AI simulation gives Carolina Hurricanes 20% chance to win 2026 Stanley Cup

Will this be the season the
Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2006?

Fantasy sports company RotoWire
ran 100 simulations through ChatGPT of the 2025-26 NHL season.

The Carolina Hurricanes won the
Stanley Cup 20 times out of the 100 simulations.

The Vegas Golden Knights
emerged as the most dominant team in the AI projections, winning the Stanley
Cup 42 out of 100 times and reaching the playoffs 89% of the time. Meanwhile,
the simulations had the Dallas Stars winning the Stanley Cup 26 out of 100
times.

In March, the Hurricanes traded star winger Mikko Rantanen to the Stars in exchange for two first-round picks in 2026 and 2028, two third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 and center Logan Stankoven.

RotoWire’s simulation also had the Canes making the playoffs 91 times out of the 100 simulations.

The Canes are vying for their
eighth consecutive playoff appearance under head coach Rod Brind’Amour.

Last
season, the Canes made it to the Eastern Conference Final before losing in five
games to the Florida Panthers. The Panthers went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Related: Eric Tulsky comfortable, confident and going for the Stanley Cup in 2nd year as Hurricanes GM

Carolina has had an active offseason. In July, the
Canes acquired defenseman K’Andre
Miller from the New York Rangers in exchange for D Scott
Morrow, a conditional 2026 first-round pick and 2026 second-round pick.

The Hurricanes also signed forward Nikolaj
Ehlers to a six-year contract.

Carolina opens the 2025-26
season at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against the New Jersey Devils at the Lenovo
Center. The game airs on ESPN Plus.