2026 NHL Playoff Schedule: Complete brackets, dates, times, TV channels, live streams on road to Stanley Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
Hockey fans, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially here. The 2026 version will probably be as good as ever, with the kickstand feeling as wide as any version in recent memory.
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Sixteen teams have the same pursuit: to win back the Lord Stanley Cup. Only one team can emerge victorious and etch their name in NHL history. Things changed dramatically this year, with the defending champion unable to compete for the first time in a decade as the Florida Panthers failed to advance after winning the title in 2025. That opens the door for the Colorado Avalanche, who enters the playoffs as Presidents’ Trophy winners, and the Vegas Golden Knights, who hope to recapture the magic of 2023 under the late-season guidance of John Tortorella.
Buy it now: Get your 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs tickets on StubHub
Storylines are everywhere. Connor McDavid is coming off another impressive 130-point season and is desperate to finally bring the trophy back to Edmonton. At the same time, a nostalgic “Battle of Pennsylvania” took place between the Penguins and Flyers in the Eastern Conference.
And, of course, there’s the Buffalo Sabers, who ended up making the playoffs as Atlantic Division champions, breaking the longest playoff drought in NHL history. After 14 years of watching, Lindy Ruff’s team has transformed from December basement dwellers to real threats capable of staying the course.
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From the Sabers’ breakthrough Atlantic Championship win to the Utah Mammoths’ playoff debut, the stage is set for a wild ride. Here is the complete schedule for every series in the 2026 NHL playoffs.
NHL playoff schedule, 2026 results
first round
Sabers vs. Bruins – Buffalo leads 3-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 19 |
Game one: Saber 4brown bear 3 |
— |
— |
|
April 21 |
Game 2: brown bear 4saber 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 23 |
Game 3: Saber 3brown bear 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 26 |
Game 4: Saber 6brown bear 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 28 |
Game 5: brown bear 2Sabers 1 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
May 1 |
Game 6: Sabers vs. Bruins |
7:30pm |
SN360, TVAS2 |
|
May 3 |
Game 7*: Bruins vs. Sabers |
To be determined |
To be determined |
*If necessary
Lightning vs. Canadiens – Montreal leads 3-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 19 |
Game one: canadian 4Lightning 3 (OT) |
— |
— |
|
April 21 |
Game 2: Lightning 3Canadiens 2 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
April 24 |
Game 3: canadian 3Lightning 2 (OT) |
— |
— |
|
April 26 |
Game 4: Lightning 3canadian 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 29 |
Game 5: canadian 3Lightning 2 |
— |
— |
|
May 1 |
Game 6: Lightning vs. Canadiens |
7pm |
SN, CBC, TVAS |
|
May 3 |
Game 7*: Canadiens vs. Lightning |
To be determined |
To be determined |
*If necessary
Hurricanes vs. Senators – Carolina wins 4-0
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 18 |
Game one: hurricane 2Senator 0 |
— |
— |
|
April 20 |
Game 2: hurricane 3Senator 2 (2 OT) |
— |
— |
|
April 23 |
Game 3: hurricane 2Senator 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 25 |
Game 4: hurricane 4Senator 2 |
— |
— |
Penguins vs. Flyers – Philadelphia won 4-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 18 |
Game one: Flyer 3Penguin 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 20 |
Game 2: Flyer 3Penguin 0 |
— |
— |
|
April 22 |
Game 3: Flyer 5Penguin 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 25 |
Game 4: Penguin 4Flyer 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 27 |
Game 5: Penguin 3Flyer 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 29 |
Game six: Flyer 1Penguins 0 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
May 2 |
Game 7*: Flyers at Penguins |
To be determined |
To be determined |
Avalanche vs. Kings – Colorado wins 4-0
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 19 |
Game one: Avalanche 2king 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 21 |
Game 2: Avalanche 2Kings 1 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
April 23 |
Game 3: Avalanche 4king 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 26 |
Game 4: Avalanche 5king 1 |
— |
— |
Stars vs. Wild – Minnesota leads 3-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 18 |
Game one: wild 6star 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 20 |
Game 2: stars 4wild 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 22 |
Game 3: stars 4Wild 3 (2 OT) |
— |
— |
|
April 25 |
Game 4: wild 3Star 2 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
April 28 |
Game 5: wild 4Star 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 30 |
Game 6: Wild Star |
7:30pm |
SNE, SN360, TVAS |
|
May 2 |
Game 7*: Wild Starry Sky |
To be determined |
To be determined |
*If necessary
Golden Knights vs. Mammoths – tied 2-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 19 |
Game one: golden knight 4Mammoth 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 21 |
Game 2: Mammoth 3golden knight 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 24 |
Game 3: Mammoth 4golden knight 2 |
— |
— |
|
April 27 |
Game 4: golden knight 5Mammoth 4 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
April 29 |
Game 5: Mammoths vs. Golden Knights |
10pm |
SN, CBC, TVAS |
|
May 1 |
Game 6: Golden Knights vs. Mammoths |
10pm |
SN, SN360, TVAS2 |
|
May 3 |
Game 7*: Mammoths vs. Golden Knights |
To be determined |
To be determined |
*If necessary
Oilers vs. Ducks – Anaheim leads 3-2
|
date |
game |
Time (Eastern Time) |
watch |
|
April 20 |
Game one: Oiler 4duck 3 |
— |
— |
|
April 22 |
Game 2: duck 6Oilers 4 |
— |
— |
|
April 24 |
Game 3: duck 7Oilers 4 |
— |
— |
|
April 26 |
Game 4: duck 4Oilers 3 (overtime) |
— |
— |
|
April 28 |
Game 5: Oiler 4duck 1 |
— |
— |
|
April 30 |
Game 6*: Oilers vs. Ducks |
10pm |
SN, SN360, CBC, TVAS |
|
May 2 |
Game 7*: Ducks vs. Oilers |
To be determined |
To be determined |
*If necessary
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Where to watch the 2026 NHL playoffs
-
TV channel: Sportsnet Channel, CBC (English) | TVA Sports (French)
The NHL playoffs will be broadcast on various Sportsnet channels, and some games will also be broadcast on CBC. TVA Sports will broadcast in French.
Fans can watch the game on Sportsnet+.
2026 NHL Playoff Brackets
Click here to view the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Brackets, which will be updated live following the series.
2026 NHL Playoff Brackets
serial number
How will the 2026 NHL playoffs play out?
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will adopt a divisional bracket format, with 16 teams (eight teams from each division) competing in a four-round best-of-seven series. The top three teams in each of the league’s four divisions automatically qualify, while the final four spots are awarded to the two wild-card teams in each conference with the most remaining points.
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In the first round, the division champion with the best record in the league will face the wild card with the fewest points, while the other division champion will receive the wild card with the higher total points. The remaining first-round series pits the second- and third-place teams from each division against each other.
Each series will be played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the higher-ranked team will host games 1, 2, 5 and 7. Home field advantage is determined by conference seeding in the first two rounds and goes to the team with the better regular season record in the conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals.
Postseason hockey also introduced 20 consecutive minutes of five-on-five overtime, with the first goal ending the game, as there are no penalty kicks in the playoffs.
How many teams make the NHL playoffs?
Sixteen teams entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs, eight of them from the Eastern and Western Conferences. That includes the top three teams in all four divisions — Atlantic, Mets, Pacific, Central — as well as four wild-card teams, two from each conference.
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How many rounds are there in the NHL playoffs?
There are four rounds in the NHL playoffs, each consisting of a best-of-seven series. To win the Stanley Cup, a team must pass the first round, second round (division finals) and conference finals before finally winning the Stanley Cup Finals.
Since four wins are required in each round to advance, the champion must win a total of 16 games in the playoffs.
How many games are there in the series?
All series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are a seven-game format.
The games are played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the team with home advantage hosting games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the lower ranked team hosts games 3, 4 and 6. This structure remains consistent from series to finals, ensuring that the better-placed team in the regular season always has the opportunity to host a potential Game 7 in front of a home crowd.
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