The Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes are the only two unbeaten teams in this season's playoffs so far. And if things continue the same way, they have a chance to make history.

If both teams reach the Stanley Cup 2026 final without losing any game in the NHL playoffs, it will be the first time in the modern era that teams remain undefeated in the playoffs. 

And if they face each other, it'll be the first time in 25 years that the Eastern Conference and Western Conference leaders would meet in the finals, the last time being in the 2000-01 playoffs.

In fact, the Colorado Avalanche was one of the finalists, which eventually won the Stanley Cup after beating the New Jersey Devils in a tough Game 7, finishing it with a 3–1 victory.

Right now, both teams are winning matches continuously and showing strong dominance in the early rounds. The NHL playoffs use a best-of-seven format, and every round includes tough opponents. That is why it is very rare for any team to stay unbeaten throughout the entire playoffs.

Talking about the Colorado Avalanche, they won the Presidents’ Trophy and have been dominant in the NHL playoffs. In Round 1 of the playoffs, they swept (4-0) the Los Angeles Kings. As of now, they have played two games in Round 2, against the Minnesota Wild, and won both. 

Coming to the Carolina Hurricanes, they have topped their division in the regular season and have won Round 1 of the NHL playoffs by 4-0 against the Ottawa Senators.

Till now, they have played three games in Round 2, against the Philadelphia Flyers, and are leading the series 3-0. 

Avalanche and Hurricanes records in regular season and their strengths in playoffs

The Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy, finishing with 121 points in 82 games with a record of 55-16-11. Nathan MacKinnon leads the team with strong scoring ability.

The Avalanche moves the puck quickly from defense to attack. They keep high playoff momentum by playing fast, aggressive hockey and creating many scoring chances.

The Carolina Hurricanes, they play very tight defense and limit opponent chances. Their goaltender is in elite form and makes key saves. Because they allow few goals, they stay consistent and win games regularly.

The team finished at the top of the Metropolitan Division with 113 points in 82 games with a record of 53-22-7. 

No NHL team has ever completed a perfect, undefeated playoff run in history. Some teams came very close, but they still lost 1 or 2 games during their playoff journey.

But the playoffs are unpredictable. Injuries, hot goaltending, and momentum swings can change everything quickly. With the way these two teams are performing in the NHL playoffs, they are the strong contenders to win the Stanley Cup 2026.

If their form continues, this season may be remembered for two teams showing rare playoff dominance. Let’s see if it happens or not.

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason