The Carolina Hurricanes' decisive 4-1 series victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final, capped by a Game 5 rout on May 29, has eliminated the only plausible alternative and locked in the Vegas Golden Knights as their Stanley Cup Finals opponent. Vegas secured the Western Conference title through its own playoff run, positioning both clubs—strong regular-season performers with deep rosters and proven postseason experience—for the best-of-seven series that opens June 2. Trader consensus reflects this completed bracket path, with negligible probability assigned to any other pairing. Only extraordinary circumstances such as a last-minute team withdrawal due to unforeseen roster issues could theoretically shift the outcome before puck drop.