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.
NHL Playoff Bracket
In the Eastern Conference, the Florida Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round (4–1) and then upset the top-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games (4–3). The Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils (4–1) and the Washington Capitals (4–1) to reach the conference final. In the Eastern Conference Final, the Panthers defeated the Hurricanes in a tight seven-game series (4–3), as per the NHL.
In the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets narrowly beat the St. Louis Blues in the first round (4–3) but lost to the Dallas Stars (4–2) in the second round. The Stars had earlier defeated the Colorado Avalanche in seven games (4–3). The Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings (4–2) and then the Vegas Golden Knights (4–1) to advance. In the Western Conference Final, the Oilers and Stars began their series on May 22 (via NHL).
The Stanley Cup Final will feature the winners of the Panthers vs. Hurricanes and Stars vs. Oilers series.
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 seventh and eighth, 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, as per the NHL's official 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, as per the official website.
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.
