Greg Wyshynski
Multiple Authors
As a service to followers who’ve a basic curiosity within the National Hockey League however don’t know what has occurred because the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in June 2025, we’re glad to present this FAQ as a guide to the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
And for you die-hard puckheads: Here is your official refresher earlier than the video games start with a tripleheader on Saturday. Enjoy!
Read extra:
Full schedule
Megapreview
Playoff Central
Stanley Cup odds
Flaws for each team
Player, coach, GM predictions
Wait, the place are the Florida Panthers?
It’s nonetheless type of wonderful {that a} franchise that went 25 years between playoff sequence wins is no longer solely assumed to be within the postseason — however enjoying for the Stanley Cup.
The Panthers have been looking for their third straight championship — successful back-to-back Cups towards the Oilers in 2024 and 2025 — however completed 15 factors out of a playoff spot this season.
Florida entered the season as a Stanley Cup favourite once more, having re-signed three key gamers earlier than free company in forwards Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett in addition to defenseman Aaron Ekblad. But the threepeat marketing campaign was short-circuited by two important accidents. Star captain Aleksander Barkov tore the ACL and MCL in his proper knee within the preseason, and missed all 82 video games. Star winger Matthew Tkachuk had offseason surgical procedure to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports activities hernia. By the time he returned to the Panthers on Jan. 19, they have been exterior of a playoff seed.
But principally, these Panthers had simply performed plenty of hockey over the previous three seasons — please recall they misplaced within the Stanley Cup Final to Vegas in 2023 earlier than their consecutive championship runs. There will nonetheless be raucous events on the Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale this June. They’ll simply have important much less hockey {hardware} this time.
Other playoff groups final season that misplaced their invites to this season’s get together: the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, who each fired their basic managers this season; the Washington Capitals, in what might be Alex Ovechkin‘s final season; and the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets within the Western Conference.
With Florida out, who’s the Stanley Cup favourite?
The Colorado Avalanche have been an absolute juggernaut this season.
They boasted one of the best file in franchise historical past (.738 factors proportion) whereas ending first general within the NHL. They led the NHL in most targets per sport, thanks to Nathan MacKinnon‘s league-leading 53 targets, winger Martin Necas (38 targets), heart Brock Nelson (33 targets) and the continued dominance of star defenseman Cale Makar (1.05 factors per sport). They additionally had the fewest goals-against per sport within the NHL, together with the league’s finest penalty kill and crew save proportion thanks to goalies Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood.
An elite crew acquired even higher on the commerce deadline, as Colorado added heart Nicolas Roy from Toronto and outdated buddy Nazem Kadri from Calgary, a key heart on their 2022 Stanley Cup team.
The Avalanche are the favourite to win the Stanley Cup getting into the postseason at +300 on Draft Kings, forward of the Carolina Hurricanes (+475). But to win the Cup, the Avalanche can have to overcome one of many NHL’s most dependable hexes: the Presidents’ Trophy curse. Since 1985-86, there have been 39 groups to end with the NHL’s finest file. Only eight of them went on to win the Stanley Cup — and an equal variety of them misplaced within the opening spherical of the playoffs. Spooky.
Colorado attracts the Los Angeles Kings within the first spherical. The Kings do keep away from having to play the Oilers for the fifth straight first spherical, having misplaced the earlier 4 sequence. But drawing the Avalanche would possibly depart them not sighing for reduction however gasping for air.
Can Connor McDavid make it again to the Cup Final?
McDavid and fellow celebrity Leon Draisaitl carried the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, dropping each instances to the Panthers. Last October, McDavid gave the Oilers a transparent window to win with him nonetheless on the roster, foregoing potential free company to signal a two-year contract extension by 2027-28.
It might be argued that this season’s Oilers aren’t nearly as good as the 2 groups that performed for the Cup. Edmonton completed with a .567 factors proportion, their lowest since 2018-19, however the Oilers have been with out Draisaitl (65 video games) and McDavid’s winger Zach Hyman (58 video games) for giant parts of the season. GM Stan Bowman sought to enhance their goaltending — the Achilles heel of these Cup finals groups — by buying Tristan Jarry from the Penguins and Connor Ingram from Utah, the latter transfer having labored out higher than the previous.
The Oilers open with the Anaheim Ducks, who returned to the playoffs for the primary time since 2018 thanks to first-year head coach Joel Quenneville. If they get previous the Ducks, the Oilers may face the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights … and the coach they employed with eight video games left within the season.
John Tortorella is teaching Vegas now?
The Golden Knights shocked the hockey world by firing head coach Bruce Cassidy with simply eight video games left within the common season. The Knights have been spiraling after the Winter Olympic break, posting the league’s second-worst file forward of solely the moribund Vancouver Canucks.
As regular, expectations throughout the group have been astronomical, particularly after Vegas landed winger Mitch Marner, the prize of final offseason, and veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson, acquired in-season from Calgary. Management felt the crew wanted a kick within the pants. Few are higher at delivering one than Tortorella.
“Torts,” who gained a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, final coached the Philadelphia Flyers for 3 seasons (2022-2025) earlier than rejoining ESPN as a studio analyst. This is his first playoff look since taking Columbus to the postseason in 2020. The Knights are Tortorella’s sixth NHL crew, in a training profession that spans all the way in which again to 2000.
Vegas went 7-0-1 in these eight video games and seemed like a Tortorella crew, main the NHL in that span with a 1.88 goals-against common. He has agreed to coach the rest of the season — somebody employed for the current, for a crew that wanted a short-term increase.
(Please word that Vegas might need began a development right here, because the New York Islanders changed coach Patrick Roy with Peter DeBoer with simply 4 video games left of their season. Alas, it was too late to get the Islanders into the postseason.)
The Golden Knights open the primary spherical with the Utah Mammoth.
We’re getting playoff hockey in Salt Lake City?
Indeed. In simply the second season for the NHL’s latest franchise, the Mammoth certified for the Stanley Cup playoffs as the primary wild card within the Western Conference. Coach André Tourigny’s crew improved simply three factors within the standings season over season, however Utah looks like a unique crew — and never simply because they have an actual mascot as an alternative of being referred to because the “Hockey Club.”
Young stars like Dylan Guenther (40 targets), Logan Cooley (0.80 factors per sport) and JJ Peterka (25 targets) will get their first tastes of playoff motion. Veterans like Clayton Keller (88 factors) and Nick Schmaltz (33 targets) return after lengthy playoff absences. Backstopping all of it’s goalie Karel Vejmelka, who appeared in an NHL-high 64 video games this season for Utah.
The future is vivid in Salt Lake City, because the Mammoth have one of many NHL’s sturdy prospect pipelines. But they’re performing like the longer term is now, having acquired high-profile defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Flames on the commerce deadline.
What’s essentially the most anticipated playoff matchup?
It’s simply the Central Division opening-round slugfest between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild.
It’s the type of sequence that stokes debate concerning the equity of the present playoff system: Should the No. 3 crew in your complete NHL (Dallas) be pressured to play the seventh-best crew (Minnesota) in spite of everything that regular-season success that they had? And their reward is to probably play the No. 1 crew within the league? However, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman believes the playoff format is profitable exactly as a result of it delivers matchups like this within the early rounds.
The Stars have reached the Western Conference finals for 3 consecutive seasons, dropping to Vegas as soon as after which the Oilers twice. This time they’ve a brand new head coach in Glen Gulutzan however a lot of the identical forged as final 12 months’s run. That contains two 45-goal scorers in winger Jason Robertson and heart Wyatt Johnston, in addition to star winger Mikko Rantanen (1.20 factors per sport) who was successful playoff sequence seemingly on his personal final season.
The Wild, in the meantime, took the season’s largest swing on the commerce market: touchdown Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in a December blockbuster. Hughes had a transformative impact on the Wild, who went 17-5-5 heading into the Olympic break — the place Team USA, constructed by Minnesota GM Bill Guerin and that includes a handful of his gamers, won Olympic men’s gold for the primary time since 1980.
While Hughes generates offense from the again finish, the Wild have been led by a pair of star scoring wingers up entrance: Kirill Kaprizov, who scored 45 targets after signing a record-setting $136 million contract final September; and Matt Boldy, who was proper behind him with 42 targets this season.
Whether or not it is “fair” that they meet, these two titans will conflict in Round 1 to earn the precise to probably play Colorado in Round 2.
Meanwhile, within the East: Are the Buffalo Sabres for actual?
The Sabres snapped their NHL-record 14-season playoff drought with one among their finest common seasons in franchise historical past: a .665 factors proportion that earned Buffalo its first division title because the 2009-10 season, a crew additionally coached by present Sabres bench boss Lindy Ruff in a earlier stint.
The turning level in Buffalo’s season, coincidental or not, was when the crew changed basic supervisor Kevyn Adams with senior advisor Jarmo Kekalainen, who was beforehand the final supervisor of the Columbus Blue Jackets. From that second in December till the top of the season, the Sabres had the NHL’s finest file (36-9-5) and have been second general in crew offense and protection.
There are causes to consider this isn’t a fluke. Buffalo has balanced scoring, led by star heart Tage Thompson (40 targets) and ahead Alex Tuch (33 targets), a pending free agent. The Sabres have one of many league’s prime defensemen in Rasmus Dahlin, and so they completed tied for third within the NHL in crew save proportion (.899) thanks to goalies Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
That mentioned, a few of their underlying numbers have been troubling this season and their roster lacks the playoff expertise their opponents, just like the Boston Bruins, have. But as one NHL coach told ESPN just lately concerning the Sabres: “Who knows? Sometimes it’s good to be young and dumb.”
Can the Bruins make a run?
It’s attainable. Boston is a well-balanced crew below first-year head coach Marco Strum. Superstar winger David Pastrnak (100 factors), and facilities Morgan Geekie (39 targets) and Pavel Zacha (30 targets) have supplied top-end offense, however Boston had 10 gamers in double-digits in targets.
However, it is their defensive basis that might make the Bruins robust to beat. Charlie McAvoy brings his win-at-any-costs mentality to a blue line that options veterans like Hampus Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.
In aim, Jeremy Swayman has been the most effective within the NHL, ending second general in targets saved above anticipated (28.8). The Bruins are harmful as they search a return to glory, having final made the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.
Speaking of returns to glory, is the Tampa Bay hype legit?
In concept, sure.
The Lightning have been the fourth-best offensive crew within the NHL, powered by MVP favorite Nikita Kucherov, who led the league with a 1.71 points-per-game common; in addition to goal-scoring aces like Jake Guentzel (38 targets) and Brandon Hagel (35). They even discovered a brand new scoring power on the blue line, as fifth-year professional Darren Raddysh had obliterated his profession highs with targets (22) and factors (70) this season — which, to the shock of nobody, is a contract 12 months.
They’re additionally the league’s third-best defensive crew thanks to star goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who led the NHL in wins (39) and is the favourite to win his second Vezina Trophy because the league’s prime netminder.
But there are query marks. The Lightning have been hit exhausting by accidents all season: How a lot of them are nonetheless lingering? Most of all, what is the standing of defenseman Victor Hedman, who took depart of the crew for private causes after Tampa’s March 19 sport? The Lightning will want him to problem for the Cup (after successful in 2020 and 2021) — if they’ll get previous Montreal.
When it comes to a mix of offense and protection, this line is the NHL’s prime trio when coach Marty St. Louis decides it is time to put them collectively.
In shut to 534 minutes collectively this season, Slafkovsky, Suzuki and Caufield have a goals-for proportion of 69.9% at 5-on-5. That’s thanks partly to a stellar 1.6 goals-against per 60 minutes. Credit there ought to go to heart Suzuki, whose sturdy defensive play has him as the favourite to win the Selke Trophy because the NHL’s finest defensive ahead.
But additionally they common 3.7 targets per 60 minutes collectively, and full marks to Caufield right here: He scored 51 targets for Montreal within the common season, second solely to MacKinnon’s 53.
What’s scary concerning the Habs is that they are not a one-line crew. Rookies Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen have helped fill out the crew offensive, whereas Lane Hutson (78 factors in 82 video games) continues to thrive from the again finish.
Will Rod Brind’Amour lastly coach within the Final?
Brind’Amour is in his eighth season teaching the Hurricanes. They’ve certified for the playoffs in all eight seasons. But they’ve by no means damaged by to play for the Stanley Cup, dropping within the convention finals thrice, together with twice to the Panthers who, as a reminder, failed to make the postseason this 12 months.
Why they might play for the Cup: Despite not having a star game-changing offensive participant like Jake Guentzel or Mikko Rantenen — to title two gamers Carolina acquired prior to now few seasons — this could be the deepest goal-scoring roster that Brind’Amour has had. The regular suspects stay atop the crew scoring record, like Sebastian Aho (80 factors), Andrei Svechnikov (31 targets) and Seth Jarvis (32). But gamers like Jackson Blake (22 targets), Logan Stankoven (44 factors), K’Andre Miller (37 factors) and Alexander Nikishin (33 factors) have all contributed.
But have they got sufficient goaltending? Brandon Bussi was a revelation for the Canes for a lot of the season, however struggled a bit after the Olympic break. Frederik Andersen has been inconsistent. Pyotr Kochetkov has gotten playoff time prior to now, however by no means discovered his stride. Brind’Amour has but to title his Game 1 starter towards the Ottawa Senators, maybe for good motive.
A phrase on Ottawa: They’re fairly good. From the Olympic break by the top of the season, the Senators had the third-best file within the NHL (.720 factors proportion). Players like Tim Stutzle (83 factors) have torn it up.
One NHL government instructed ESPN earlier this season that if there’s one crew you do not need to face within the playoffs, it could be Ottawa, contemplating their underlying numbers and construction. That is, so long as they get their goaltending, and Linus Ullmark is 12-4-3 because the Olympic break. Beware, Carolina…
The Battle of Pennsylvania is on once more?
The final time the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers engaged in The War of Sheetz vs. Wawa was again in 2017-18, with the Penguins successful to tie the all-time sequence at 4-4. That they’re assembly once more this postseason is a shock on a number of ranges.
Not many individuals had the Penguins returning to the playoffs this season for the primary time since 2022. Most of the conjecture about Pittsburgh earlier than the season surrounded whether or not veteran stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson would even be Penguins by the top of the season. Instead, all three gamers helped lead a younger roster to the postseason, thanks in no small half to rookie head coach Dan Muse’s sturdy construction, and the shrewd roster administration of GM Kyle Dubas.
Even fewer individuals thought that first-year coach Rick Tocchet, a former Flyers star participant who took over their bench after parting methods with Vancouver, would navigate this Philadelphia team into the playoffs. There have been improbable developments, like younger star Trevor Zegras recapturing the magic after arriving from Anaheim through commerce final offseason; there have additionally been frustrations, such because the difficult relationship between Tocchet and younger star Matvei Michkov, whose scoring fell by a dozen factors 12 months over 12 months.
What has saved the Flyers on regular floor? Goalie Dan Vladar. Signed final summer season as a free agent from the Calgary Flames, Vladar has practically 14 targets saved above anticipated in 52 video games this season, offering a treatment for the Flyers’ largest weak spot in internet.
The Flyers are younger and gifted, having added NCAA star Porter Martone after his season was carried out. The Penguins have a veteran core determined for one final sip from the Cup collectively. All of that performs out in a sequence between two hated, heated rivals. That’s the playoffs, child.
Who are a few of the different gamers value watching within the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Brent Burns. The Colorado Avalanche defenseman is the NHL’s prime “old guy without a Cup,” having now performed 1,579 video games with out lifting the Chalice.
Jackson LaCombe. He changed Seth Jones on the Team USA Olympic roster, and had the hockey spotlight of his life in Milan as they gained gold. The 25-year-old Ducks defenseman could be essentially the most underrated blueliner within the NHL. He’ll have the highlight on him towards the Oilers’ assault in that sequence.
Jake Oettinger. Please recall when the Stars have been eradicated by the Oilers in final 12 months’s convention finals, and the Dallas goalie was not solely pulled within the first interval of Game 5 however referred to as out by former coach Pete DeBoer for his incapability to beat the Oilers within the playoffs. Oettinger enters this postseason with an opportunity to lead his crew deeper than his former coach ever may.
Brady Tkachuk. He had a powerful season with 0.98 factors per sport, however the Ottawa captain has been in a bizarre spot this season — and never simply because he is an American gold medalist enjoying in a Canadian capitol.
He got here below hearth when his father Keith Tkachuk complained about Brady’s ice time, and referred to as out Ullmark for deciding to relaxation in a key sport throughout an look on the Tkachuk brothers’ “Wingmen” podcast. As regular, commerce rumors swirl round the one Tkachuk within the playoffs this season, whilst he has vowed loyalty to the franchise.
All the gamers on Canadian groups. Finally, will Edmonton or Montreal or Ottawa lastly break by to win the primary Stanley Cup for a Canadian crew since 1993?
Let’s all discover out, now that the video games are set to start.
