2024 NHL Playoff Picture: Updated Playoff Bracket for 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 2024 NHL Playoff picture is taking shape. The updated playoff bracket for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs is below. We also have the current NHL standings so you can see where the teams stand as we get to the end of the season. The 2024 NHL Playoffs start on April 20th. They continue until the Stanley Cup Finals that kick off on June 3, 2024 (estimate). We’ll have updates on the final matchups, seeds, brackets and Stanley Cup Playoff schedules for you after game play concludes on April 18th

How Many Teams Make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024?

There will be16 teams in the 2024 NHL playoffs. Eight from each conference make it. The top three teams in the division (each one) make it. They also pick the top two teams from either division as Wild Cards. 

How do Seeds get assigned in the Stanley Cup Playoff? 

The best team in each conference gets to play the worst team (Wild Card) in each conference in the NHL. The other division winner gets the better placed wild card team. The “better” team is determined by which team has the most points over the regular season. The NHL does not reseed teams like the NFL does in the playoffs. You can check out the remaining NHL regular season schedule here.

How Long Do the Stanley Cup Playoffs Last? 

They run approximately the same length of time as the NBA playoffs. From mid-April to mid-end of June. There are four rounds of play. First round, Second, Conference Finals, and the Stanley Cup Final. Each round is a best-of-seven, single elimination contest for the loser of the series. 

Who has clinched an NHL playoff berth?

All of the teams are now set that will be in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. We have them laid out for you in the current playoff picture below.

2024 NHL Playoff Picture Updated April 18th

The NHL Playoff picture can change a good bit based on the day. If the postseason started right now, here’s what the Western Conference matchups and brackets would look like. We also have a printable NHL Playoff bracket for 2024 up here that is blank. We’ll have the updated NHL playoff bracket and schedule for you after game play tonight (4/18).

The bracket is available for you to follow the action and make projections until it’s time for the complete brackets to come out. The overall Stanley Cup playoff schedule is up here too. The playoff picture is updated as of April 18th.

All 16 teams are now set for the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. We have a few seeds left in the Western Conference that can shift around, so we’ll update you more tonight along with an updated printable NHL playoff bracket. 

2024 NHL Playoff Picture

NHL Eastern Conference bracket

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

A2 Boston Bruins vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs

M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals

M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New York Islanders

NHL Western Conference bracket

C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC2 Vegas Golden Knights

C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC1 Nashville Predators

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings*

2024 Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule

Here is the updated 2024 NHL Playoff schedule for the opening round of games. 

Complete 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff TV Schedule – First Round

Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule

Florida Panthers (1A) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)

Game 1: Lightning at Panthers — Sunday 12:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, TVAS, BSSUN, BSFL)

Game 2: Lightning at Panthers — April 23, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, SN360, TVAS)

Game 3: Panthers at Lightning — April 25, 7 p.m. ET (TBS, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 4: Panthers at Lightning — April 27, 5 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, TVAS, SNE, SNW, SNP)

Game 5: Lightning at Panthers — April 29, TBD

Game 6: Panthers at Lightning — May 1, TBD

Game 7: Lightning at Panthers — May 4, TBD

Boston Bruins (2A) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (3A)

Game 1: Maple Leafs at Bruins — Saturday 8 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS, CBC)

Game 2: Maple Leafs at Bruins — April 22, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS)

Game 3: Bruins at Maple Leafs — April 24, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC)

Game 4: Bruins at Maple Leafs — April 27, 8 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS, CBC)

Game 5: Maple Leafs at Bruins — April 30, TBD

Game 6: Bruins at Maple Leafs — May 2, TBD

Game 7: Maple Leafs at Bruins — May 4, TBD

New York Rangers (1M) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)

Game 1: Capitals at Rangers — Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, TVAS, MSG, MNMT)

Game 2: Capitals at Rangers — April 23, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW)

Game 3: Rangers at Capitals — April 26, 7 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN360, TVAS)

Game 4: Rangers at Capitals — April 28, 8 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN360, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP)

Game 5: Capitals at Rangers — May 1, TBD

Game 6: Rangers at Capitals — May 3, TBD

Game 7: Capitals at Rangers — May 5, TBD

Carolina Hurricanes (2M) vs. New York Islanders (3M)

Game 1: Islanders at Hurricanes — Saturday, 5 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN360, TVAS, MSGSN, BSSO, SNW, SNE, SNP)

Game 2: Islanders at Hurricanes — April 22, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, SN360, TVAS)

Game 3: Hurricanes at Islanders — April 25, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, SN360, TVAS)

Game 4: Hurricanes at Islanders — April 27, 2 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 5: Islanders at Hurricanes — April 30, TBD

Game 6: Hurricanes at Islanders — May 2, TBD

Game 7: Islanders at Hurricanes — May 4, TBD

Western Conference Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule

Dallas Stars (1C) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)

Game 1: Golden Knights at Stars — April 22, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN360, TVAS, FX)

Game 2: Golden Knights at Stars — April 24, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN360, TVAS)

Game 3: Stars at Golden Knights — April 27, 10:30 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, SN360, TVAS)

Game 4: Stars at Golden Knights — April 29, TBD

Game 5: Golden Knights at Stars — May 1, TBD

Game 6: Stars at Golden Knights — May 3, TBD

Game 7: Golden Knights at Stars — May 5, TBD

Winnipeg Jets (2C) vs. Colorado Avalanche (3C)

Game 1: Avalanche at Jets — Sunday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2, SN, TVAS)

Game 2: Avalanche at Jets — April 23, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN, CBC, TVAS)

Game 3: Jets at Avalanche — April 26, 10 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, CBC, TVAS)

Game 4: Jets at Avalanche — April 28, 2:30 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 5: Avalanche at Jets — April 30, TBD

Game 6: Jets at Avalanche — May 2, TBD

Game 7: Avalanche at Jets — May 4, TBD

Vancouver Canucks (1P) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)

Game 1: Predators at Canucks — Sunday, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN, SN, SN360, TVAS)

Game 2: Predators at Canucks — April 23, 10 p.m. ET ( ESPN2, SN, TVAS)

Game 3: Canucks at Predators — April 26, 7:30 p.m. ET (TBS, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 4: Canucks at Predators — April 28, 5 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 5: Predators at Canucks — April 30, TBD

Game 6: Canucks at Predators — May 3, TBD

Game 7: Predators at Canucks — May 5, TBD

Edmonton Oilers (2P) vs. Los Angeles Kings (3P)

Game 1: Kings at Oilers — April 22, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2, SN, CBC, TVAS)

Game 2: Kings at Oilers — April 24, 10 p.m. ET (TBS, MAX, SN, TVAS, CBC)

Game 3: Oilers at Kings — April 26, 10:30 p.m. ET (TBS, MAX, SN, TVAS)

Game 4: Oilers at Kings — April 28, 10:30 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, SN1, TVAS)

Game 5: Kings at Oilers — May 1, TBD

Game 6: Oilers at Kings — May 3, TBD

Game 7: Kings at Oilers — May 5, TBD