NHL makes history with new blood in conference finals

History is being made again in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

On the heels of the first back-to-back champions in two decades, the NHL will get a new champion in the salarycap era that began in 2005. Among the Lightning, Capitals, Jets and Golden Knights, only Tampa Bay has won the Stanley Cup, making this the first time the final four teams have combined for one title or fewer.

Tampa Bay is in the Eastern Conference final for the third time in four years, and Washington has made the playoffs 10 out of the past 11 seasons. Yet after one of Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh lifted the Cup every time since 2009, this crop of new blood is refreshing.

“They’re all good stories,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “The same old story sometimes can get old. Once in a while a new chapter is written, and it’ll be good.”

The next chapter begins with the Capitals visiting the Lightning on Friday night, followed by the Golden Knights at Winnipeg on Saturday night. It’s a full turnover from the final four teams last year: Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Nashville and Anaheim.

The Jets became the fourth and final team to reach the third round when they beat the defending Western Conference-champion Predators on the road in Game 7 on Thursday night. Winnipeg is the final hope for Canada’s first Cup celebration since Montreal in 1993 and is in the conference final for the first time in franchise history.

“Having some diversity amongst the league is great, and I think it just shows the competitive balance,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “Having good young players is a great place to start.”