The Florida Panthers had back-to-back Stanley Cup championship wins in 2024 and 2025, but the team didn’t qualify for the playoffs this season.
WASHINGTON — The NHL teams are set to face off for this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, with games starting on Saturday.
It’s a bit of a shakeup this year, with more than five teams qualifying that didn’t make the cut last year and the back-to-back championship team failing to secure a spot. The Florida Panthers won in 2024 and 2025, but the team was plagued by injuries this season and was unable to attempt a third-year championship victory.
The basics
Sixteen teams qualify for the playoffs, with eight teams each in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. Games begin in April and stretch through June.
The top three teams in each of the four national divisions make up the first 12 teams, and the four remaining spots are filled by the highest-place finishers based on their regular-season record, regardless of division, according to the NHL.
Teams compete within their conference in a bracket structure, and each of the four rounds is a best-of-seven, where the first team to win four games advances to the next round. Once the winners of each conference are decided, they face off for the final championship round.
Here’s a look at which teams have qualified.
Eastern Conference
- Boston Bruins
- Buffalo Sabres
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference
- Anaheim Ducks
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Edmonton Oilers
- Los Angeles Kings
- Minnesota Wild
- Utah Mammoth
- Vegas Golden Knights
First-round matchups
Several of the first-round matchups have yet to be decided for the Western Conference, as of April 15. One matchup has is set, though.
- East: Carolina vs. Ottawa
- East: Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia
- East: Buffalo vs. Boston
- East: Montreal vs. Tampa Bay
- West: Dallas vs. Minnesota
After three rounds of the seven-game series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.
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