The end of the 2025-2026 NHL regular season is approaching, but worry not, fans, playoff hockey rises above all other sports, so some of the most exciting action of the entire year is almost upon us. 

Sixteen teams, eight from each conference, will make the playoff field. The final games of the regular season are scheduled for Thursday, April 16, with the first-round playoff matchups set to begin the following weekend. The Stanley Cup Finals will be held in June, giving us almost two months of playoff hockey. 

The Florida Panthers won the 2025 Stanley Cup, the franchise’s second consecutive trophy. Ironically, they played the Edmonton Oilers both years. With two weeks left in the regular season, the Panthers are sitting outside of the playoff picture, suggesting there will likely be a new champion crowned in 2026. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. 

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NHL playoff bracket 2026

Bracket as of results on April 2

Eastern Conference

(A1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins

(A2) Buffalo Sabres vs. (A3) Montreal Canadiens

(M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Ottawa Senators

(M2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (M3) New York Islanders

Western Conference

(C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) San Jose Sharks

(C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Minnesota Wild

(P1) Anaheim Ducks vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth

(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Vegas Golden Knights

NHL standings 2026

The tables below will be updated with the latest NHL standings on a daily basis until the playoffs begin (current through April 2). 

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Lightning7547-22-61002Sabres7646-22-61003Canadiens7544-21-1098

Metropolitan Division

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Hurricanes – X7548-21-61022Penguins7638-22-16923Islanders7642-29-589

Wild Card

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Bruins7643-25-8942Senators7539-26-1088 Red Wings7540-27-888 Blue Jackets7638-26-1288 Flyers7537-26-1286 Capitals7638-29-985 Devils7539-34-280 Panthers7537-35-377 Maple Leafs7632-31-1377 Rangers – E7631-36-971

X = clinched playoff
E = eliminated

Western Conference

Central Division

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Avalanche -X7449-15-101082Stars – X7645-19-121023Wild – X7542-21-1296

Pacific Division

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Ducks7541-29-5872Oilers7639-28-9873Golden Knights7634-26-1684

Wild Card

SeedTeamGamesRecordPoints1Mammoth7539-30-6842Sharks7436-31-779 Predators7535-31-979 Kings7530-26-1979 Jets7532-31-1276 Kraken7432-31-1175 Blues7431-31-1274 Flames7531-36-870 Blackhawks – E7627-35-1468 Canucks – E7522-45-852

X = clinched playoff
E = eliminated

NHL clinching scenarios today

There are only two games on the slate for Friday, April 3. There are no playoff clinching scenarios between the matchups. 

When do the NHL playoffs start?Start date: Saturday, April 18

The first round of the NHL playoffs is expected to start on Saturday, April 18, two days after the culmination of the regular season. 

MORE: Golden Knights making shocking move to fire Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella

How will the 2026 NHL playoffs work?

Sixteen teams qualify for the NHL playoffs, eight from each conference. The top three teams in each division will get the top six seeds in their respective conference’s playoff bracket. The remaining two spots in each conference will be filled with the next two highest-placed finishers, regardless of division. So, theoretically, one division could send five teams to the playoffs while the other sends only three. 

In the first round, the division winner with the best record in each conference will face the worst wild-card team. Then, the teams that finished second and third in their division will face off. The winners from those games will play each other in the second round.

Those winners will duke it out in the conference finals, sending one representative to the Stanley Cup Finals from each conference. Each round of the playoffs is best-of-seven, so the first team to win four games will advance.Â