The Vegas Golden Knights have turned their playoff run into one of the NHL’s biggest stories, steamrolling through the Western Conference and punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
At the center of it all has been Mitch Marner, whose standout first season in Vegas has helped rewrite the narrative that followed him throughout his years in Toronto. With momentum firmly on the Golden Knights’ side, many see them as a legitimate favorite to finish the job.
But as Vegas prepares for the showdown with the Carolina Hurricanes, Wayne Gretzky pointed to one key factor that could swing the series the other way.
Wayne Gretzky Assesses Mitch Marner’s Golden Knights’ Stanley Cup Final Chances
The Golden Knights arrive in the Final after a dominant playoff run under head coach John Tortorella. Vegas eliminated the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games before stunning the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche with a four-game sweep in the Western Conference Final.
Their primary offensive driver has been Marner. After years of playoff scrutiny in Toronto, Marner has emerged as Vegas’s most productive postseason player, leading all skaters with 21 points through 16 games.
Jack Eichel has also been instrumental with 18 points, while Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden have each scored 10 goals. In net, Carter Hart has delivered a 12-4 record, a 2.22 goals-against average, and a .924 save percentage.
Despite Vegas winning both regular-season meetings against Carolina by a combined 10-4 score, the Hurricanes enter the series with momentum of their own. Carolina has posted a remarkable 12-1 playoff record and earned home-ice advantage by finishing the regular season with 113 points compared to Vegas’ 95.
Gretzky Explains Why He Favors Carolina Over Golden Knights
Speaking on NHL on TNT, Gretzky made it clear that he sees very little separating the two finalists. In his view, both teams are built similarly and possess strengths throughout the lineup.
“I think the goaltending is pretty even. I think the defensive corps on both sides are pretty even. I know they can both roll four lines,” Gretzky said.
Rather than focusing on overall roster quality, Gretzky pointed to star players as the likely difference-makers. He highlighted Marner and Eichel for Vegas, while also emphasizing Carolina’s top contributors.
“I think that it’s going to come down to Eichel and Marner, what level they can get to, and [Andrei] Svechnikov and Aho playing at their best level because, you know, the second and third lines are going to contribute.”
Ultimately, Gretzky’s prediction centered on one advantage Carolina owns before the series even begins.
“I come down to one thing: you play all year for home ice, and Game 7 is going to be the difference in the series. And if I have to pick one side or the other because they’re both good, I’m taking Carolina in seven.”
His forecast is not a criticism of Vegas’ playoff performance. Instead, it shows how evenly matched he believes the teams are and how valuable a potential seventh game in Raleigh could become.
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Gretzky also took a moment to appreciate how much the NHL landscape has changed over the years. “Who would have thought 30 years ago that a Stanley Cup Final would be in Nevada and Carolina? How great is that?”
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final is scheduled for June 2 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
