichel and Marner create chances, but someone has to finish them. Dorofeyev has become that player—a 25-year-old winger with 72 goals over the last two seasons. He scored 20 power play goals in the regular season, and his four playoff tallies are part of why Vegas converts at 23.9% on the man advantage this postseason.
8. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Carolina Hurricanes
Ehlers might be the fastest player in this series, and in a matchup where time and space will be scarce, speed could decide games. After a slow start in his first season with Carolina, Ehlers finished with 27 points in the final 23 regular-season games. He has nine points in the playoffs, with five coming in the last four games of the Eastern Conference Final.
7. Jaccob Slavin, D, Carolina Hurricanes
One of the league's best shutdown defensemen, Slavin logs heavy minutes against top competition and thrives in those matchups. Over the last three seasons, he has posted a 57.5% expected goals share at five-on-five. His defensive work was on display at the Olympics, where Team USA relied on him en route to gold.
6. Shea Theodore, D, Vegas Golden Knights
Theodore remains one of the more underrated defensemen in the league. He consistently dominates his minutes while contributing on offense. In these playoffs, the Golden Knights have allowed just 2.32 expected goals against per 60 minutes with Theodore on the ice at five-on-five, while generating 2.9 expected goals for per 60. His all-around game will be important against Carolina's depth.
5. Seth Jarvis, RW, Carolina Hurricanes
Jarvis has led Carolina in goals for two straight seasons and has exceeded 30 goals in three consecutive years. At 5-foot-10, he plays with an intensity that lets him win battles against bigger opponents. The issue has been playoff consistency—he has just three goals in 13 games. His career shooting percentage is 14.2%, but he's at 9.1% in these playoffs.
4. Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes
Aho begins a theme in the top four—elite two-way forwards who impact every phase of the game. For nearly a decade, he has played elite hockey at both ends of the ice without getting the same attention as some peers. He produced at a point-per-game pace for the second time in three years in the regular season. That offense hasn't translated fully in the playoffs—seven points in 13 games—and his line with Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov has underperformed as a unit.
3. Mark Stone, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
Even at 34, Stone is a strong play driver who creates offense through relentless, intelligent play. In the regular season, he played at a Selke Trophy level, posting a 59.2% expected goals share and a plus-19 five-on-five goal differential. Those numbers dipped in the playoffs after he missed Games 2 and 3 of the Western Conference Final with injury. He returned in Game 4 and scored a key goal. If healthy for the Final, he changes games for Vegas.
2. Mitch Marner, RW, Vegas Golden Knights
The only question about Marner before this season was whether he could deliver when it mattered most. Playoff disappointments in Toronto lingered on his resume, but he has answered those questions. He leads the playoffs with 21 points, and Vegas has outscored opponents 10-7 with him on the ice at five-on-five. His offensive skill doesn't come at the expense of his defense—Vegas allowed just 2.21 expected goals against per 60 minutes with Marner in the game at five-on-five during the regular season.
1. Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights
Eichel has pushed for the top spot throughout these playoffs. He has been the driving force for a Golden Knights team that lost just one game through three rounds. His playmaking and scoring have made Vegas nearly impossible to stop.