The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. Sixteen teams enter, one leaves with the greatest trophy in the world of sports.
With the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers outside the playoff field this season, that means there will be a new team atop the pedestal for the first time since 2023.
This page will be your home throughout the postseason, featuring schedule and broadcast details, scores, highlights and other intel on every series, updated continually through the Stanley Cup Final.
Read more:
Full schedule
Megapreview
Lapsed fan's guide
Stanley Cup odds
Wyshynski's bracket
Flaws for each team
Player, coach, GM predictions
Offseason guide for eliminated teams
First round
Atlantic Division
A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.
WC1 Boston
Bruins
Regular-season records:
Sabres: 50-23-9, 109 points
Bruins: 45-27-10, 100 points
Leading scorers:
Sabres: Tage Thompson (40 goals, 41 assists)
Bruins: David Pastrnak (29 goals, 71 assists)
Schedule (BUF leads 1-0):
Game 1: Sabres 4, Bruins 3 | Recap
Game 2: Bruins at Sabres | April 21, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 3: Sabres at Bruins | April 23, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Sabres at Bruins | April 26, 2 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Bruins at Sabres | TBD
Game 6: Sabres at Bruins | TBD
Game 7: Bruins at Sabres | TBD
Consensus pick: Sabres
Tage Thompson keeps the Sabres in it with a second goal in the third period.
A2 Tampa Bay
Lightning
vs.
A3 Montreal
Canadiens
Regular-season records:
Lightning: 50-26-6, 106 points
Canadiens: 48-24-10, 106 points
Leading scorers:
Lightning: Nikita Kucherov (44 goals, 86 assists)
Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (29 goals, 72 assists)
Schedule (MTL leads 1-0):
Game 1: Canadiens 4, Lightning 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Canadiens at Lightning | April 21, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 3: Lightning at Canadiens | April 24, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Lightning at Canadiens | April 26, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Canadiens at Lightning | TBD
Game 6: Lightning at Canadiens | TBD
Game 7: Canadiens at Lightning | TBD
Consensus pick: Lightning
Juraj Slafkovsky completes the hat trick and wins it for the Canadiens in overtime.
Metropolitan Division
M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.
WC2 Ottawa
Senators
Regular-season records:
Hurricanes: 53-22-7, 113 points
Senators: 44-27-11, 99 points
Leading scorers:
Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho (27 goals, 53 assists)
Senators: Tim Stutzle (34 goals, 49 assists)
Schedule (CAR leads 1-0):
Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Senators 0 | Recap
Game 2: Senators at Hurricanes | April 20, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 3: Hurricanes at Senators | April 23, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Hurricanes at Senators | April 26, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Senators at Hurricanes | TBD
Game 6: Hurricanes at Senators | TBD
Game 7: Senators at Hurricanes | TBD
Consensus pick: Hurricanes
Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal scuffle at the start of the playoff game between the Senators and Hurricanes.
M2 Pittsburgh
Penguins
vs.
M3 Philadelphia
Flyers
Regular-season records:
Penguins: 41-25-16, 98 points
Flyers: 43-27-12, 98 points
Leading scorers:
Penguins: Sidney Crosby (29 goals, 45 assists)
Flyers: Travis Konecny (27 goals, 41 assists)
Schedule (PHI leads 1-0):
Game 1: Flyers 3, Penguins 2 | Recap
Game 2: Flyers at Penguins | April 20, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 3: Penguins at Flyers | April 22, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Penguins at Flyers | April 25, 8 p.m. (TBS)
Game 5: Flyers at Penguins | TBD
Game 6: Penguins at Flyers | TBD
Game 7: Flyers at Penguins | TBD
Consensus pick: Penguins
Porter Martone extends Flyers' lead with a goal.
Central Division
C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.
WC2 Los Angeles
Kings
Regular-season records:
Avalanche: 55-16-11, 121 points
Kings: 35-27-20, 90 points
Leading scorers:
Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon (53 goals, 74 assists)
Kings: Adrian Kempe (36 goals, 37 assists)
Schedule (COL leads 1-0):
Game 1: Avalanche 2, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 2: Kings at Avalanche | April 21, 10 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 3: Avalanche at Kings | April 23, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Avalanche at Kings | April 26, 4:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Kings at Avalanche | TBD
Game 6: Avalanche at Kings | TBD
Game 7: Kings at Avalanche | TBD
Consensus pick: Avalanche
Artturi Lehkonen nets goal for Avalanche
C2 Dallas
Stars
vs.
C3 Minnesota
Wild
Regular-season records:
Stars: 50-20-12, 112 points
Wild: 46-24-12, 104 points
Leading scorers:
Stars: Jason Robertson (45 goals, 51 assists)
Wild: Kirill Kaprizov (45 goals, 44 assists)
Schedule (MIN leads 1-0):
Game 1: Wild 6, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Wild at Stars | April 20, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 3: Stars at Wild | April 22, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Stars at Wild | April 25, 5:30 p.m. (TBS)
Game 5: Wild at Stars | TBD
Game 6: Stars at Wild | TBD
Game 7: Wild at Stars | TBD
Consensus pick: Wild
Joel Eriksson Ek's second goal puts the Wild back up by four over the Stars.
Pacific Division
P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.
WC1 Utah
Mammoth
Regular-season records:
Golden Knights: 39-26-17, 95 points
Mammoth: 43-33-6, 92 points
Leading scorers:
Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (27 goals, 63 assists)
Mammoth: Clayton Keller (26 goals, 62 assists)
Schedule (VGK leads 1-0):
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 2 | Recap
Game 2: Mammoth at Golden Knights | April 21, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 3: Golden Knights at Mammoth | April 24, 9:30 p.m. (TBD
Game 4: Golden Knights at Mammoth | April 27, TBD (ESPN)
Game 5: Mammoth at Golden Knights | TBD
Game 6: Golden Knights at Mammoth | TBD
Game 7: Mammoth at Golden Knights | TBD
Consensus pick: Golden Knights
Nic Dowd helps Las Vegas take a late lead over Utah.
P2 Edmonton
Oilers
vs.
P3 Anaheim
Ducks
Regular-season records:
Oilers: 41-30-11, 93 points
Ducks: 43-33-6, 92 points
Leading scorers:
Oilers: Connor McDavid (48 goals, 86 assists)
Ducks: Cutter Gauthier (40 goals, 28 assists)
Schedule:
Game 1: Ducks at Oilers | April 20, 10 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 2: Ducks at Oilers | April 22, 10 p.m. (TBS)
Game 3: Oilers at Ducks | April 24, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Oilers at Ducks | April 26, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Ducks at Oilers | TBD
Game 6: Oilers at Ducks | TBD
Game 7: Ducks at Oilers | TBD
Consensus pick: Oilers