Which 2025-26 NHL teams have the most Stanley Cup Ingredients?

Welcome to the conclusion of Daily Faceoff Stanley Cup Ingredients 2025-26. To catch you up: I’ve crafted a formula consisting of seven common ingredients among recent Stanley Cup champions, using the previous 10 seasons as the sample. You can click here for a more detailed breakdown of the formula and how accurately it has predicted teams going deep in the playoffs.

I broke down the Stanley Cup ingredients in seven parts – but one them, the team weight correlation, is no longer strong enough to be part of the recipe. So we’re down to six traits. They are:

1. Point-Per-Game Players: Do you have multiple players averaging at least a point per game (min. 40 GP)?

2. Top-10 Goalie – Do you have a goalie who has played at least half your games and sits top-10 in save percentage?

3. Expected Goal Differential – Do you rank top-10 in the NHL in 5-on-5 expected goal differential?

4. Penalty-Killing Efficiency – Does your PK rank in the top half of the NHL?

5. Stanley Cup Rings – Do you have at least one player who has won the Cup before?

6. Trade Deadline Acquisitions – Did you acquire at least one NHL roster player within two months of the Deadline this season?

Now, the best part: applying the formula to all 32 teams to see who shares the most ingredients with the past 10 Stanley Cup champions.

(Data based on games played through March 31)

Team	2+ PPG Players	Top Goalie	xGA diff.	Top-16 PK	Cup Ring(s)	Trade(s)	TOTAL
Anaheim	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	3
Boston	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	2
Buffalo	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
Calgary	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
Carolina	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
Chicago	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
Colorado	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	6
Columbus	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	3
Dallas	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
Detroit	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	2
Edmonton	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	3
Florida	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
Los Angeles	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	3
Minnesota	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	4
Montreal	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	2
Nashville	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
New Jersey	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
NY Islanders	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
NY Rangers	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	3
Ottawa	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	3
Philadelphia	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	1
Pittsburgh	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	5
San Jose	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	2
Seattle	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	2
St. Louis	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	3
Tampa Bay	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	6
Toronto	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	3
Utah	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
Vancouver	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	2
Vegas	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	5
Washington	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	4
Winnipeg	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	3

Most Stanley Cup Ingredients, 2025-26 NHL teams

MICHELIN STAR

Colorado Avalanche – 6
Tampa Bay Lightning – 6

DELICIOUS

Pittsburgh Penguins – 5
Vegas Golden Knights – 5

COULD USE A PINCH OF SALT

Carolina Hurricanes – 4
Chicago Blackhawks – 4
Dallas Stars  – 4
Minnesota Wild – 4
New York Islanders – 4
Utah Mammoth – 4
Washington Capitals – 4

BLAND

Anaheim Ducks – 3
Buffalo Sabres – 3
Calgary Flames – 3
Columbus Blue Jackets – 3
Edmonton Oilers – 3
Florida Panthers – 3
Los Angeles Kings – 3
Nashville Predators – 3
New Jersey Devils – 3
New York Rangers – 3
Ottawa Senators – 3
St. Louis Blues – 3
Toronto Maple Leafs – 3
Winnipeg Jets – 3

SEND IT BACK

Boston Bruins – 2
Detroit Red Wings – 2
Montreal Canadiens – 2
San Jose Sharks – 2
Seattle Kraken – 2
Vancouver Canucks – 2

CALL THE HEALTH INSPECTOR

Philadelphia Flyers – 1

Key takeaways

– More so than in any other year in which I’ve conducted this study, we have two super juggernauts lording above the field. The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning each score a perfect six for six in Stanley Cup Ingredients. They have almost no weaknesses if they’re healthy for the postseason. They have superstar scorers, elite goaltending, great play-driving, wily Trade Deadline acquisitions, the complete buffet of what you want.

– If the Vegas Golden Knights can correct course under new coach John Tortorella, they’re still dangerous, strong in every category except goaltending. And how about those Pittsburgh Penguins? They’re a transformed team under bench boss Dan Muse, who deserves serious Jack Adams Award consideration.

– The tier of teams with four of six ingredients is fascinating. It reminds us that the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes, while mighty, have some holes. Neither team has gotten good enough goaltending this season, while Carolina still can’t count on a superstar-grade scorer. The New York Islanders, meanwhile, are an intriguing sleeper team who could push for an upset if all-world goaltender Ilya Sorokin gets hot.

– The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets have been breakout success stories in 2025-26 but still have work to do. The Ducks and Sabres still don’t defend very well at 5-on-5, sitting bottom-10 in the league in expected goals against, while the Blue Jackets lack a truly elite scorer at forward and are one of the few teams without a Stanley Cup winning player on their roster.

– The group of teams with two of six ingredients hints at some paper tigers. The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens are both subpar in 5-on-5 defense and on the penalty kill. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman has masked Boston’s shortcomings, while Montreal is better at scoring its way out of trouble.

– The overachieving Philadelphia Flyers are still in the playoff hunt but have almost no traits that match the DNA of Stanley Cup champions over the past 10 years.

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POST SPONSORED BY bet365

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