The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs officially begin on Saturday, April 18, 2026. Following the conclusion of the regular season on April 16, all 16 teams are locked in, with the Colorado Avalanche (Presidents’ Trophy winners) and Carolina Hurricanes entering as the top seeds in their respective conferences. The first round features the postseason debut of the Utah Mammoth and the Buffalo Sabres’ first playoff appearance since 2011, while the defending champion Florida Panthers officially missed the field. We have the printable 2026 NHL Playoff bracket, schedules, and more for you.
Last Updated: April 17, 2026
2026 NHL Playoff Bracket
Teams listed with an (x) have officially clinched a playoff spot.
Here’s the 2026 NHL Playoff Seeding.
| Conference | Division Leaders | Division 2nd/3rd | Wild Cards |
| Eastern | (A1) Buffalo Sabres (M1) Carolina Hurricanes | (A2) Tampa Bay / (A3) Montreal (M2) Pittsburgh / (M3) Philadelphia | (WC1) Boston Bruins (WC2) Ottawa Senators |
| Western | (C1) Colorado Avalanche (P1) Vegas Golden Knights | (C2) Dallas Stars / (C3) Minnesota Wild (P2) Edmonton Oilers / (P3) Anaheim Ducks | (WC1) Utah Mammoth (WC2) Los Angeles Kings |
2026 NHL First Round Matchups
Eastern Conference Matchups
- A1: Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1: Boston Bruins
- A2: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3: Montreal Canadiens
- M1: Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2: Ottawa Senators
- M2: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3: Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference Matchups
- C1: Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2: Los Angeles Kings
- C2: Dallas Stars vs. C3: Minnesota Wild
- P1: Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1: Utah Mammoth
- P2: Edmonton Oilers vs. P3: Anaheim Ducks
2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Format & Key Dates
The NHL utilizes a divisional-based bracket system where the top three teams from each of the four divisions qualify automatically, along with two “Wild Card” teams from each conference.
📅 2026 NHL Postseason Key Dates
- Regular Season Ends: Thursday, April 16, 2026
- Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin: Saturday, April 18, 2026
- NHL Trade Deadline: March 6, 2026 (Completed)
- Conference Finals: Late May 2026
- Stanley Cup Finals Start: Early June 2026
- Last Possible Date for Finals: Late June 2026
When do the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Start?
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs start up on or around April 19th, 2026 with the first round of play. We’ll likely see a lot of movement right up to the end of the 2025-26 NHL regular season for the 2026 NHL Playoff picture. They always start a few weeks after college basketball fans finish up with March Madness. The opening round of play will go through May 3rd, 2026. The Stanley Cup Finals will start on or around June 9th, 2026, and go until a team wins four games. The start date of the playoffs can change a big based on when the league decides to start up the postseason fun for us. You can look at the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff bracket as well to get a feel for 2026. We also have the blank, printable 2026 NHL Playoff bracket up here for you.
2026 NHL Playoff Schedule
There are four rounds of play in the 2026 NHL Playoff schedule. If you want to see which teams won (and came in second) for the Stanley Cup winners list, we have that posted up for you. Here’s the 2026 NHL Playoff schedule.
| Round | Expected Dates | Notes |
| First Round | April 18–May 3, 2026 (start window April 18-25) | Best-of-7; higher seed hosts Games 1,2,5,7 |
| Second Round (Division Finals) | Early-mid May 2026 | Winners advance within divisions |
| Conference Finals | Late May 2026 | Eastern vs. Western champs decided |
| Stanley Cup Finals | Early June 2026 (Game 1 ~June 3-9; Game 7 possible ~June 23) | ABC/ESPN broadcast; potential venue TBD |
Series Schedule & TV Broadcasts
The NHL will release the full national television schedule (ESPN, TNT, TBS) as soon as the late-night West Coast games conclude. Early indications suggest the Stars vs. Wild and Sabres vs. Bruins will be the headline games for the Saturday afternoon broadcast windows.
When do the Stanley Cup Finals 2026 Take Place?
The 2026 Stanley Cup Finals start on or around June 9th, 2026. If the series goes to a game seven, the last possible date for a game is June 23rd, 2026.
When is the 2026 NHL Olympic Break?
The 2026 NHL Olympic Break is: Feb. 6-24, 2026. There are no games in this timeframe, and there is no All Star game this season.
What is the 2026 NHL Playoff TV Schedule?
The 2026 NHL Playoff TV schedule varies depending on if you live in the U.S. or Canada. We’ll get specific game assignments closer to the playoffs starting from the NHL and TV networks. We have confirmation that we will get games on TNT, TBS, TruTV, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, Hulu, and ESPN+ for the American fans. For those who live in Canada, the games will be shown on CBC and Sportsnet. We also may see additional streaming options put into place before we hit the postseason.
🏒 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Format
- The NHL continues with the 16-team playoff format (8 per conference):
- Divisional Seeds: The top three teams from each of the four divisions (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, Pacific) qualify automatically.
- Wild Cards: The remaining two spots in each conference are awarded to the teams with the next highest point totals, regardless of division.
- The Bracket: The #1 seed with the most points in the conference plays the #2 Wild Card; the other division winner plays the #1 Wild Card.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – First Round
Eastern Conference Series
Buffalo Sabres (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (WC1)
- Game 1: Sun, April 19, 7:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 2: Tue, April 21, 7:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Thu, April 23, 7:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 4: Sun, April 26, 2:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 5:* Tue, April 28 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Fri, May 1 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sun, May 3 (TBD)
Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC2)
- Game 1: Sat, April 18, 3:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 2: Mon, April 20, 7:30 PM (ESPN2)
- Game 3: Thu, April 23, 7:30 PM (TBS)
- Game 4: Sat, April 25, 3:00 PM (TBS)
- Game 5:* Mon, April 27 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Thu, April 30 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sat, May 2 (TBD)
Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (A3)
- Game 1: Sun, April 19, 5:45 PM (TNT)
- Game 2: Tue, April 21, 7:00 PM (ESPN2)
- Game 3: Fri, April 24, 7:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 4: Sun, April 26, 7:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 5:* Wed, April 29 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Fri, May 1 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sun, May 3 (TBD)
Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3)
- Game 1: Sat, April 18, 8:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 2: Mon, April 20, 7:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Wed, April 22, 7:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 4: Sat, April 25, 8:00 PM (TBS)
- Game 5:* Mon, April 27 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Wed, April 29 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sat, May 2 (TBD)
Western Conference Series
Colorado Avalanche (C1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC2)
- Game 1: Sun, April 19, 3:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 2: Tue, April 21, 10:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Thu, April 23, 10:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 4: Sun, April 26, 4:30 PM (TNT)
- Game 5:* Wed, April 29 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Fri, May 1 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sun, May 3 (TBD)
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3)
- Game 1: Sat, April 18, 5:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 2: Mon, April 20, 9:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Wed, April 22, 9:30 PM (TNT)
- Game 4: Sat, April 25, 5:30 PM (TBS)
- Game 5:* Tue, April 28 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Thu, April 30 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sat, May 2 (TBD)
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Utah Mammoth (WC1)
- Game 1: Sun, April 19, 10:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 2: Tue, April 21, 8:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Fri, April 24, 8:30 PM (TNT)
- Game 4: Mon, April 27, 10:00 PM (TNT)
- Game 5:* Wed, April 29 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Fri, May 1 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sun, May 3 (TBD)
Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Anaheim Ducks (P3)
- Game 1: Mon, April 20, 10:00 PM (ESPN2)
- Game 2: Wed, April 22, 10:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 3: Fri, April 24, 10:00 PM (ESPN)
- Game 4: Sun, April 26, 8:30 PM (ESPN)
- Game 5:* Tue, April 28 (TBD)
- Game 6:* Thu, April 30 (TBD)
- Game 7:* Sat, May 2 (TBD)
*If Necessary
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Second Round
| MATCHUP | DATE | TIME (ET) | TV |
| Winner of 1-8 vs. Winner of 4-5. | May 5- TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Winner of 2-7 vs. Winner of 3-6. | May 5 – TBD | TBD | TBD |
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Conference Finals
| MATCHUP | DATE | TIME (ET) | TV |
| Winner of 1-4-5-8 vs. Winner of 2-3-6-7. | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Stanley Cup Finals Schedule – 2026
| MATCHUP | DATE | TIME (ET) | TV |
| Game 1 | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 2 | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 3 | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 4 | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 5* | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 6* | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 7* | June TBD – 23 | TBD | TBD |
Printable 2026 NHL Playoff Bracket
Key Storylines for the 2026 Playoffs
- Mammoth History: The Utah Mammoth have qualified for the postseason in just their second year of existence, becoming one of the fastest expansion teams (non-original 6) to reach the playoffs.
- Sabres Drought Ends: Buffalo fans can finally celebrate as the Sabres end their 14-year postseason drought, the longest in NHL history.
- No Repeat Champions: The Florida Panthers, who hoisted the Cup in 2025, were officially eliminated from contention in the final week of the regular season, ensuring a new champion in 2026.
- Battle of Pennsylvania: The Penguins and Flyers meet in the postseason for the first time since 2018, renewing one of the most intense rivalries in sports.
2026 Stanly Cup Playoffs FAQ Section
Who clinched an NHL playoff spot last night? The Minnesota Wild officially clinched their spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 2, 2026.
When do the 2026 NHL Playoffs start? The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is set to begin on April 20, 2026.
Is Tampa Bay in first place? Yes, as of April 3, the Tampa Bay Lightning have moved into 1st place in the Atlantic Division, leapfrogging the Florida Panthers.
Where can I watch the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals? National broadcasts will be split between ESPN/ABC and TNT Sports. Local regional sports networks (RSNs) will carry the majority of first-round games.
Interactive Playoff Coverage
Ready to make your predictions? Head over to the Interactive NHL Bracket Maker to fill out your 2026 bracket. We have pre-filled all 16 teams so you can start picking your series winners all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
