2026 NHL Playoff Bracket: How does it work?

The 2025-2026 NHL playoff bracket will set after the regular season on April 15, 2026. The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs probably begin on Saturday, April 18, and end with the 2026 Stanley Cup finals will be held on Monday, June 2, 2026.

The 32 teams are playing in the league divided into two conferences of 16 teams and four divisions of 4 teams. Each division’s top three teams make the playoffs automatically. For each conference, two additional teams also qualify for the playoffs selected by the highest overall records out of the remaining teams. These teams will play in the wild-card round. Only 8 teams from each conference can clinch the playoffs and the rest will be eliminated from the postseason rounds.

2026 NHL Playoff Bracket and Seeds:

Eastern Conference:

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
  • 8.

Seeds

  • A-1 vs WC-1
  • A-2 vs A-3
  • M-1 vs WC-2
  • M-2 vs M-3

Western Conference:

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
  • 8.

Seeds

  • C-1 vs WC-2
  • C-2 vs C-3
  • P-1 vs WC-1
  • P-2 vs P-3

2026 Stanley Cup Finals Schedule:

The schedule has not been set yet.

How Does the NHL Playoff Format Work?

Each year, 16 teams qualify for the NHL Playoffs — 8 from each conference (Eastern and Western). The playoff structure is based on the league’s four divisions: Metropolitan and Atlantic in the East, and Central and Pacific in the West.

This means the top four teams from both the Metropolitan and Atlantic divisions qualify for the Eastern Conference Playoffs, while the top four teams from the Central and Pacific divisions advance to the Western Conference Playoffs.

How Do the NHL Playoff Games Work?

The playoffs begin with the First Round, featuring a best-of-seven series. In each conference:

  • The No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed, and
  • The No. 2 seed faces the No. 3 seed in the same division.

Winners from those matchups move on to the Second Round (Division Finals). The two division winners then meet in the Conference Finals, and the Eastern and Western champions advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Each series follows a best-of-seven format, meaning a team must win four games to advance. The home-ice advantage follows a 2-2-1-1-1 format — the higher-seeded team hosts the first two games, the next two are played away, then teams alternate for the final three if necessary.

When are the Stanley Cup Finals 2026?

The Eastern Conference Champion and the Western Conference Champion will play in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals in June.