Florida are tipped to spring an upset on the road on opening night.
The Panthers are favourites to win the Stanley Cup after re-tooling with some big acquisitions in the offseason, and they can make an early statement against the defending champions.
Key Numbers – Can Panthers Make It 8 Wins In 11 Meetings?
- Florida Panthers have won 7 of the previous 10 meetings
- Florida Panthers have won in 4 of their last 5 visits to Carolina
Hurricanes Lead All-Time Head-To-Head; Won Last Meeting
- Carolina Hurricanes lead the all-time series 76-58-22
- Carolina Hurricanes won 9-1 when the two teams last met in June 2026
Florida Panthers Favourites To Win Stanley Cup
Florida go into the season opener as the sportsbooks’ favourites to lift the Stanley Cup next year.
The Panthers lifted the prestigious trophy in 2025, but injuries took their toll last year as they finished near the foot of the Atlantic Division with a 40-38-4 record.
As a result they missed out on a place in the playoffs, and they will be keen to avoid a similar fate this time around.
Florida responded to that disappointment by making several high-profile moves during the offseason.
The Panthers have re-tooled the roster by bringing in the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Jacob Markstrom, Radko Gudas and Akira Schmid.
Carolina Hurricanes Seeking Back-To-Back Stanley Cups
Carolina come into the new campaign looking to win back-to-back NHL championships.
The Hurricanes went all the way last year, beating Vegas in the Stanley Cup Finals to get their hands on the trophy.
Having secured their place in the playoffs by finishing top of the Metropolitan Division with a 53-22-7 record, they swept both Ottawa and Philadelphia on their way to the conference finals.
Carolina dropped their opened against Montreal, but responded in emphatic fashion with four consecutive wins to take out the Canadiens.
The Hurricanes then completed their mission as they twice fought back from a game down in the series to beat Vegas 4-2 in the finals.