🏒 Stanley Cup Final: Vegas Lead 1-0 (Updated Thursday, June 4, 2026)
- 🏆 Series: the Vegas Golden Knights lead the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final 1-0 over the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Last result: Vegas 5, Carolina 4 in Game 1 (Tue, June 2 at Carolina), with Tomas Hertl scoring the go-ahead goal late in the third period.
- Next up: Game 2, Thursday, June 4 at Carolina, 8:00 PM ET on ABC (ESPN+, Sportsnet, CBC).
- Road here: Vegas swept Colorado 4-0 in the West; Carolina beat Montreal 4-1 in the East.
- Storyline: Carolina holds home ice but trails after dropping the opener at home, and a Game 2 loss would send the Hurricanes to Las Vegas down 2-0.
Print your free 2026 NHL playoff bracket below and follow every Stanley Cup Final game on the road to the Cup.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket is down to its final two teams. The Vegas Golden Knights, who swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche 4-0 in the Western Conference Final, meet the Carolina Hurricanes, who won the Eastern Conference Final 4-1 over the Montreal Canadiens. Game 1 is Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET in Raleigh, with Carolina holding home-ice advantage. Fill out the printable bracket below and follow every Stanley Cup Final game with our live-updated results.
Below is the live-updated tournament bracket breakdown, the complete television and streaming schedules for both Conference Finals matchups, and your fresh, ink-saver printable 2026 NHL Playoff Bracket PDF.
Last updated: May 24, 2026
How Many NHL Teams Earn a Berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff?
So, the NHL is sorta set up like the NBA Playoff Bracket with 16 teams earning postseason berths. There is no play-in game in the NHL playoff schedule. We also seed the teams based on points and not straight up W-L percentages, and so on. The three divisional winners in each conference and top two teams in each division earn playoff spots. Then, the top 2 remaining teams independent of division win the last two spots. In the bracket, the top 2 seeds take on the Wild Card teams too, so its setup is a tad different there as well. Does it all make sense?
What is the Format of the NHL Playoff Series?
Every series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a best of seven machup. The teams will rotate between locations based on the rotation in use. We can expect it to be similar if not the same as past postseasons with a HHAAHAH rotation. In this setup, H stands for the home team of the better team (or seed closer to the #1). The first team to win four games wins the series and moves on to the next round of play.
NHL Seed Determination for the Postseason
So, for the NHL Playoffs, the best team in each conference is the overall #1 seed. They play the lower ranked wild card team in the first round of the playoffs (WC2 on the bracket). The #2 ranked team plays the better wild card team (WC 1 on the bracket). Done the same in each conference. Then you see the remaining teams paired up by seed. We don’t reseed in the NHL playoffs anymore (has been a few years).
Finalized 2026 NHL Playoff Schedule Matchups
Eastern Conference
- (A1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins: The most anticipated series in Buffalo history as the Sabres return to the postseason for the first time since 2011.
- (A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Montreal Canadiens: A classic Atlantic Division showdown between two veteran playoff rosters.
- (M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Ottawa Senators: The top-seeded Canes look to avoid a first-round upset against a gritty Senators squad.
- (M2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (M3) Philadelphia Flyers: The “Battle of Pennsylvania” returns to the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
Western Conference
- (C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Los Angeles Kings: The Presidents’ Trophy winners begin their quest for another Cup against a veteran Kings team.
- (C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Minnesota Wild: A heavy-hitting Central Division rivalry that promises to be one of the most physical series of the round.
- (P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth: History in the making as the Mammoth play their first-ever playoff games in Salt Lake City.
- (P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Anaheim Ducks: McDavid and Draisaitl begin their run against an up-and-coming Ducks roster.
2026 NHL Playoff Bracket: Conference Finals Schedules & Results
Western Conference Final: (1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (1C) Colorado Avalanche – VEGAS WINS 4-0
Every matchup in the Western Conference Finals aired live across ESPN and ABC in the U.S., and CBC/Sportsnet/TVAS in Canada.
- Game 1: Vegas 4, Colorado 2
- Game 2: Vegas 3, Colorado 1
- Game 3: Vegas 5, Colorado 3 (Vegas erased a 3-goal deficit, Tomas Hertl with the go-ahead in the third)
- Game 4: Vegas 2, Colorado 1 (Mark Stone GWG, Cole Smith goal, Carter Hart 20 saves – May 26)
- Series Status: Vegas wins series 4-0 – third Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history.
Eastern Conference Final: (1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3A) Montreal Canadiens – CAROLINA WINS 4-1
Series: Carolina won the series 4-1, closing it out with a 6-1 win in Game 5 on May 29.
- Game 1 (Thu, May 21): Montreal 6, Carolina 2
- Game 2 (Sat, May 23): Carolina 3, Montreal 2 (OT)
- Game 3 (Mon, May 25): Carolina 3, Montreal 2 (OT)
- Game 4 (Wed, May 27): Carolina 4, Montreal 0
- Game 5 (Fri, May 29): Carolina 6, Montreal 1
- Series over, Carolina wins 4-1 and advances to the Stanley Cup Final.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Series Results
Eastern Conference
- (3A) Montreal Canadiens def. (1A) Buffalo Sabres (4-2)
- (1M) Carolina Hurricanes def. (3M) Philadelphia Flyers (4-0)
Western Conference
- (1C) Colorado Avalanche def. (3C) Minnesota Wild (4-1)
- (1P) Vegas Golden Knights def. (3P) Anaheim Ducks (4-2)
Printable 2026 NHL Playoff Bracket with Seeds
We have updated our signature bracket for the 2026 season with a focus on ink-saving design. This high-resolution PDF features:
- White-Background Design: Optimized for home and office printing.
- Pre-Filled First Round: All 16 teams are placed in their official seeds.
- Interactive Blanks: Clean boxes for the Second Round, Conference Finals, and Stanley Cup Final so you can track your winners.
You can look at the list of all of the Stanley Cup winners while you wait for the playoffs to get here too.
NHL Playoff Bracket Frequently Asked Questions
- When do the 2026 NHL Playoffs start? The first round of the postseason begins on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
- How many teams make the NHL Playoffs? 16 teams qualify-eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. This includes the top three teams from each of the four divisions plus two wild cards per conference.
- Does the NHL re-seed after the first round? No. The NHL uses a set bracket format. The winner of the 1 vs. Wild Card matchup plays the winner of the 2 vs. 3 matchup within their respective divisional bracket.
- What is the format for the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Every series is a best-of-seven using a 2-2-1-1-1 home-ice format. The team with the better regular-season record hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7.
- Who are the defending champions? The Florida Panthers won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025, but in a major upset, they did not qualify for the 2026 postseason.
- Q: Did any NHL team advance to the Conference Finals yet?
- A: Yes. The Carolina Hurricanes have advanced after sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0. They are currently awaiting the winner of the Sabres/Canadiens series.
- Q: Can the Minnesota Wild still win their series?
- A: The Wild currently trail the Avalanche 3-1. They must win tonight in Colorado to force a Game 6 back in Minnesota this Friday.
- Q: When is the next Vegas Golden Knights game?
- A: The Golden Knights head to Anaheim for Game 6 on Thursday, May 14, at 9:30 PM ET. Vegas leads the series 3-2 and can clinch with a win.
- Q: Which teams have advanced to the 2026 Conference Finals? A: The Carolina Hurricanes (East), Colorado Avalanche (West), and Vegas Golden Knights (West) have all locked in their spots in the final four. Only one spot remains open in the Eastern Conference.
- Q: When is the next Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens game? A: Game 6 is scheduled for tonight, Saturday, May 16, at 8:00 PM ET. The game will be broadcast coast-to-coast on ABC and is available to stream via ESPN+.
- Q: When do the Western Conference Finals start? A: Game 1 between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights will face off on Wednesday, May 20, at 8:00 PM ET in Denver, airing on ESPN.
Build Your Own: Interactive 2026 NHL Bracket Maker
Think you can predict the road to the Stanley Cup better than the experts? Use our Custom Bracket Maker to create your own personalized NHL postseason layout.
While our printable PDF is perfect for your office wall, the interactive tool allows you to:
- Simulate Upsets: Move wild cards like the Bruins or Senators deep into the rounds.
- Track Seeds: Instantly populate the 16-team field as the final regular-season games conclude.
- Share Your Picks: Export your custom bracket to share with friends or your digital community before the puck drops on Saturday.
NHL Playoff and Other Resources
