We’re two games into the Stanley Cup Final, and so far the series between the Hurricanes and Golden Knights has all the makings of a classic. The teams are tied, both games have been fantastic, and it still feels like there are a ton of twists and turns left to come.That’s where we’re headed. But let’s not forget how we got here.Yes, it’s time for our annual ranking of the 14 series that paved the way. This is an admittedly subjective exercise, but it’s based on some general criteria I’m guessing most fans can agree on. A longer series is better than a short one. Closer games are better than blowouts, and overtime is best of all. Some bad blood, controversy or other memorable moments will always help. And expectations matter, sometimes a lot.Overall, I’d say this year’s postseason has been good but not great. I’m not sure we’ve seen the sort of classic series we’ll be talking about a decade from now, although a few matchups have come close. Let’s remember some series, working our way down from worst to best while hoping the Hurricanes and Golden Knights can bump everyone down a spot with a final for the ages.14. Avalanche over Kings in four (first round)Expectations: The Presidents’ Trophy winners earn a first-round bye against an overwhelmed opponent they could finish with ease.What we got: The Presidents’ Trophy winners earn a first-round bye against an overwhelmed opponent they could finish with just slightly less ease than we’d thought.Overtimes: One, a Colorado win in Game 2.Most memorable moment: The decisive Game 4, in which all of Colorado’s stars showed up to overwhelm a Kings team that already knew it was over.Bottom line: I feel like this one is already being remembered as more one-sided than it actually was; that third period in Game 4 was the only time the Avs really pulled away from a Kings squad that gave them all they had. It just wasn’t anywhere near enough, and there was never a moment where anyone felt like the Kings had a chance to win this.13. Hurricanes over Flyers in four (second round)Expectations: A heavy favorite taking on a feisty underdog who’d already surprised us once.What we got: Some close games, but not much in the way of surprises.Overtimes: Two, with Carolina winning in Games 2 and 4.Most memorable moment: Jackson Blake scoring the OT series-winner to finish the sweep.Bottom line: You have to give the Flyers credit for even getting this far, but I’m not sure they generated a single highlight during this mercifully short series.12. Golden Knights over Avalanche in four (conference final)Expectations: A strong Golden Knights team that seemed to be peaking at just the right moment would face a powerhouse that had rolled over everyone so far in a series stacked with star power.What we got: A hobbled Avs team that was nowhere near full power, and a stunning sweep.Overtimes: An inexcusable zero, the only one of these 14 series that’s true for.Most memorable moment: You could make a case that it came in the hours before puck drop for Game 1, when we found out Cale Makar wouldn’t be playing for Colorado. But let’s go with the third period of Game 3, with the Golden Knights finishing their comeback from down 3-0 as Nathan MacKinnon limped off with yet another Colorado injury.Bottom line: This series had its moments, and it certainly wasn’t the worst of the postseason. But in terms of meeting expectations, nothing fell short quite like this one.11. Hurricanes over Canadiens in five (conference final)Expectations: The unstoppable force of a young team with destiny on its side vs. the immovable object of a veteran team with a perfect record but tons of emotional baggage.What we got: A five-game series with two overtimes that was somehow the most lopsided matchup of the entire postseason.Overtimes: Games 2 and 3, both Hurricanes wins.Most memorable moment: Andrei Svechnikov’s Game 3 OT winner to end a game where Carolina outshot Montreal 39 to 13. As it turns out, that was the last time in the series that the Habs would feel like they had any sort of chance.Bottom line: Does the NHL have a conference final problem? Gary Bettman loves to defend his playoff format by arguing that it artificially enhances the first round. He doesn’t say the “artificially” part out loud, but it’s implied; there are only so many top-tier matchups to go around, after all, so if we’re intentionally frontloading them into the first round, then that’s going to come at a cost down the line.Not counting the 2020-2021 season, where COVID forced everything to be done differently, Bettman’s preferred format hasn’t served up a Game 7 in the conference final since 2018, while there have been four sweeps and five five-gamers in that time. Then again, that’s a smallish sample size and there were some true bangers in the years right before, so the jury is still out. It’s worth wondering about, though.