By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Hockey players from around the world work for years to be able to hoist a 34.5-pound trophy and hockey glory. Where rivalry, physicality and passion intersect and one of the most coveted trophies is on the line, the Stanley Cup Playoffs provide one of the most intense and exciting experiences in sports.
In a field of 16 teams, the Stanley Cup Playoffs flame current rivalries and pit other teams against each other to fight for a championship. While hockey is naturally a fast-paced and hard-hitting sport, the postseason brings out the best in the sport.
So far, in the 2025 playoffs, there have been eight overtime games only halfway through the first round. Three of those games were back-to-back-to-back in the matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. Another one of the games went to double overtime, where the New Jersey Devils outlasted the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in Game 3.
Each matchup has the potential to go down to the wire and leave fans on the edge of their seats. With every close game, the hatred between teams continues to rise.
While rivalries seem to be dying, particularly in the NBA, they are just as intense and physical as ever in the NHL. In this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, the matchup between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning is at the forefront of local rivalries. Both teams have represented the Eastern Conference in the last five Stanley Cup Finals, with the Panthers as reigning champions and Tampa Bay winning back-to-back Cups.
Their first-round series has included multiple fights and a possible second suspension of the best-of-seven set. Lightning forward Brandon Hagel was suspended for one game for his hit on Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. Hagel ended up on the other side of another questionable hit, sidelining him for Game 5 and a hearing for Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
The rivalry for the state of Florida, like other longstanding matchups throughout the league, continues to see the intensity and hatred that add to the excitement and viewing experience.
While the heatedness of the rivalries plays a major role in the atmosphere of the postseason, the final goal leaves each player scratching and clawing for their shot at glory: the Stanley Cup.
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in North American sports, being donated by Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord of Preston, in 1892. The trophy, standing at 35.25 inches tall and weighing 34.5 pounds, has been the dream prize for hockey players for generations. The Cup includes the engraving of every championship team and its members spanning across multiple rings toward its base.
Each player fights for his chance to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup and reach the top of the hockey world. Those who fail to win it are unable to even touch it, according to superstition.
Beyond the ice, the playoffs continue to draw sold-out arenas, adding to the excitement and anticipation of each game. Through the first two games of each series in this year’s postseason, 14 of the 16 teams have had an average capacity of 100% or more, reaching 106.9 at Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota Wild. The Tampa Bay Lightning has 99.4%, and the St. Louis Blues have 98.3%.
With the speed and physicality of hockey magnified by the drive to defeat your rivals and be at the pinnacle of the sport, the Stanley Cup Playoffs provide one of the most intense and best viewing experiences for hockey fans hoping for a chance to see their team lift the Stanley Cup.
