The 2025 NHL Eastern Conference Final is between the Florida Panthers, the third seed in the Atlantic Division, and the Carolina Hurricanes, the second seed in the Metropolitan Division. Florida leads the best-of-seven series two games to none. They won Game 1 by a score of 5–2 and shut out Carolina 5–0 in Game 2.
Game 3 will be played in Florida on Saturday, May 24, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, May 26, also in Florida. If necessary, Game 5 will take place in Carolina on Wednesday, May 28. Game 6 would be in Florida on Friday, May 30, and Game 7 in Carolina on Sunday, June 1. The winner of the series will be awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Eastern Conference NHL Winners
From 1994 to 2024, the Eastern Conference saw several repeat champions. The New Jersey Devils led with five titles (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2012), followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning with four each. The Florida Panthers won in 1996, 2023, and 2024, capturing their first Stanley Cup in 2024.
Other champions included the New York Rangers (1994, 2014), Philadelphia Flyers (1997, 2010), Boston Bruins (2011, 2013, 2019), and Carolina Hurricanes (2002, 2006). The 2005 season had no playoffs due to a lockout, and the 2021 playoffs were restructured due to COVID-19, with the Lightning awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up | Games |
| 1994 | New York Rangers | New Jersey Devils | 7 |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils | Philadelphia Flyers | 6 |
| 1996 | Florida Panthers | Pittsburgh Penguins | 7 |
| 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers | New York Rangers | 5 |
| 1998 | Washington Capitals | Buffalo Sabres | 6 |
| 1999 | Buffalo Sabres | Toronto Maple Leafs | 5 |
| 2000 | New Jersey Devils | Philadelphia Flyers | 7 |
| 2001 | New Jersey Devils | Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 |
| 2002 | Carolina Hurricanes | Toronto Maple Leafs | 6 |
| 2003 | New Jersey Devils | Ottawa Senators | 7 |
| 2004 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Philadelphia Flyers | 7 |
| 2005 | No conference finals were played due to the lockout. | ||
| 2006 | Carolina Hurricanes | Buffalo Sabres | 7 |
| 2007 | Ottawa Senators | Buffalo Sabres | 5 |
| 2008 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Philadelphia Flyers | 5 |
| 2009 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Carolina Hurricanes | 4 |
| 2010 | Philadelphia Flyers | Montreal Canadiens | 5 |
| 2011 | Boston Bruins | Tampa Bay Lightning | 7 |
| 2012 | New Jersey Devils | New York Rangers | 6 |
| 2013 | Boston Bruins | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 |
| 2014 | New York Rangers | Montreal Canadiens | 6 |
| 2015 | Tampa Bay Lightning | New York Rangers | 7 |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Tampa Bay Lightning | 7 |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Ottawa Senators | 7 |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | Tampa Bay Lightning | 7 |
| 2019 | Boston Bruins | Carolina Hurricanes | 4 |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning | New York Islanders | 6 |
| 2021 | Conference-based playoffs were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Prince of Wales Trophy was awarded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. | ||
| 2022 | Tampa Bay Lightning | New York Rangers | 6 |
| 2023 | Florida Panthers | Carolina Hurricanes | 4 |
| 2024 | Florida Panthers | New York Rangers | 6 |
FAQs Eastern Conference NHL Winners
A. The Florida Panthers won the 2024 Eastern Conference Final.
A. The Florida Panthers faced the Carolina Hurricanes.
A. Game 1 was held at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
A. The Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6–1 in Game 7 of the Second Round.
A. The Lightning won the Eastern Conference in 2004, 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
