The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are less than three weeks away, and with the regular season wrapping up on April 16, the bracket is nearly set. Sixteen teams — eight from each conference — will battle through four rounds of best-of-seven series for the most iconic trophy in professional sports. Here's everything you need to know.
Key Dates: 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
How the Bracket Works
The NHL uses a fixed bracket format — teams are seeded 1 through 8 in each conference based on regular-season points, and the bracket does not reseed after each round. The top seed faces the eighth seed, second seed faces seventh, and so on. Home-ice advantage in the first two rounds belongs to the higher-seeded team. From the Conference Finals onward, home ice goes to whichever team posted the better regular-season record.
Each series is best-of-seven. The first team to win four games advances.
2026 Playoff Picture: Projected First-Round Matchups
With roughly 10 games remaining for most teams as of late March 2026, the full bracket isn't locked yet — but the current standings paint a clear picture.
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins
- Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators
- Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens
- Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
- Colorado Avalanche vs. Nashville Predators
- Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild
- Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
- Anaheim Ducks vs. Utah Mammoth
Notable absentees: the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks have been mathematically eliminated and will be watching from home.
Teams to Watch in 2026
Colorado Avalanche — The Avs are the current top seed in the West, built around Nathan MacKinnon's continued dominance. They entered the spring on a 9-2-1 run and look like the clear Cup favorite heading into April.
Tampa Bay Lightning — Still dangerous. Tampa has playoff experience that few franchises can match, and their power play has been the most efficient in the East all season. Don't sleep on a team that's made four Finals in five years.
Carolina Hurricanes — The Canes have one of the deepest defensive cores in the league and Frederik Andersen has been lights-out since returning from injury. A Conference Finals appearance feels likely.
Edmonton Oilers — Connor McDavid is still the best player on earth and Leon Draisaitl may be having his best season. The question is always goaltending — if Stuart Skinner is dialed in, Edmonton can beat anyone.
Dallas Stars — The Stars finished top 3 in the West and play a suffocating defensive system under head coach Pete DeBoer. They're built for playoff hockey.
Our 2026 Stanley Cup Prediction
The Avalanche are the favorites, but the Oilers are the most dangerous second seed since the 2019 Bruins. Our Finals prediction: Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, with the Avs winning in six games. MacKinnon finally wins his second ring.
If the goaltending holds, Edmonton could derail Colorado in the Western Conference Finals — that's the upset to watch.
How to Watch the 2026 NHL Playoffs
United States
Games in the U.S. are split between ESPN, ABC, TNT, and TBS — a mix of cable networks and broadcast television.
- ABC (free with antenna): Select playoff games, including some Stanley Cup Final games, air on ABC over the air. A digital antenna gives you these for free — no subscription required.
- ESPN+: Extensive out-of-market coverage and exclusive national windows. Requires ESPN+ subscription ($10.99/month).
- Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month): Includes ABC, ESPN, TNT, and TBS — the full playoff package in one app.
- YouTube TV ($72.99/month): Same channel lineup, often considered the best live TV streaming app for sports.
- Sling TV (from $46/month): Orange + Blue bundle covers ESPN and TNT. The cheapest option with partial coverage.
- Fubo TV (free 7-day trial): Includes all four broadcast partners. The free trial could cover the first few days of Round 1.
- DirecTV Stream (5-day free trial): Another trial option if you want to sample without paying.
- ABC broadcasts some games free over the air
- Multiple streaming services offer free trials
- YouTube TV and Hulu bundle all four networks
- ESPN+ carries out-of-market games
- No single free service has all games
- Most comprehensive options require $70–$83/month
- ESPN+ alone doesn't cover ABC or TNT games
- Fubo/DirecTV trials are short (5–7 days)
Canada
Canadian fans get arguably the best deal in the world for NHL playoff coverage.
- Sportsnet (SN, SN1, SN360): The primary home of the playoffs in Canada. Sportsnet+ app streams everything — $34.99 CAD/month.
- CBC Television (free): The public broadcaster airs select games, including some Saturday night matchups and Stanley Cup Final games, completely free over the air and on CBC Gem.
- Prime Video Canada: Carries "Monday Night Hockey" through the playoffs. Included with Amazon Prime ($9.99 CAD/month) — some Canadians already have this.
International
- DAZN: Available in nearly 200 countries. NHL.TV via DAZN provides live access to all playoff games (some blackout restrictions in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria).
- ESPN Play (Latin America): Streams NHL games across much of Central and South America.
What Makes the Stanley Cup Different
Unlike any other major trophy in North American sports, the Stanley Cup is unique — every player on the winning roster gets their name engraved on it, and each player gets to spend a day with the Cup after winning. It doesn't sit in a case. It gets taken to hometowns, dunked in lakes, and fed champagne.
The playoff format is also widely considered the most grueling in sports. Sixteen teams, four rounds, potentially 28 games — over two and a half months. There's no luck required to win four best-of-seven series.
- The Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1893 — over 130 years ago
- The Cup weighs 34.5 pounds and stands 35.25 inches tall
- All 16 playoff teams compete in best-of-7 series over 4 rounds
- Colorado Avalanche last won the Cup in 2022
- The Tampa Bay Lightning won back-to-back in 2020 and 2021
Full Bracket Release Date
The official bracket and complete first-round schedule — with exact game times and broadcast assignments — will be released after the regular season ends on April 16, 2026. Bookmark this page; we'll update it with the finalized bracket and Round 1 schedule as soon as it drops.
Bottom Line
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs start April 18 and run through late June. Colorado, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Edmonton are the teams to beat. If you're in the U.S., grab a digital antenna for free ABC games and pair it with a Fubo or DirecTV free trial to catch Round 1 without paying. Canadians can catch a chunk of the playoffs free on CBC. International fans should check DAZN.
The Cup is going to someone in June. The question is who survives 28 games to lift it.
