The most recent Western Conference teams to lift the Stanley Cup are about to face off for the opportunity to do it again.

The conference final between the Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights starts Wednesday at Ball Arena. Expect fireworks. These franchises have only met once previously in the playoffs. That 2021 series didn’t go Colorado’s way, but it did light a fire under the Avalanche that helped them get over the hump in 2022.

These are just a few of the key matchups that could determine who will represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final:

Nathan MacKinnon vs. Jack Eichel

The Avalanche’s opponents thus far in the postseason have not had a top-line center. Not only do the Golden Knights have one, but he might be considered a top-five center in the world.

Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Eichel have both led their teams to Stanley Cups over the last five years and neither of their coaches will be afraid of hiding one from the other. Outside of MacKinnon vs. McDavid, this is the premier center matchup in the Western Conference, one The Denver Gazette will dig into more prior to Game 1. Eichel does everything for the Golden Knights, while MacKinnon is the engine on the Avalanche. Buckle up because this one is going to be fun to watch.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) skates against the Minnesota Wild during the first period in Game 2 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

Vegas’ center depth vs. Colorado’s center depth

There’s a chance two elite players like MacKinnon and Eichel cancel each other out. If that’s the case, the series may come down to what happens on the other lines.

Vegas is finally healthy down the middle and will provide a huge test for Colorado. William Karlsson returned against the Anaheim Ducks and is a difficult center to play against. Tomas Hertl couldn’t buy a goal for nearly two months but found his mojo (and confidence) against Anaheim. Nic Dowd doesn’t score much, but he’s your prototypical fourth-line center.

For Colorado, Jack Drury was a menace against the Wild, winning over 70% of his draws and adding some big goals. Nazem Kadri looked healthier and has improved Colorado’s power play. The key for Colorado might be unlocking Brock Nelson’s offense. He has yet to score a goal on a goaltender this postseason and against a deep forward group like Vegas, the Avalanche need that to change. Nelson has still won (or tied) his matchups thus far through the first two rounds, so he’s doing his part at the other end of the ice. But Nelson finding his offense would make this team even more dangerous.

Ivan Barbashev and Vegas’ forecheck vs. Cale Makar

This is not a Cale-Makar-must-shut-down-Ivan-Barbashev situation. It’s more of a Makar-must-keep-his-head-on-a-swivel situation when the 30-year-old Russian is on the ice.

It’s no secret Makar is dealing with an issue to his upper body. He hasn’t exactly hid that from the competition when he grabs for it at times during games. That means the Golden Knights are going to target him physically, just like any other team would, and Barbashev is someone who will see a lot of ice time against Makar in this series.

The 6-foot, 203-pound Russian looks like a bowling ball on skates. When he hits, you feel it. He’s the guy that knocked Sam Girard out of the playoffs back in 2022 when he was a member of the St. Louis Blues. There’s no question if he has an opportunity to finish a check on Makar, he’s going to finish it. Opposing coaches have been game-planning how to forecheck Makar for his entire career, so it’s nothing new to him. How much Makar can avoid getting caught in a situation like that will play a big role in this series, because the Avalanche need their top defensemen in order to advance.

Special teams

It might be a cop out to just say all special teams, but it’s very true.

Of the teams remaining in the postseason, only Carolina has a better penalty kill than the Golden Knights. Despite their goaltending issues in the regular season, they still managed to finish top 10 in the NHL while down a man. Colorado’s power play has been rolling this postseason, converting on 25% of its chances. This will be a big challenge for them, but they also must play smart. Vegas has four shorthanded goals this postseason. Guys like Brett Howden and Mitch Marner have forced the issue for opposing teams while shorthanded. It’s no secret the Avalanche struggled giving up shorthanded goals during the regular season and it’s something they’ll need to avoid doing this series.

To flip things around, Vegas has the best power play of all the teams left in the playoffs, sitting just ahead of the Avalanche. The health of Mark Stone may impact how they set up their man advantage, but when he’s in the lineup, they often use five forwards on their top unit. Colorado’s penalty kill was the best in the NHL during the regular season, but they haven’t been as efficient in the playoffs. This group will provide a bigger test than Los Angeles and Vegas.

Vegas’ defense vs. Colorado’s defense

Defending will be crucial in this series. Colorado and Vegas were two of the top defensive teams in the NHL, and their blue lines are a big part of that. Where the Avalanche have a distinct advantage is at the other end.

Vegas has Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin, two very good defensemen who represented their countries at the Olympics. The majority of their offense from the back end comes from those two. Theodore has four of the five goals Vegas’ defense has contributed this postseason. The Avalanche, however, have a defense that gets much more involved.

Devon Toews looks like his old self since the Olympic break. There’s an argument to be made he’s been Colorado’s best defensemen this postseason given Makar’s injury. Even a wounded Makar has four goals. Brett Kulak, Brent Burns and Josh Manson have found ways to chip in offensively, while it appears the Avalanche will have a healthy Sam Malinski for Game 1.

Vegas, like Colorado, has an incredibly deep forward group. An active blue line like the Avalanche’s gives them an advantage over most teams in the NHL, including the Golden Knights.