The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have reached the second round, and two teams in particular are starting to look like serious powerhouses: the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes.
Both clubs have cruised through the postseason so far, dominating opponents and strengthening their case as legitimate Cup favorites. But not everyone is fully convinced yet. Now, Matthew Tkachuk is pointing out why both teams may still have something to prove before anyone crowns them champions.
Matthew Tkachuk Not Sold on Avalanche, Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have looked dominant from the start. They finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 53-22-7 record and 113 points before sweeping Brady Tkachuk’s Ottawa Senators in Round 1.
Now facing the Philadelphia Flyers in Round 2, Carolina has jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, one win away from another Eastern Conference Final appearance.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche captured the Presidents’ Trophy after posting the NHL’s best regular-season record at 55-16-11 with 121 points. They rolled past the Los Angeles Kings in a four-game sweep during Round 1 and currently hold a 2-0 lead over the Minnesota Wild in Round 2.
So far, both teams have looked damn near unstoppable. Still, Tkachuk believes there could be one issue with cruising through the playoffs too easily.
Speaking about Carolina, Tkachuk praised the Hurricanes’ speed and intensity, especially at home, where he said they overwhelm opponents early in games and feed off the energy of their crowd. He noted that their aggressive style has been a huge part of their success for years.
But Tkachuk also suggested that adversity can sometimes be necessary for a team hoping to win the Stanley Cup. “The only thing, you obviously don’t want to lose, ever. But you almost wonder about some of these teams that have just kind of coasted through the first round and starting to go through the second round. You almost need to hit a little adversity to win it all,” Tkachuk explained on The Pat McAfee Show.
He also pointed out that no NHL team has ever gone 16-0 in the playoffs, meaning difficult moments are eventually coming for every contender.
“Colorado might hit a little adversity at some point, but ultimately you’re better from that. I just think they haven’t hit it yet. So it’s hard to say which one of those teams might be the favorite right now. It’s really tough,” he added.
In Tkachuk’s view, both Carolina and Colorado still look like elite teams, but until they are forced to overcome real adversity, it’s hard to fully declare either one the clear Stanley Cup favorite.
However, Tkachuk’s former Wingmen podcast guest T. J. Oshie told President Donald Trump that he believes the Minnesota Wild will go all the way despite currently being in an 0-2 hole.
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For now, both teams remain firmly in control of their playoff runs. The bigger question is whether they can maintain that dominance as the pressure intensifies deeper into the postseason.
