Cup Chase always the same 8 teams????

I first encountered Cup Chase in Season 3 of NHL '26 (most recent previous game I played was NHL '24 and just started playing this edition a couple weeks ago). And now with Season 4 having started, it seems I am in a Cup Chase with the exact same teams as I was in Season 3. Is this how it usually goes (same 8 teams as opponents throughout the entirety of the game lifespan)??