2025 NHL Playoffs: Matchups, Start Date & Format as Stanley Cup Chase Nears

The excitement is building as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are just around the corner. With the NHL regular season wrapping up on April 17, 13 of the 16 playoff spots have already been secured, and the race for the final wild card berths is heating up.

Leading the charge into the postseason are the Winnipeg Jets, who have clinched their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and will enter as the No. 1 overall seed. Now, the Jets will aim to end Canada's long Stanley Cup drought by winning the franchise’s first title.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the playoff bracket is headlined by Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, while the defending champion Florida Panthers are back and hunting for a rare back-to-back championship run.

Meanwhile, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, last year’s Western Conference champs, are looking to complete their redemption arc after falling short in the 2024 Final.

NHL Playoff Schedule 2025

Regular Season Ends: Thursday, April 17
Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin: Saturday, April 19

How the NHL Playoffs Work

Total Teams: 16 (8 from the East, 8 from the West)
Format: Top 3 teams from each division qualify automatically, with two wild card spots per conference.
Structure: First-round matchups are based on division standings, with no reseeding in later rounds.
Series Format: Best-of-seven series, with home-ice advantage for higher seeds.

2025 Stanley Cup Playoff Field (So Far)

Eastern Conference

Washington Capitals (Metropolitan, East No. 1 seed)
Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan No. 2)
New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan No. 3)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning
Florida Panthers
Ottawa Senators (Wild Card No. 1)
Final wild card TBD: Columbus Blue Jackets or Montreal Canadiens

Western Conference

Winnipeg Jets (Central, West No. 1 seed)
Dallas Stars (Central No. 2)
Colorado Avalanche (Central No. 3)
Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1)
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers
Two wild card spots TBD: Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, or St. Louis Blues

Projected First-Round Matchups

Eastern Conference

Capitals vs. Blue Jackets/Canadiens
Hurricanes vs. Devils
Maple Leafs vs. Senators
Lightning vs. Panthers

Western Conference

Jets vs. Flames/Wild/Blues
Stars vs. Avalanche
Golden Knights vs. Wild/Blues/Flames
Kings vs. Oilers

More details, including exact game times and broadcast schedules, will be announced once all playoff spots are finalized.

Stay tuned as playoff hockey returns on April 19, bringing fast-paced action, fierce rivalries, and the dream of Stanley Cup glory back to center ice.

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