EA Sports has conducted a full season sim for the 2025-2026 NHL Season using NHL 26, and it seems the Vegas Golden Knights will be hoisting the Stanley Cup in June. Furthermore, EA Sports listed other interesting headlines from the season, final regular season standings, and much more. Without further ado let’s dive right in.
Las Vegas Golden Knights to win Stanley Cup, according to EA NHL 26
According to a simulation from EA Sports NHL 26, the Las Vegas Knights will win the Stanley Cup in 2026. Let’s see how they got there.
Firstly, let’s take a look at the regular season standings:
2025-2026 NHL Standings, according to EA NHL 26
Eastern Conference Standings:
*- Denotes Playoff berth
- Atlantic Division
- *Toronto Maple Leafs
- *Tampa Bay Lightning
- *Florida Panthers
- *Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Buffalo Sabres
- Detroit Red Wings
- Boston Bruins
- Metropolitan Division
- *New York Rangers
- *Washington Capitals
- *Carolina Hurricanes
- *New Jersey Devils
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- New York Islanders
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference Standings
- Central Division
- *Colorado Avalanche (Presidents’ Trophy)
- *Dallas Stars
- *Winnipeg Jets
- Minnesota Wild
- St. Louis Blues
- Nashville Predators
- Utah Mammoth
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Pacific Division
- *Edmonton Oilers
- *Las Vegas Golden Knights
- *Vancouver Canucks
- *Los Angeles Kings
- *San Jose Sharks
- Seattle Kraken
- Calgary Flames
- Anaheim Ducks
Overall, the Knights ended up taking second place in the Pacific Division, which also had the most teams entering the playoffs out of any other division. Meanwhille, the Colorado Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy.
NHL 2026 Postseason Results, According to EA NHL 26
Eastern Conference − Round 1
- (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC1) Montreal Canadiens → Maple Leafs win 4-2
- (M1) New York Rangers vs. (WC2) New Jersey Devils → Rangers win 4-3
- (A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Florida Panthers → Lightning win 4-3
- (M2) Washington Capitals vs. (M3) Carolina Hurricanes → Capitals win 4-2
Round 2
- Maple Leafs vs. Lightning → Maple Leafs win 4-2
- Rangers vs. Capitals → Rangers win 4-2
Eastern Final:
- Maple Leafs vs. Rangers → Rangers win 4-3
Western Conference − Round 1
- (C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) San Jose Sharks → Avalanche win 4-1
- (P1) Edmonton Oilers vs. (WC1) Los Angeles Kings → Oilers win 4-2
- (C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Winnipeg Jets → Stars win 4-3
- (P2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (P3) Vancouver Canucks → Knights win 4-2
Round 2:
- Avalanche vs. Stars → Avalanche win 4-2
- Oilers vs. Golden Knights → Golden Knights win 4-3
Western Final:
- Avalanche vs. Golden Knights → Golden Knights win 4-2
Stanley Cup Final
- Vegas Golden Knights defeat New York Rangers 4-2
According to the EA Sports NHL 26 simulation, the Vegas Knights will defeat the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, the Knights will apparently defeat the Canucks, Oilers, and Avalanche en route to a Stanley Cup final appearance.
Furthermore, this means that neither team from the last two years (the Florida Panthers or Edmonton Oilers) made it to the finals. In fact, the Panthers didn’t even make it past the first round. Meanwhile, the Knights took care of the Oilers before heading on to the Western Final, thus avenging their Conference Second Round exit from last season.
However, what we find interesting is that the New York Rangers, who missed the playoffs last season, made it all the way to the Finals with a new head coach. It’s not like the Rangers aren’t talented enough to make the playoffs. But you think with a new coach and some new faces, that it may take time for the team to adjust.
Regardless, the official 2025-2026 NHL Season began last night. The Vegas Knights host the Los Angeles Kings tonight.
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