The pinnacle of the NHL season, 16 teams will battle it out for supremacy in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2025 Stanley Cup playoffs start date
The Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Saturday 19th April following the conclusion of the regular season.
2025 Stanley Cup playoff teams
Eastern Conference
- Washington Capitals
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Florida Panthers
- New Jersey Devils
- Ottawa Senators
- Montreal Canadiens
Western Conference
- Winnipeg Jets
- St. Louis Blues
- Dallas Stars
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Colorado Avalanche
- Los Angeles Kings
- Minnesota Wild
- Los Angeles Kings
- Edmonton Oilers
2025 Stanley Cup playoffs schedule
The playoffs commence with the First Round, which is scheduled to commence on 19th April and precedes the Second Round, which is expected to take place in early May.
Second round victors will advance to the Conference Finals, which are likely to be held at the end of May.
The Stanley Cup Finals are to be staged in June.
Stanley Cup Finals schedule
Dates for the Stanley Cup Finals are still to be finalised. Game 7, if necessary, will be played no later than June 23.
2025 Stanley Cup playoffs format
There are four rounds in the Stanley Cup playoffs: First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals and Finals.
Competing in a best-of-seven, each series is played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, meaning the team with the better record will receive home advantage in Games 1, 2, 5, and 7.
With eight teams from each conference, the 16 competitors are seeded in the first round i.e. the top team in the conference will play the second wildcard team.
In the next round, teams are not reseeded and the victors in the second round will face off in the conference finals. Each conference winner will then meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Stanley Cup history
The previous two Stanley Cup winners were first-time victors with the Vegas Golden Knights triumphant in 2023 and Florida Panthers coming out on top in 2024.
Colorado Avalanche were triumphant in 2022, sealing their third Stanley Cup and maintaining their status as the only team in history with a 100% record in the Finals.
Montreal Canadiens are by far and away the most successful team in NHL history, making 35 Finals appearances and winning 24 titles, though their last success was all the way back in 1993.
Toronto Maple Leafs, who haven't reached the Finals since 1967, are second on the all-time list with 13 Stanley Cups, ahead of Detroit Red Wings on 11.
Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks are the most successful teams in the 21st century, winning three Stanley Cups apiece.
Most Stanley Cups
Titles | Finals Appearances | |
Montreal Canadiens | 24 | 35 |
Toronto Maple Leafs | 13 | 21 |
Detroit Red Wings | 11 | 24 |
Boston Bruins | 6 | 20 |
Chicago Blackhawks | 6 | 13 |
Edmonton Oilers | 5 | 8 |
Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 | 6 |
New York Rangers | 4 | 11 |
New York Islanders | 4 | 5 |
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