Stanley Pup’s Best Dog Puns Bring the Bark and the Laughs

The 2026 Stanley Pup is back, and the dog names are once again doing a lot of the heavy lifting. ESPN is ranking the best puns and names, which means the competition is as much about creativity as it is about cuteness. These lists always sound silly until you realize hockey people will argue about anything with a bracket next to it. The fun here is in the details, because the right pun can be almost as satisfying as a perfectly timed chirp.