2024 NHL Playoff Bracket: How does it work?

The 2023-2024 NHL playoff bracket is set for the postseason games. The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Monday, April 22, and end with the 2024 Stanley Cup finals will be held on Monday, June 3, 2024.

There are 32 teams 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 of them will eliminate from the postseason rounds.

2024 NHL Playoff Bracket and Seeds:

Eastern Conference

A-1: Florida Panthers vs WC-1: Tampa Bay Lightning
A-2: Boston Bruins vs A-3: Toronto Maple Leafs
M-1: New York Islanders vs WC-2: Washington Capitals
M-2: Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders

Western Conference

C-1: Dallas Stars vs WC-2: Nashville Predators
C-2: Winnipeg Jets vs C-3: Colorado Avalanche
P-1: Vancouver Canucks vs WC-1: Vegas Golden Knights
P-2: Edmonton Oilers vs P-3: Los Angeles Kings

2024 NHL Playoff Schedule:

Eastern Conference second round

Sunday, May 12: Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins – 6:30 PM ET (CBC, TNT)
Tuesday, May 14: Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins – 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)

Saturday, May 11: New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes – 7:00 PM (CBC, TNT)
Monday, May 13: Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Rangers – 7:00 PM (CBC, ESPN)

Western Conference second round

Saturday, May 11: Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche – 10:00 PM ET (SN, TNT)
Saturday, May 13: Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche – TND (ESPN)

Sunday, May 12: Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers – 9:30 PM ET (TNT)
Tuesday, May 14: Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers – 9:30 PM ET (CBS, ESP)

How NHL Playoffs format does work?

We know that there are 8 teams from each conference, a total of 16 teams that will make the playoffs each year, while it actually depends on two divisions Metropolitan, and Atlantic in the East and two divisions Central, and Pacific in the West.

That means, 8 team teams from each conference will come up from two divisions. The top 4 teams from the Metropolitan and the top 4 teams from the Atlantic divisions will make the playoff in the Eastern Conference. On the other hand, the top 4 teams from the Central and the top 4 teams from the Pacific divisions will make the playoff in the Western Conference.

How the game plan does work in the playoffs?

In the Round 1 best four winners of the 7-game series, the No.1 seeded team in both Conferences will play against the 4th seeded team, and the 2nd seeded team will face the 3rd seed in the same division.

In the first round’s playoffs, the division winners between, 1 vs. 4, and 2 vs. 3 will make the second round in both conferences. Then the winners will play in the conference finals and two conference champions will meet up in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The matchups between the two teams will play for the best of seven series where must need to win four games. In this series of both East and West conferences, the 2-2-1-1-1 format will work, where the top-seeded team will earn the home first two games, then two away, back to home, and the last one at home.

2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule format does work by seed?

Eastern Conference Championship Schedule

No. 1 seed vs No. 4

Western Conference Championship Schedule

No. 1 seed vs No. 2

Eastern Round 2 Matchups and Results

No. 4 vs No. 2
No. 1 vs No. 2

Western Round 2 Matchups and Results

No. 2 vs No. 4
No. 2 vs No. 1

Eastern Round 1 Matchups and Results

No. 1 vs No. 4
No. 2 vs No. 3
No. 1 vs No. 4
No. 2 vs No. 3

Western Round 1 Matchups and Results

No. 1 vs No. 4
No. 2 vs No. 3
No. 1 vs No. 4
No. 2 vs No. 3

When are the Stanley Cup Finals 2024?

The Eastern Conference Champion and the Western Conference Champion will play in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals from June 3 to June 24.