What Teams Are in the Stanley Cup Final?

One team will soon raise the Stanley Cup for the very first time.

The 2023 NHL playoffs conclude with a matchup between two teams seeking their first championship in franchise history.

The Stanley Cup Final begins on Wednesday. Here's everything you need to know about the series.

Who is playing in the Stanley Cup Finals 2023?

The Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights will meet in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers were first to punch their ticket to the Final, extending what has been a thrilling Cinderella run. The No. 8 Panthers, who went 42-32-8 during the regular season, became the third team in the NHL's expansion era that began in 1967 to make the Final as the lowest-seeded team.

To get there, they orchestrated arguably the greatest upset in league history. In the first round against a 65-12-5 Boston Bruins team that set the NHL record for wins in a season, the Panthers erased a 3-1 series deficit by winning three straight games, capped with a Game 7 overtime victory in Boston.

The Panthers then needed five games in the second round to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthew Tkachuk then scored overtime winners in Game 1 and Game 2 of the conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers completed a sweep of the Hurricanes on Tkachuk's go-ahead goal with 4.9 seconds remaining in regulation of Game 4.

That sent the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in the franchise's 29-year history, having also made it during the team's third season in 1996. The team was swept in the Final by the Colorado Avalanche and wouldn't advance beyond the first round of the playoffs again until last season.

The Golden Knights are also making their second appearance in the Final...and the franchise has only been in existence for six seasons.

The Golden Knights stunned the hockey world in 2018 by advancing to the Final during the team's first season in the NHL. They lost to the Washington Capitals but needed just five more years to return to the Final. 

The Golden Knights were the top team in the Western Conference this season after finishing 51-22-9. They defeated the Winnipeg Jets in five games during the first round, topped the Edmonton Oilers in six games during the second round, and opened the conference finals with two overtime wins over the Dallas Stars en route to winning the series in six games.

What is the format for the Stanley Cup Final?

The Knights will have home ice advantage in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final based on their higher regular season point total.

The first two games of the Final will be played in Las Vegas. The Panthers will host Game 3 and Game 4. If necessary, the series returns to Las Vegas for Game 5, heads to Florida for Game 6 and back to Vegas for a decisive Game 7.

What date will the Stanley Cup finals be played?

The Stanley Cup Final will begin on Saturday, June 3 and finish no later than Monday, June 19.

Here is the full schedule for the 2023 Stanley Cup Final...

Game 1 - Saturday, June 3, 8 p.m.

Game 2 - Monday, June 5, 8 p.m.

Game 3 - Thursday, June 8, 8 p.m.

Game 4 - Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m.

*Game 5 - Tuesday, June 13, 8 p.m.

*Game 6 - Friday, June 16, 8 p.m.

*Game 7 - Monday, June 19, 8 p.m.

Who has not won a Stanley Cup yet?

The Panthers and Golden Knights are two of 12 active teams in the NHL that have never won the Stanley Cup.

The other teams include the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators (modern franchise), San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.

Who has won the most titles in the Stanley Cup Finals?

The Montreal Canadiens are the kings of the Cup.

The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 23 times, the most of any team in NHL history.

They are followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have won the Cup 13 times, and the Detroit Red Wings, who have won it 11 times. The Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks have each won the Cup six times.