2026 NHL Playoff Schedule
The 2025-2026 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs tournament will kickoff on April 18, 2026, and ends after the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket will set between 16-teams in two conferences.
When do NHL playoffs start 2026?
The 2026 NHL Playoffs are expected to begin on Saturday, April 18, 2026, following the end of the regular season on Thursday, April 16.
How many teams qualify for NHL playoffs
The 2026 NHL Playoff will feature 16 teams of the 32 league teams, divided between the Eastern and Western Conferences.
What is the NHL Playoff format?
NHL Playoff Format: Four rounds, best-of-seven series, 2-2-1-1-1 home/away schedule. Win four games to advance.
Where to Find the 2026 NHL Playoff Schedule?
The best place to get the complete 2026 NHL playoff schedule is nhlplayoff.com. It provides up-to-date brackets, matchups, dates, and times all in one place, making it easy to follow every game without searching multiple sources.
Which NHL teams have been eliminated from the playoffs?
To see which NHL teams have been eliminated or clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern and Western Conferences, visit our standings post: “Which NHL Teams Have Clinched or Been Eliminated from the Playoffs” for the latest updates and complete details.
When do the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals start?
The 2026 Stanley Cup Finals are expected to begin on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, following the conclusion of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals in May.
Eastern Conference Playoff Schedule
| Round | Matchup | Series | Series Type |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Second Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Second Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Eastern Conference Final | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
Western Conference Playoff Schedule
| Round | Matchup | Series | Series Type |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| First Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Second Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Second Round | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
| Western Conference Final | TBA vs TBA | 0–0 | Best-of-7 |
2026 Stanley Cup Finals Schedule: Best-of-7 Series
| Date | Games | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
| Wed, June 3 | 1 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Fri, June 5 | 2 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Mon, June 8 | 3 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Thu, June 11 | 4 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Sat, June 13 | 5 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Tue, June 16 | 6 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
| Fri, June 19 | 7 | TBD | TBD | TNT |
Who is the defending champion of the 2026 Stanley Cup finals?
Florida Panthers wins the 2025 Stanley Cup finals over the Edmonton Oilers by a 4-3 serie
When is the 4 Nations Face-Off 2026 taking place?
The United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland featured 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb 11-19, 2026. Total of seven games played in Montreal and Boston. Team Canada won the final championship 3-2 over the USA in 2025.
2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are on what TV channel?
According to the broadcast rights, ESPN and Turner Sports show NHL games live in the U.S. Canadian fans can stream NHL’s Out-of-market games on Sportsnet Now Premium and the entire season exclusively on the Sportsnet media network, but a deal with Sportsnet that Saturday Hockey Night in Canada will air on CBC Television.
How NHL playoffs format does work?
In each conference, 8 teams qualify for the playoffs. The first, second, and third rank teams are automatically selected for the playoffs. The two highest records of additional teams will be played in the wild cards. The most points-taking team will earn the home-field advantage from each conference in the playoffs. Each round will be the best-of-seven series that needs 4 wins.
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Please Note: All the NHL game schedules you see here are subject to change.