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2025 NHL Playoff Bracket: Live Standings, Round 1 Matchups & Schedule
Updated:
NHL Playoff Bracket updated in real-time.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 19th, 2025, with 16 teams battling it out for hockey’s ultimate prize.
The image above displays the 2025 NHL Playoff bracket and will be updated in real-time each night. Several first-round matchups for the 2025 NHL Playoffs are now locked in.
You’ll find much more NHL playoff information on this page below, including NHL playoff matchups and the NHL Playoff schedule. The only thing we don’t have here are NHL playoff odds. You can jump to a specific section using the links below:
NHL Playoff Picture | Clinched Teams | NHL Playoff Matchups | NHL Playoff Schedule | NHL Playoff FAQs
NHL Playoff Picture
The Washington Capitals are currently leading the Eastern Conference with approximately 109 points. They have secured the Metropolitan Division title and home-ice advantage through at least the conference finals. The Capitals will face the second wild-card team, likely the Montreal Canadiens, in the first round.
In the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets have clinched first overall and won the Presidents’ Trophy with around 110 points. It’s their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history as they aim for their first Stanley Cup. The Jets will take on the second wild-card team, either the St. Louis Blues or Minnesota Wild, in Round 1.
Teams Who Have Clinched a Playoff Spot
| Western Conference | Eastern Conference |
|---|---|
| Winnipeg Jets (Central) | Washington Capitals (Metro) |
| Dallas Stars | Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic) |
| Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific) | Carolina Hurricanes |
| Colorado Avalanche | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Los Angeles Kings | Florida Panthers |
| Edmonton Oilers | New Jersey Devils |
| – | Ottawa Senators (WC1) |
| – | – |
In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, and Ottawa Senators have clinched playoff spots. The final wild-card berth is still up for grabs between the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets.
In the Western Conference, six teams have punched their playoff tickets so far: the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers. The two wild-card spots are currently held by the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, but the Calgary Flames are still in contention.
NHL Playoff Matchups
| Round 1 NHL Playoff Matchups – East |
|---|
| (M1) Washington Capitals vs (WC2) Montreal Canadiens or Columbus Blue Jackets |
| (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (WC1) Ottawa Senators |
| (M2) Carolina Hurricanes vs (M3) New Jersey Devils |
| (A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (A3) Florida Panthers |
| Round 1 NHL Playoff Matchups – West |
| (C1) Winnipeg Jets vs (WC2) St. Louis Blues or Minnesota Wild |
| (P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs (WC1) Minnesota Wild or St. Louis Blues |
| (C2) Dallas Stars vs (C3) Colorado Avalanche |
| (P2) Los Angeles Kings vs (P3) Edmonton Oilers |
Potential NHL Playoff Matchups as of Apr. 15, 2025.
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NHL Playoff Schedule
The NHL 2025 Stanley Cup Final Playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 19th and will conclude no later than Monday, June 23rd. You can view the NHL schedule for today (and beyond) below.
The 2025 NHL Playoffs were originally slated to begin on Monday, April 21st, but the league has moved up the start date to Saturday, April 19th. This comes just one day after the conclusion of the regular season on April 18th.
How is the NHL Playoff Bracket Set up?
The NHL playoff bracket is set up as follows:
- 16 total teams make the playoffs – 8 from the Eastern Conference and 8 from the Western Conference
- In each conference:
- The top 3 teams from each division automatically qualify
- The remaining 2 spots per conference are filled by the teams with the next best records as Wild Cards
- Teams are seeded as follows in each Conference:
- Division winners seeded 1-2 by record
- Second place teams seeded 3-4 by record
- Third place teams seeded 5-6 by record
- Wild Cards seeded 7-8 by record
This sets up the First Round matchups in each conference:
- #1 seed vs #WC2
- #2 seed vs #WC1
- #3 seed vs #6 seed
- #4 seed vs #5 seed
The playoff bracket is fixed and teams are not reseeded after each round. The higher seed has home-ice advantage in each series.
How Many Teams Make the NHL Playoffs?
16 total teams make the Stanley Cup playoffs, eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. All series are best-of-seven.
NHL Teams Eliminated from Playoff Contention
| Team | Conference |
|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | Eastern |
| Detroit Red Wings | Eastern |
| New York Rangers | Eastern |
| New York Islanders | Eastern |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Eastern |
| Buffalo Sabres | Eastern |
| Philadelphia Flyers | Eastern |
| Vancouver Canucks | Western |
| Utah Hockey Club | Western |
| Anaheim Ducks | Western |
| Seattle Kraken | Western |
| Nashville Predators | Western |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Western |
| San Jose Sharks | Western |
In the Eastern Conference, seven teams have been eliminated: the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins missing the playoffs ends their streak of 8 straight appearances dating back to 2016.
In the Western Conference, seven teams are also out: the Vancouver Canucks, Utah Hockey Club, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks.
How Long Do The Stanley Cup Playoffs Last?
The Stanley Cup Playoffs last an average of 57 days. In 2022, the postseason began on May 2nd and concluded on June 26th (56 days). Based on this average duration, the 2025 NHL Playoffs are projected to end around June 15th.
The exact length of the playoffs depends on how many games are played. The maximum possible is 105 total games (if every series goes to Game 7). The minimum is 60 games (if every series is a sweep). On average, about 86 playoff games are played each year.
Best Promos for Betting On NHL Playoffs
If you’re on the hunt for good sports betting promos to use for the NHL playoffs, then we’ve got you covered.
