The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on April 19, 2025, and will end by June 23, 2025. This tournament follows the 2024–25 NHL regular season.
The Winnipeg Jets qualified as Presidents' Trophy winners with the best regular-season record. It's the first time a Canadian team has done this since the 2011–12 Vancouver Canucks. The Toronto Maple Leafs now have the NHL's longest active playoff streak at nine years. The Boston Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, ending their eight-year streak. The Ottawa Senators made the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
NHL Playoff Tournament Bracket
The NHL playoff bracket has 16 teams—eight from each conference, including two wild cards. Each round is a best-of-seven series. The higher-seeded team hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 (if needed), while the lower-seeded team hosts Games 3, 4, and 6, following a 2-2-1-1-1 format.
Division winners face wild-card teams in the first round. Second- and third-place teams in each division also face each other. Higher seeds get home-ice advantage in the first two rounds. In the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final, home ice goes to the team with the better regular-season record. (via the official NHL website)
How does the NHL Playoff Bracket work?
The NHL playoff bracket includes 16 teams: the top three from each division and two wild cards per conference. Wild cards are always ranked 7th and 8th, regardless of points. In the first round, the highest-seeded division winner faces the lower wild card, while the other division winner faces the higher wild card.
Second- and third-place teams in each division play each other. Winners advance through the second round, then to the Conference Finals. The Eastern and Western Conference champions meet in the Stanley Cup Final, a best-of-seven series. The team with the better regular-season record gets home-ice advantage. The first team to win four games wins the Cup. (via the official NHL website)
Read More: NHL Playoff Rules
What is the NHL Playoff Bracket Pool?
The NHL Playoff Bracket Pool is a contest where participants predict the winner of each playoff series, as per Run Your Pool. For every series, they also guess how many games it will take (4, 5, 6, or 7). Points are given for correct picks, with bonus points for guessing the exact series length. Points usually increase in later rounds. The participant with the most total points at the end of the playoffs wins the pool.
Read More: NHL Playoff Tickets
FAQ's On NHL Playoff
A. The NHL playoffs will start on 19th April and last till mid-June.
A. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record with 25 championships.
A. The first NHL season took place in 1917–18.
A. Sixteen teams qualify for the NHL Playoffs.
A. The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in the 2023–24 season.
