Stanley Cup playoffs 2026: Bracket, schedule, scores, news
From the first round all the way through the Stanley Cup Final, ESPN has you covered this NHL postseason.
The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. Sixteen teams enter, one leaves with the greatest trophy in the world of sports.
With the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers outside the playoff field this season, that means there will be a new team atop the pedestal for the first time since 2023.Â
This page will be your home throughout the postseason, featuring schedule and broadcast details, scores, highlights and other intel on every series, updated continually through the Stanley Cup Final.
Read more:
Full schedule
Stanley Cup odds
Wyshynski's bracket
Offseason guide for eliminated teams
Second round
Atlantic Division
A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.
A3 Montreal
Canadiens
Path to Round 2:
Sabres: Defeated Bruins in six games
Canadiens: Defeated Lightning in seven games
Leading playoff scorers:
Sabres: Alex Tuch (4 G, 3 A), Tage Thompson (2 G, 5 A)
Canadiens: Lane Hutson (2 G, 3 A), Nick Suzuki (0 G, 5 A)
Schedule (Series tied 1-1):
Game 1:Â Sabres 4, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 2: Canadiens 5, Sabres 1 | Recap
Game 3: Sabres at Canadiens | May 10, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Sabres at Canadiens | May 12, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Canadiens at Sabres | May 14, TBD (TNT)
Game 6: Sabres at Canadiens | May 16, TBD (ABC/ESPN)
Game 7: Canadiens at Sabres | May 18, TBD (ESPN)
Consensus pick: Sabres
Metropolitan Division
M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.
M3 Philadelphia
Flyers
Path to Round 2:
Hurricanes: Defeated Senators in four games
Flyers: Defeated Penguins in six games
Leading playoff scorers:
Hurricanes: Taylor Hall (2 G, 5 A)
Flyers: Rasmus Ristolainen (1 G, 4 A)
Schedule (CAR leads 2-0):
Game 1: Hurricanes 3, Flyers 0 | Recap
Game 2:Â Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 4, Flyers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes at Flyers | May 9, 6 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Flyers at Hurricanes | May 11, TBD (ESPN)
Game 6: Hurricanes at Flyers | May 13, TBD (TNT)
Game 7: Flyers at Hurricanes | May 16, TBD (TNT)
Consensus pick:Â Hurricanes
Central Division
C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.
C3 Minnesota
Wild
Path to Round 2:
Avalanche: Defeated Kings in four games
Wild:Â Defeated Stars in six games
Leading playoff scorers:
Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen (2 G, 2 A)
Wild: Matt Boldy (6 G, 3 A), Kirill Kaprizov (2 G, 7 A)
Schedule (COL leads 1-0):
Game 1:Â Avalanche 9, Wild 6 | Recap
Game 2: Avalanche 5, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 3: Avalanche at Wild | May 9, 9 p.m. (TNT)
Game 4: Avalanche at Wild | May 11, TBD (ESPN)
Game 5: Wild at Avalanche | May 13, TBD (TNT)
Game 6: Avalanche at Wild | May 15, TBD (ESPN)
Game 7: Wild at Avalanche | May 17, TBD (TNT)
Consensus pick: Avalanche
Pacific Division
P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.
P3 Anaheim
Ducks
Path to Round 2:
Golden Knights: Defeated Mammoth in six games
Ducks: Defeated the Oilers in six games
Leading playoff scorers:
Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (1 G, 8 A)
Ducks: Jackson LaCombe (1 G, 8 A)
Schedule (VGK leads 2-1):
Game 1:Â Golden Knights 3, Ducks 1 | RecapÂ
Game 2: Ducks 3, Golden Knights 1 | Recap
Game 3: Golden Knights 6, Ducks 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights at Ducks | May 10, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 5: Ducks at Golden Knights | May 12, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 6: Golden Knights at Ducks | May 14, TBD (TNT)
Game 7: Ducks at Golden Knights | May 16, TBD (ABC/ESPN)
Consensus pick: Golden Knights
First round
Atlantic Division
A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.
WC1 Boston
Bruins
Regular-season records:
Sabres: 50-23-9, 109 points
Bruins: 45-27-10, 100 points
Leading scorers:
Sabres: Tage Thompson (40 goals, 41 assists)
Bruins: David Pastrnak (29 goals, 71 assists)
Schedule (BUF wins 4-2):
Game 1:Â Sabres 4, Bruins 3 | Recap
Game 2: Bruins 4, Sabres 2 | Recap
Game 3: Sabres 3, Bruins 1 | Recap
Game 4: Sabres 6, Bruins 1 | Recap
Game 5: Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Sabres 4, Bruins 1 | Recap Â
Consensus pick: Sabres
Keys to the offseason for the Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay
Lightning
vs.
A3 Montreal
Canadiens
Regular-season records:
Lightning: 50-26-6, 106 points
Canadiens: 48-24-10, 106 points
Leading scorers:
Lightning:Â Nikita Kucherov (44 goals, 86 assists)
Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (29 goals, 72 assists)
Schedule (MTL wins 4-3):
Game 1: Canadiens 4, Lightning 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 2:Â Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3:Â Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 6: Lightning 1, Canadiens 0 (OT) | Recap
Game 7: Canadiens 2, Lightning 1 | Recap
Consensus pick: Lightning
Metropolitan Division
M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.
WC2 Ottawa
Senators
Regular-season records:
Hurricanes: 53-22-7, 113 points
Senators: 44-27-11, 99 points
Leading scorers:
Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho (27 goals, 53 assists)
Senators: Tim Stutzle (34 goals, 49 assists)
Schedule (CAR wins 4-0):
Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Senators 0 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 2, Senators 1 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 4, Senators 2 | Recap
Consensus pick: Hurricanes
Keys to the offseason for the Senators
M2 Pittsburgh
Penguins
vs.
M3 Philadelphia
Flyers
Regular-season records:
Penguins: 41-25-16, 98 points
Flyers: 43-27-12, 98 points
Leading scorers:
Penguins: Sidney Crosby (29 goals, 45 assists)
Flyers: Travis Konecny (27 goals, 41 assists)
Schedule (PHI wins 4-2):
Game 1: Flyers 3, Penguins 2 | Recap
Game 2: Flyers 3, Penguins 0 | Recap
Game 3: Flyers 5, Penguins 2 | Recap
Game 4: Penguins 4, Flyers 2 | Recap
Game 5:Â Penguins 3, Flyers 2 | Recap
Game 6: Flyers 1, Penguins 0 (OT) | Recap
Consensus pick: Penguins
Keys to the offseason for the Penguins
Central Division
C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.
WC2 Los Angeles
Kings
Regular-season records:
Avalanche: 55-16-11, 121 points
Kings: 35-27-20, 90 points
Leading scorers:
Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon (53 goals, 74 assists)
Kings: Adrian Kempe (36 goals, 37 assists)
Schedule (COL wins 4-0):
Game 1:Â Avalanche 2, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 2: Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Avalanche 4, Kings 2 | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 5, Kings 1 | Recap
Consensus pick: Avalanche
Keys to the offseason for the Kings
C2 Dallas
Stars
vs.
C3 Minnesota
Wild
Regular-season records:
Stars: 50-20-12, 112 points
Wild: 46-24-12, 104 points
Leading scorers:
Stars: Jason Robertson (45 goals, 51 assists)
Wild: Kirill Kaprizov (45 goals, 44 assists)
Schedule (Wild win 4-2):
Game 1: Wild 6, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Stars 4, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 3: Stars 4, Wild 3 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4: Wild 3, Stars 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Wild 4, Stars 2 | Recap
Game 6:Â Wild 5, Stars 2 | Recap
Consensus pick: Wild
Keys to the offseason for the Stars
Pacific Division
P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.
WC1 Utah
Mammoth
Regular-season records:
Golden Knights: 39-26-17, 95 points
Mammoth:Â 43-33-6, 92 points
Leading scorers:
Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (27 goals, 63 assists)
Mammoth: Clayton Keller (26 goals, 62 assists)
Schedule (Knights win 4-2):
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 2 | Recap
Game 2: Mammoth 3, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 3: Mammoth 4, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (2OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 1 | Recap
Consensus pick: Golden Knights
Keys to the offseason for the Mammoth
P2 Edmonton
Oilers
vs.
P3 Anaheim
Ducks
Regular-season records:
Oilers: 41-30-11, 93 points
Ducks: 43-33-6, 92 points
Leading scorers:
Oilers: Connor McDavid (48 goals, 86 assists)
Ducks: Cutter Gauthier (41 goals, 28 assists)
Schedule (ANA wins 4-2):
Game 1: Oilers 4, Ducks 3 | Recap
Game 2: Ducks 6, Oilers 4 | Recap
Game 3: Ducks 7, Oilers 4 | Recap
Game 4: Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 4, Ducks 1 | Recap
Game 6: Ducks 5, Oilers 2 | Recap
Consensus pick: Oilers
Keys to the offseason for the Oilers
Source: ESPN