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NHL Playoffs

Schedule, tickets, and guides to the Stanley Cup playoffs

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Stanley Cup Finals

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NHL Playoffs Schedule

The postseason begins in late April 2026 with the first round of the playoff games. This is followed by the second round, then the Conference Championship, then the Stanley Cup Finals which are expected to be completed by the end of June. Last season, the Florida Panthers won their first-ever Championship.

During the NHL playoffs, the top 16 from the regular season’s 32 hockey teams compete in best-of-seven series with their opponent and home-ice advantage determined by where they finished in the league. The team with home-ice advantage will play at home more times with a pattern of H-H-A-A-H-A-H if all 7 matches need to be played to determine a winner. The franchises are based in various major cities in the United States and Canada, so a wide range of locations are covered.

NHL Playoffs Tickets

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NHL playoffs ticket prices can vary greatly depending on numerous factors such as the team, the opponent, the location of and view from the seat, and whether tickets include any additional extras such as hospitality or access to a suite.

For example, tickets for the best seats overlooking centre ice or at club level for games involving rivals or teams most popular with NHL fans – such as the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Los Angeles Kings – could cost well over USD $5,000 and will be more expensive than those featuring less recognisable teams or seats further from the action with some playoff tickets priced at around $30.

NHL Playoffs Merchandise

About NHL Playoffs

The National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs – also known as the Stanley Cup playoffs – comprise the annual end-of-season game series in the NHL which is the world’s premier men’s professional ice hockey league covering North America with teams from the United States and Canada. The playoffs determine the winner of the league’s main trophy, the Stanley Cup and attract hordes of hockey fans every season.

📜 NHL Playoffs History

The NHL was formed in 1917 after the National Hockey Association (NHA) ceased competing in the Stanley Cup, which was then an interleague competition until the NHL was the last remaining league participating by 1926. The league grew gradually over the years from 4 teams to 32 (as of 2021) thanks to numerous expansions.

The NHL playoffs – or NHL Stanley Cup playoffs – take place after the regular season with the aim being to win the Stanley Cup. In 1892, the huge trophy (originally known as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup) was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston to be used as the award for Canada's top-ranking amateur hockey club. A team would retain the cup until they lost their league title to another. From 1906, professional teams were permitted to challenge for Stanley Cup and from 1915 the cup was competed for by the National Hockey Association (NHA) champion and the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHA) champion. Once the NHL was created and was the only remaining league vying for the trophy, the trophy became the championship prize for the NHL in 1926.

💯 NHL Playoffs Format & Scoring

The league is divided into a Western Conference (split into Central and Pacific Divisions) and an Eastern Conference (split into Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions). From the 32 regular season teams, 16 qualify for the playoffs made up of 8 from each conference: the top 3 teams in each division plus the 2 conference teams with the next highest number of points.  The playoffs consist of 4 rounds of best-of-seven series to determine the league champion and Stanley Cup winner, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.

In the First Round, the teams are split into 2 brackets by division with each bracket consisting of the top 3 divisional qualifiers and 1 of the wildcards. The lower seeded wildcard plays the division winner with the best record. The other wildcard plays the other division winner. The other 2 series match the second-place and third-place teams from the divisions. The winners of the First Round series advance to the Second Round (with 8 teams and 4 best-of-seven series). The winners of these series advance to the Conference Finals and the Conference Final winners move on to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Stanley Cup Finals see the champions of the Eastern and Western Conferences play against each other to win a best-of-7 series.

In all playoff rounds, the higher-ranked team is awarded home-ice advantage, with 4 of the 7 games played at this team's home venue. In the Stanley Cup Finals, the team with the most points during the regular season has home-ice advantage.

NHL Playoffs Profiles & Links

NHL Playoffs FAQ

How can I find parking for an NHL Playoff game?

Most NHL arenas have parking spaces available to reserve online as well as private car parking options in the close vicinity. Parking details and further travel information can be found on Koobit by clicking the event’s Travel & Parking tab.

How can I find accommodation for an NHL Playoff game?

All 32 teams in the NHL are based in major urban areas around the United States and Canada, so it is usually straightforward to find accommodation close to the venue. Accommodation and tourism information for each location can be found on Koobit by clicking the event’s Accommodation and Destination tabs, where you will also find a map of places to stay.