Stanley Cup Playoffs · 2025-26 season
NHL Playoff Bracket 2026
The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the Final.
Carolina Hurricanes2026 Stanley Cup championBeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the Final; Nikolaj Ehlers led the Final with 9 points. Final game by game →
Bracket
First Round: East
- D1
Sabres4WC1BUF wins 4-2 · games and leaders →
Bruins2 - D2
Lightning3D3MTL wins 4-3 · games and leaders →
Canadiens4 - D1Hurricanes4WC2CAR wins 4-0 · games and leaders →
Senators0 - D2
Penguins2D3PHI wins 4-2 · games and leaders →
Flyers4
Seeds: D1–D3 division places, WC1–WC2 wild cards (2020: the seeding from the bubble round robin). Series wins from the NHL schedule feed.
First Round: West
Second Round: East
Second Round: West
Conference Final
Every series: result and top scorer
| Round | Series | Result | GP | Top scorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Round | BUF vs. BOS | BUF wins 4-2 | 6 | Alex Tuch (BUF) 4G 3A |
| First Round | TBL vs. MTL | MTL wins 4-3 | 7 | Brandon Hagel (TBL) 6G 2A |
| First Round | CAR vs. OTT | CAR wins 4-0 | 4 | Taylor Hall (CAR) 2G 5A |
| First Round | PIT vs. PHI | PHI wins 4-2 | 6 | Rasmus Ristolainen (PHI) 1G 4A |
| First Round | COL vs. LAK | COL wins 4-0 | 4 | Artturi Lehkonen (COL) 2G 2A |
| First Round | DAL vs. MIN | MIN wins 4-2 | 6 | Matt Boldy (MIN) 6G 3A |
| First Round | VGK vs. UTA | VGK wins 4-2 | 6 | Jack Eichel (VGK) 1G 8A |
| First Round | EDM vs. ANA | ANA wins 4-2 | 6 | Leon Draisaitl (EDM) 3G 7A |
| Second Round | BUF vs. MTL | MTL wins 4-3 | 7 | Rasmus Dahlin (BUF) 3G 7A |
| Second Round | CAR vs. PHI | CAR wins 4-0 | 4 | Jackson Blake (CAR) 3G 4A |
| Second Round | COL vs. MIN | COL wins 4-1 | 5 | Nathan MacKinnon (COL) 5G 4A |
| Second Round | VGK vs. ANA | VGK wins 4-2 | 6 | Mitch Marner (VGK) 5G 6A |
| Conference Final | CAR vs. MTL | CAR wins 4-1 | 5 | Nikolaj Ehlers (CAR) 2G 3A |
| Conference Final | COL vs. VGK | VGK wins 4-0 | 4 | Gabriel Landeskog (COL) 3G 0A |
| Stanley Cup Final | CAR vs. VGK | CAR wins 4-2 | 6 | Nikolaj Ehlers (CAR) 4G 5A |
How the NHL playoff format works
16 teams make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, eight from each conference: the top three teams in each of the four divisions plus two wild cards per conference, the two best remaining records. Every round is a best-of-seven series, and the team with the better regular-season record has home ice: games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Division winners play the wild cards in the first round (the better division winner gets the second wild card), and the second- and third-place teams in each division meet. The bracket is fixed: there is no reseeding between rounds. The two conference champions meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
Playoff overtime never ends in a shootout: teams play full 20-minute 5-on-5 periods until a goal. The 2020 playoffs were the exception to the format, played in two bubbles with a qualifying round and round-robin seeding games before the usual 16-team bracket. Series scores on this page come from the NHL schedule feed; player totals come from our box scores.
Playoff brackets by year
- 2026 playoffsCarolina Hurricanes over Golden Knights
- 2025 playoffsFlorida Panthers over Oilers
- 2024 playoffsFlorida Panthers over Oilers
- 2023 playoffsVegas Golden Knights over Panthers
- 2022 playoffsColorado Avalanche over Lightning
- 2021 playoffsTampa Bay Lightning over Canadiens
- 2020 playoffsTampa Bay Lightning over Stars
- 2019 playoffsSt. Louis Blues over Bruins
- 2018 playoffsWashington Capitals over Golden Knights
Related: magic numbers and clinch scenarios · NHL draft classes · scores tonight
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Stanley Cup?
The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup, beating the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in a 6-game Final.
Which 2026 playoff series went seven games?
2 series went the distance in 2026: Canadiens over Lightning (First Round); Canadiens over Sabres (Second Round).
How many 2026 playoff games went to overtime?
22 of the 82 games played in the 2026 playoffs were decided in overtime. Playoff overtime is full 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 until someone scores; there are no shootouts.
How many sweeps were there in the 2026 playoffs?
There were 4 four-game sweeps in the 2026 playoffs.