2024 Stanley Cup Playoff “Rootability” Rankings

Photo from the Nashville Predators

If you’re like me, and your favorite team is sitting at home this postseason, you may wonder who you should root for.

I gotchu!

Here is the 2024 “Rootability” rankings for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

16. Vegas Golden Knights

Where do I begin?

They won the Cup last year. They are the only expansion team in modern NHL history to have immediate success, and they, for the 3rd straight year, have used the Long Term Injured Reserve for a very convenient benefit for them.

I don’t blame them for abusing that rule. It’s there to be abused.

But I still don’t have to like them for doing it.

15. Boston Bruins

As I said with the NBA rootability rankings, we really just don’t need Boston winning any more championships for a while.

They need a timeout.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning

I like the Lightning, but they’ve won their Cups and even went to 3 in a row between 2020 and 2022.

Let someone else have some fun.

13. Washington Capitals

Would it be cool to see Alex Ovechkin get another Stanley Cup? Absolutely.

Is the Capitals brand of hockey at all entertaining to watch? No.

The NHL is a copycat league. We don’t need that.

12. Los Angeles Kings

And here we have the team from the 2010s who had the same “great defensive hockey” strategy the Caps use now.

Even the Kings use it still, but to a lesser extent.

11. New York Islanders

And another team who uses that strategy!

At least it’s been a very, very long time since the Islanders won a Stanley Cup.

That’s the only saving grace.

10. Toronto Maple Leafs

It’d be so, so cool to see the scenes in Toronto when the Leafs finally win a Stanley Cup.

It would also probably be very, very annoying to hear about.

Tough choices.

9. Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks are well coached and have a ton of fun, young players. Why would you root against them?

Because Vancouver has shown to not handle losses in the nicest ways possible, and another riot might give us another iconic kissing picture.

8. Colorado Avalanche

It was just a few short years ago that the Avalanche won the Cup, and they have had a lot of success since their move to Quebec City in the 90s, so you really don’t need to see them win again.

But they play fun hockey. It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

7. New York Rangers

Fun team. Rabid fanbase. Been a long time since they won the Cup.

If it was any other city except New York, they’d be much higher on the list.

I like you, Rangers fans, but I can see why a lot of people may not!

6. Winnipeg Jets

The Jets winning their first ever Stanley Cup the same offseason that the Arizona Coyotes, aka the former Winnipeg Jets, got relocated themselves would be extreme poetic justice.

But it also may be a little too on the nose.

5. Edmonton Oilers

The best player in the world, in every sport, deserves to win the championship at least once.

Connor McDavid is still waiting on that opportunity.

But, I am willing to keep him waiting if it means Canada’s Cup drought lasts longer.

4. Carolina Hurricanes

The Canes have consistently been very good as of late, and have just fallen short in the conference finals their last 3 appearances.

Getting over that last hump would be great to see.

3. Nashville Predators

The Predators, a consistently good team under former coach Barry Trotz, winning their first ever Stanley Cup in the first season that Barry Trotz is the general manager of the team, would be simply fantastic.

2. Florida Panthers

Call me crazy, but I like hockey in the south!

And you can hold all of your “oh the Panthers have no fans” nonsense, because when it comes playoff time, that building is loud as hell.

Plus, Matthew Tkachuk having another insane playoff run would be must watch TV.

Sign me up.

1. Dallas Stars

For whatever reason, there is no sport better than hockey to watch an old veteran get their first ever championship.

The Stars have that in spades with captain Jamie Benn, and forwards Tyler Seguin and Joe Pavelski.

They also have a good young core of forwards and a great young goaltender.

If you’re looking for feel good moments to end the season, you should be all in on seeing Dallas lift the Cup.