2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin on April 18, 2026, marking the start of the NHL’s championship race. A total of 16 teams-eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference-will compete in a bracket-style tournament. The playoffs will continue through four rounds, ending with the Stanley Cup Final, where the last two teams battle for hockey’s ultimate prize.
When do the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start in 2026?
- The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup 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 the NHL playoffs
- The 2026 NHL Playoffs will feature 16 teams from the league’s 32 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.
How does the NHL playoff format work?
- In each conference, 8 teams qualify for the playoffs. The first, second, and third-ranked teams are automatically selected for the playoffs. The two highest records of additional teams will be played in the wild cards. The team with the most points will earn the home-field advantage in each conference in the playoffs. Each round will be a best-of-seven series that needs 4 wins.
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.
What is the tie-breaker for standings?
- In the NHL, playoff seeding ties are broken using a set order. The first tie-breaker is regulation wins (RW). If teams are still tied, it moves to regulation + overtime wins (ROW), then total wins, head-to-head record, goal differential, and finally total goals scored.
What is the home-ice advantage rule?
- During the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the higher-seeded team gets home-ice advantage. In the Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final, home ice goes to the team with the better regular-season record, regardless of seeding.
Are there overtime rules?
- Yes. Playoff games cannot end in a tie. Teams play 20-minute overtime periods at full strength (5-on-5), and it’s sudden death-the first team to score wins the game instantly.
Can you bet on the playoffs?
- Yes. In the United States, fans can legally bet on the Stanley Cup Playoffs through licensed platforms. Markets include game results, series winners, and awards, with growing partnerships between the NHL and regulated prediction platforms.
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 Finals Schedule
Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens (CAR wins series 4-1)
| Game | Matchup | Date/Time | TV |
| 1 | MTL 6, CAR 2 | Thu, May 21, 8:00 PM | TNT |
| 2 | CAR 3, MTL 2 (OT) | Sat, May 23, 7:00 PM | TNT |
| 3 | CAR 3, MTL 2 (OT) | Mon, May 25, 8:00 PM | TNT |
| 4 | CAR 4, MTL 0 | Wed, May 27, 8:00 PM | TNT |
| 5 | CAR 6, MTL 1 | Fri, May 29, 8:00 PM | TNT |
| 6 | CAR @ MTL | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | MTL @ CAR | TBD | TBD |
Western Conference Finals Schedule
Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights (VGK wins series 4-0)
| Game | Matchup | Date/Time | TV |
| 1 | VGK 4, COL 2 | Wed, May 20, 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| 2 | VGK 3, COL 1 | Fri, May 22, 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| 3 | VGK 5, COL 3 | Sun, May 24, 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| 4 | VGK 2, COL 1 | Tue, May 26, 9:00 PM | ESPN |
| 5 | VGK @ COL | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | COL @ VGK | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | VGK @ COL | TBD | TBD |
2026 Stanley Cup Finals – CAR vs VGK (Series tied 2-2)
| Game | Matchup | Date/Time | TV Channel |
| 1 | VGK 5, CAR 4 | Wed, June 2, 8:00 PM | abc |
| 2 | CAR 4, VGK 3 (OT) | Fri, June 4, 8:00 PM | abc |
| 3 | VGK 5, CAR 4 (2OT) | Mon, June 6, 8:00 PM | abc |
| 4 | CAR 5, VGK 3 | Thu, June 9, 8:00 PM | abc |
| 5 | VGK @ CAR | Sat, June 11, 8:00 PM | TBD |
| 6 | CAR @ VGK | Tue, June 15 | TBD |
| 7 | VGK @ CAR | Fri, June 18 | TBD |
Who is the defending champion of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals?
- The Florida Panthers win the 2025 Stanley Cup finals over the Edmonton Oilers by a 4-3 series.
When is the 4 Nations Face-Off 2026 taking place?
- The United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland featured the 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb 11-19, 2026. A total of seven games were 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.
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Please note: All the NHL game schedules you see here are subject to change.