Every hockey player dreams of winning the Stanley Cup. Once NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman hands it to the captain of the winning team, the question becomes who will receive it next.
In 2001, Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic didn't lift the Cup, but handed it to veteran defenseman Ray Bourque, in his 22nd and final NHL season. In 2007, Anaheim Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer handed it to his brother, Rob Niedermayer. Last season, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov gave it to Sergei Bobrovsky, who became the first goalie to receive the Cup directly from the captain.
Who could get the first handoff this season? A rookie, veteran or someone who's lifted it before?
Here's a look at who could get the first pass for each of the 16 teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (teams in alphabetical order):
Carolina Hurricanes: Captain Jordan Staal to defenseman Jaccob Slavin
The Hurricanes have plenty of veterans who have been with them a long time, which means Staal will have his choice of worthy candidates. However, expect it to go to assistant captain Slavin, who has been on the team for 10 seasons, before it gets passed to the other core players, including forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Defensemen Brent Burns, who turned 40 in March and is in his 21st NHL season, is also a candidate.
Second choice: Aho
Colorado Avalanche: Captain Gabriel Landeskog to forward Nathan MacKinnon
Although he hasn't played since he helped the Avalanche win the Cup in 2022, Landeskog has rejoined his teammates and seems poised for a playoff return. In 2022, Landeskog gave it to defenseman Erik Johnson, the longest-tenured player on the team. If he doesn't give it to his good friend again, expect it to go to MacKinnon, who won the Hart Trophy last season and could do so again this season. A longer-shot option could be veteran forward Brock Nelson, who was acquired in a trade with the New York Islanders on March 6 and has yet to lift the Cup during his 12 NHL seasons.
Second choice: Cale Makar
Dallas Stars: Captain Jamie Benn to forward Tyler Seguin
If the Stars win their first championship since 1999, it would be a long time coming for many of them, including Benn (16 seasons with Dallas) and forward Matt Duchene (16th NHL season, second with the Stars). Seguin won it as a rookie with the Boston Bruins in 2011, but the 33-year-old has battled injuries the past few seasons and seems like a good choice for the first handoff.
Second choice: Duchene
Edmonton Oilers: Captain Connor McDavid to forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
The No. 1 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, Nugent-Hopkins is the longest-tenured player on the team at 14 seasons. Sure, he's taken a back seat to McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman, but the forward has been an alternate captain since 2013-14 and is one of the Oilers' most important players. It would only be right for McDavid to hand the Cup to him.
Second choice: Draisaitl
Florida Panthers: Captain Aleksander Barkov to defenseman Aaron Ekblad
Ekblad, the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, has been a big part of the Panthers' resurgence the past handful of seasons. And if Florida wins the Cup again, he could get the first pass after he got it sixth last year. It also could go to a player who wasn't on the team last season, such as defensemen Seth Jones or Nate Schmidt. Forward Brad Marchand, acquired in a trade with the Boston Bruins on March 7, would be an off-the-board selection.
Second choice: Matthew Tkachuk
Los Angeles Kings: Captain Anze Kopitar to defenseman Drew Doughty
It's been 13 years since the Kings won the Stanley Cup for the first time and 11 years since the last time. Kopitar, Doughty and forward Trevor Lewis, who returned to Los Angeles in 2023 after time with the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames, are the three remaining holdovers from those teams. Forward Adrian Kempe, who has spent all nine of his NHL seasons with the Kings, also could be in line.
Second choice: Lewis
Minnesota Wild: Captain Jared Spurgeon to goalie Marc-Andre Fleury
What better way to close out a career than winning the Stanley Cup? If the Wild win their first championship, one would have to imagine after Spurgeon accepts the trophy from Commissioner Bettman, he hands it to Fleury, the 40-year-old who will ride off into the sunset after 21 NHL seasons. Fleury already has won the Cup three times, so if Spurgeon decides to go a different route, it could be defenseman Jonas Brodin, who has spent all 13 of his NHL seasons with the Wild, or forward Marcus Foligno.
Second choice: Brodin
Montreal Canadiens: Captain Nick Suzuki to forward Brendan Gallagher
Montreal is in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, when it reached the Cup Final. If they were to win it all for the first time since 1993, Gallagher has to get the first pass. The Canadiens' longest-tenured player, the 32-year-old has spent all 13 of his NHL seasons in Montreal. Forward Cole Caufield as well as defenseman David Savard, who was born in the Montreal suburb of St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, also are options.
Second choice: Caufield
New Jersey Devils: Captain Nico Hischier to forward Jesper Bratt
With center Jack Hughes out because of a shoulder injury, Bratt seems like the logical choice. New Jersey does have veterans, including forwards Ondrej Palat, Tomas Tatar and Erik Haula, defensemen Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon, and goalie Jacob Markstrom. But it's likely the longer-tenured players on the team would touch the Cup first.
Second choice: Palat
Ottawa Senators: Captain Brady Tkachuk to forward Claude Giroux
Ottawa has been a surprise team this season, and features a roster filled with many players who haven't yet experienced playoff hockey. If they were to win the Cup, Tkachuk could give it to Giroux, who has played more than 1,200 NHL games and signed with his hometown team three seasons ago. Defenseman Thomas Chabot, in his ninth NHL season, also could be a top choice.
Second choice: Chabot
St. Louis Blues: Captain Brayden Schenn to defenseman Ryan Suter
The Blues went on a surge during the second half of the season to clinch a playoff spot. If they were to win the Cup, the first pass is more than likely a slam dunk. Forty-year-old defenseman Suter, a 20-season NHL veteran who has the most regular-season games among active players without winning the Cup (1,526), would be the top pick. He also has not missed a regular-season game in seven seasons.
Second choice: Nick Leddy
Tampa Bay Lightning: Captain Victor Hedman to defenseman Ryan McDonagh
The Lightning have been there, done that, winning the Cup twice this decade (2020, 2021). If they win this season, Hedman, the first-season captain who received the initial handoff from Steven Stamkos each time, would have his choice of who to hand it off to. McDonagh as well as forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy should be in the mix as well.
Second choice: Kucherov
Toronto Maple Leafs: Captain Auston Matthews to forward John Tavares
Matthews is the face of the franchise and took over as captain during the offseason. One of the most dynamic players in the NHL, he's been injured this season but still managed to score at least 30 goals for the sixth time in the past seven seasons, including his 400th career goal. He took over the captaincy from Tavares, the 34-year-old who is in his seventh season with the Maple Leafs and 16th in the NHL. Forwards Mitch Marner and William Nylander and defenseman Morgan Rielly also are in the mix, and the sentimental choice could be veteran forward Max Pacioretty.
Second choice: Rielly
Vegas Golden Knights: Captain Mark Stone to center Jack Eichel
When the Golden Knights won the Cup in 2023, Stone gave it to forward Reilly Smith, with the other original "Golden Misfits," Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson, Brayden McNabb, Shea Theodore and William Carrier, getting it next. Eichel led Vegas and set an NHL career high in points this season after leading all scorers in 2023 during the Cup run and again would be an integral part of the team if they were to win. Forward Tomas Hertl, in his 12th NHL season, wasn't on that team and also could be one of the first players to get the handoff.
Second choice: Hertl
Washington Capitals: Captain Alex Ovechkin to defenseman John Carlson
When the Capitals won the Cup in 2018, Ovechkin handed it to forward Nicklas Backstrom, who has assisted on more of his goals than any other player. With Backstrom unable to play again because of injury, the first pass likely would go to Carlson, the 16-season veteran, who has been with the team since 2009. Tom Wilson, in his 12th season, is the only other healthy player who has been with the Capitals since that championship (forward T.J. Oshie has not played this season because of injury, and forward Lars Eller, who was on the team in 2018, was traded back to the Capitals earlier this season).
Second choice: Wilson
Winnipeg Jets: Captain Adam Lowry to goalie Connor Hellebuyck
If the Jets win the Cup, Lowry could have a tough choice, with several longtime Winnipeg players in the mix, including forwards Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers, defenseman Josh Morrissey, and Hellebuyck. After leading the NHL in wins (47) and goals-against average (2.00; minimum 20 games), and finishing second in save percentage (.925), Hellebuyck, the likely Vezina Trophy winner as the League's best goalie, could be the second straight goalie to get the first handoff after Bobrovsky last season.
Second choice: Scheifele
