And then there were four.

The Stanley Cup playoff field has officially been whittled down to the final four teams. The Avalanche and Golden Knights begin the Western Conference Final tonight in Denver, while the Canadiens travel to Raleigh to face the Hurricanes out east tomorrow night.

If you’re a Canucks fan, you might be looking for a new team to root for down the stretch. Two teams are heavy favourites in each conference, one team represents Canada’s last shot at ending the country’s Cup drought, and one is a team that practically no one wants to see win.

Today, we’re looking at all four conference finalists through a Canucks lens, and weighing out some pros and cons to help you to decide which team you like best.

Pros: The Hurricanes are a well-oiled machine that grinds opponents down before going for the kill. They’ve been the “next Stanley Cup champion” for a long time, and this could very well be their year, especially after sweeping both the Senators and the Flyers. The Canes have been built methodically and carefully over the last decade, and if they won a championship, it might convince a certain Vancouver team to invest more in their analytics and data departments. You’d also get to see Kamloops legend Logan Stankoven and former Canuck Jalen Chatfield hoist the Cup.

Cons: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me SEVEN times of not even getting past the conference final, shame on me. The Hurricanes are truly cursed when it comes to the third round, having lost five straight conference final appearances since 2009. Given the amount of rust they might have, not having played since May 9, it would make a lot of sense if they got upset again.

Pros: The Avalanche are one of the clearest Cup favourites we’ve had in a while. A complete murderer’s row of playmakers and defenders, plus a goaltending tandem that punches above their weight so often they might just be that great. This is an incredibly fun team to watch play hockey, and one that has all the tools to hoist the Cup again. They swept the Kings in the opening round, then eliminated Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild in five games, giving Canucks fans another reason to support them.

Cons: The President’s Trophy curse is something we’re all too familiar with around here. If you believe in it, you know they’re not winning the last game of the season.

Pros: They’re young, they’re skilled and extremely fun to watch. Montreal is the blueprint the Canucks should be following to when it comes to conducting a rebuild in a hockey-mad market, and they sure look like a great team that’s best days are still ahead of them. They beat both the Lightning and the Sabres in stunning seven-game upsets, and thanks to great play from the likes of Nick Suzuki, Alex Newhook and Jakub Dobes, this team is putting together a Cinderella run for the ages. If you care about the process or a Canadian team breaking the curse, the Habs are easily your best bet. Also, Vancouver Giants legend Brendan Gallagher!

Cons: Not everyone is down with the Canada’s Team moniker being bestowed on any one club. The Canadiens also give off the vibe of a team that can get to the Final, but could also lose in gut-wrenching fashion. In other words, this is not a bandwagon for the faint of heart.

Pros: It’d be objectively really funny if John Tortorella won the Stanley Cup again. You’re only cheering for the Knights if you’re an agent of chaos. Or you want everyone to be really unhappy. The Knights beat the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games apiece, largely thanks to some inspired play by former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner. Imagine how the city of Toronto would react if he immediately went and won a Conn Smythe Trophy after leaving.

Cons: Haven’t they won enough already? After no-showing the media after beating the Ducks, and refusing to let recently fired head coach Bruce Cassidy interview with other teams, it’s obvious that they’re the NHL’s main villain. Also, those ugly puke coloured jerseys cannot be allowed to see another championship.

Which of these teams are you hoping wins the Stanley Cup this year? Let us know in the comments below!