Reviewing the 4 Possible 2020 Stanley Cup Final Uniform Matchups

27 teams down, 4 to go.

Yes, the season which included a break longer than most off-seasons is finally starting to wrap up. We’ve entered the 2020 National Hockey League Eastern and Western Conference Finals. The four teams remaining — the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning in the East, the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights in the West leave us with just four possible Stanley Cup Final matchups here in 2020.

Let’s take a look at each one…

DALLAS STARS VS
NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Last 5 Games…
February 4, 2020: Dallas Stars 3 at New York Islanders 4 (OT)
December 7, 2019: New York Islanders 1 at Dallas Stars 3
December 23, 2018: New York Islanders 3 at Dallas Stars 1
November 18, 2018: Dallas Stars 6 at New York Islanders 2
December 13, 2017: Dallas Stars 5 at New York Islanders 2

It’s the only rematch of a previous Stanley Cup Final remaining, as the Islanders beat the then Minnesota North Stars to win their second of four consecutive Stanley Cups in 1981. The Islanders still wear a uniform basically the same while the Stars have relocated and changed their logo a few times in that span — but are at least back to rocking the green as they did in ’81 (a shame they now wear silver instead of yellow, though).

Uniform wise, it’s a pretty good pairing (and maybe my favourite of the remaining options), the vibrant green of the Dallas Stars up against the traditional blue and orange of the Islanders makes for a nice bright and colourful matchup.

Neither of these teams has won the Stanley Cup in this century, the Stars’ most recent championship came in 1999 and the Islanders nearly 40 years ago back in 1983.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING VS
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Last 5 Games…
February 20, 2020: Tampa Bay Lightning 2 at Vegas Golden Knights 5
February 4, 2020: Vegas Golden Knights 2 at Tampa Bay Lightning 4
February 5, 2019: Vegas Golden Knights 3 at Tampa Bay Lightning 2 (SO)
October 26, 2018: Tampa Bay Lightning 3 at Vegas Golden Knights 2
January 18, 2018: Vegas Golden Knights 4 at Tampa Bay Lightning 1

Alright! Florida vs. Nevada for the Stanley Cup, c’mon now, who’s with me?! This (along with a possible Dallas-Tampa Bay final this year) would be the first “All Southern” Stanley Cup Final ever, and what better venue for every game in such a final than the most Northern city in the league, Edmonton.

As for the uniforms, here you’re getting the most simple colour scheme and logo possible vs. black, graphite, red, and glimmering metallic gold. Couldn’t be more opposite but ensures that there’s something for everyone here, the modern vs the traditional.

These have been two of the more consistently successful regular season teams over the last several years (well, the last three years for Vegas). Both clubs have made it to (and lost) recent Stanley Cup Finals (Tampa Bay in 2015 and Vegas in 2018). Tampa Bay last hoisted the Cup in 2004, while Vegas has yet to have the honour.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS VS
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Last 5 Games…
February 15, 2020: New York Islanders 0 at Vegas Golden Knights 1
December 5, 2019: Vegas Golden Knights 2 at New York Islanders 3 (OT)
December 20, 2018: New York Islanders 2 at Vegas Golden Knights 4
December 12, 2018: Vegas Golden Knights 3 at New York Islanders 2
January 25, 2018: New York Islanders 2 at Vegas Golden Knights 1

Is this your old kid vs new kid matchup? I guess, the New York Islanders are the oldest one left (discounting the Stars’ relocation), here in their 47th season with Vegas ready to wrap up year number three. The Islanders fans have dealt with a lot of pain and suffering over the last 35 years or so, from numerous threats of relocation to bouncing between arenas to just simply awful teams over that time… As for Golden Knights fans? Well, this one year they only made it to the second round of the playoffs, and they still complain about it. Just wait kids, you’ll have a fun decade (or few… hello, Leafs fan here) of misery coming up at some point, enjoy this while you can.

This is not a uniform pairing I would look forward to. The Knights’ gold and that hint of red just doesn’t work well up next to the Islanders’ orange. Of course this is simply my opinion, but I’d easily rank this one 4th of the 4 remaining matchups based on uniforms alone.

DALLAS STARS VS
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Last 5 Games…
January 27, 2020: Tampa Bay Lightning 2 at Dallas Stars 3 (OT)
December 19, 2019: Dallas Stars 4 at Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (OT)
February 14, 2019: Dallas Stars 0 at Tampa Bay Lightning 6
January 15, 2019: Tampa Bay Lightning 2 at Dallas Stars 0
March 1, 2018: Tampa Bay Lightning 5 at Dallas Stars 4 (OT)

Alright! Texas vs Florida for the Stanley Cup, c’mon now, who’s with me?! Okay… I’ll stop. The Dallas Stars haven’t lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning since that Valentine’s Day Massacre the Bolts laid on them back in 2018-19, but both matchups during the 2019-20 season ended up going to overtime so we could have a fun battle here between these two.

Here’s a couple of uniforms that would’ve looked very different back in the 1990s — all black vs all black, fortunately both teams decided that brighter uniform colours just look better on the ice in the years since and saved their (potential) matchup in the Finals for when they found their “look”. Much like the Islanders-Stars matchup, we’ve got green vs blue here and I think it looks great, but that addition of the orange puts the Isles series over the top. A solid runner-up here.

That’s it, those are your four possible 2020 Stanley Cup Final matchups remaining, one of the above will happen and those uniforms up against each other will forever be burned into the memories of their respective fanbases when they think back to 2020, you know, the one good memory they’ll all have of the year.

So, you’ve all heard my opinion, it’s now time to share yours! Vote in the poll below for your favourite possible 2020 Stanley Cup Final, and, hey, let’s try to keep it focused on the actual *uniform matchup* rather than just whatever team you like or hope wins.