Get all the details on the 2025 NHL Playoffs, including the start date, bracket format, and key matchups as teams battle for the Stanley Cup.
Apr 1, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Matthew Highmore (15) chases the puck in the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
The NHL playoffs are the ultimate battleground where 16 teams fight for the prestigious Stanley Cup, one of the oldest and most prestigious trophies in professional sports. Dating back to 1893, the Stanley Cup has been a symbol of hockey excellence, witnessing decades of legendary moments, intense rivalries, and unforgettable victories. While the format has evolved over the years, the passion, drama, and thrill of the postseason remain as exciting as ever, making it a must-watch event for NHL fans worldwide.
April has just started, and the battle for the Stanley Cup heats up as contenders enter the final stretch of the NHL regular season. With fewer than 10 games remaining now, top teams are gearing up for a deep playoff run, while the fight for the last postseason spots and wild-card berths in both the Eastern and Western Conferences remains intense.
2025 NHL Playoffs Start Date
For the 2024-25 NHL season, the regular season is set to conclude on Thursday, April 17, 2025. According to NHL sources, the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs will begin on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
The playoffs typically last for about two months, culminating in the Stanley Cup Finals in June. Based on past schedules, the latest possible date for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals would be around June 23, 2025.
Key Dates for the 2025 NHL Playoffs:
- April 17, 2025 – End of the NHL regular season
- April 19, 2025 – Start of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The race for the top spot in the Atlantic Division is heating up, with three teams locked in a tight battle. The Toronto Maple Leafs (94 points), Tampa Bay Lightning (91 points), and defending Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers (91 points) are all in contention for first place. Both the Lightning and Panthers have nine games left to play and hold a game in hand over the Maple Leafs.
The next stretch of games will be crucial, with key matchups shaping the final standings. The Maple Leafs and Panthers will face each other twice, while Toronto will also visit Tampa Bay on April 9, a day after playing in Florida. The Panthers, meanwhile, will close out their regular season with a showdown against the Lightning on April 15.
NHL Playoffs Bracket
The NHL playoffs are structured as a bracket-style tournament, with each round conducted as a best-of-seven series. This format has been in place since 1987, and it continues to be used in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Playoff Qualification:
Total Teams: 16 teams qualify for the playoffs.
Division Standings: The top three teams from each of the four divisions secure playoff spots, totaling 12 teams.
Wild Card Spots: The remaining four spots are filled by the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, based on regular-season records, regardless of their division. This means a division could potentially send five teams to the postseason while another sends three.
Seeding and Matchups:
Division Winners: The division winner with the best regular-season record in each conference is matched against the wild card team with the lesser record. The other division winner faces the wild card team with the better record.
Second and Third Place Teams: The teams finishing second and third in each division face each other in the first round.
Home-Ice Advantage:
Home-ice advantage in the first two rounds is awarded to the team with the higher regular-season standing.
Playoff Rounds:
First Round (Conference Quarterfinals): 16 teams compete in eight matchups based on the seeding and matchup criteria.
Second Round (Division Finals/Conference Semifinals): The winners of the first-round matchups within each division face off.
Conference Finals: The remaining two teams in each conference compete to determine the Eastern and Western Conference champions.
Stanley Cup Finals: The Eastern Conference champion faces the Western Conference champion in the final series to compete for the Stanley Cup.
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
If the season ended today, this is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look up.
Eastern Conference:
- (A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets
- (A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Florida Panthers
- (M1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators
- (M2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (M3) New Jersey Devils
The winner of the first matchup will face the winner of the second, while the winner of the third matchup will compete against the winner of the fourth. Key: M – Metropolitan Division, A – Atlantic Division, WC – Wild Card.
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
If the season ended today, this is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would shape up.
Western Conference:
- (C1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC2) Minnesota Wild
- (C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Colorado Avalanche
- (P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) St. Louis Blues
- (P2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (P3) Edmonton Oilers
The winner of the first matchup will face the winner of the second, while the winner of the third matchup will take on the winner of the fourth. Key: C – Central Division, P – Pacific Division, WC – Wild Card.
Image Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
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