2022 NHL Playoff Bracket: Projected Teams, Seeds & Schedule

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NHL Playoff Bracket updated in real-time.

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs began on Saturday, April 19th, 2025, with 16 teams battling it out for hockey’s ultimate prize. The playoffs are currently in the second round and will conclude in June 2025.

The image above displays the current state of the 2025 NHL Playoff bracket. It will continue to be updated in real-time as the postseason progresses.

You’ll find much more NHL playoff information on this page below, including seeding, first-round results, current second-round matchups, and notable highlights. 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 | NHL Playoff Matchups | NHL Playoff Schedule | NHL Playoff FAQs

NHL Playoff Picture

The Washington Capitals finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference NHL standings with 111 points. They secured the Metropolitan Division title and home-ice advantage through at least the conference finals. The Capitals faced the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, winning the series 4-1.

In the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best regular season record with 116 points. It’s their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history as they seek their first Stanley Cup championship. The Jets defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in a hard-fought first round series.

NHL Playoff Matchups

Round 2 Matchups Series Score
Eastern Conference
(A1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Florida Panthers Series tied 2-2
(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (M2) Carolina Hurricanes Carolina leads 3-1
Western Conference
(C1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (C2) Dallas Stars Dallas leads 2-1
(P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (P3) Edmonton Oilers Edmonton leads 3-1
Round 1 NHL Playoff Matchups – East
(M1) Washington Capitals def. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens 4-1
(A1) Toronto Maple Leafs def. (WC1) Ottawa Senators 4-2
(M2) Carolina Hurricanes def. (M3) New Jersey Devils 4-1
(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning lost to (A3) Florida Panthers 1-4
Round 1 NHL Playoff Matchups – West
(C1) Winnipeg Jets def. (WC2) St. Louis Blues 4-3
(P1) Vegas Golden Knights def. (WC1) Minnesota Wild 4-2
(C2) Dallas Stars def. (C3) Colorado Avalanche 4-3
(P2) Los Angeles Kings lost to (P3) Edmonton Oilers 2-4

First Round Results of the 2025 NHL Playoffs.

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NHL Playoff Schedule

The NHL 2025 Stanley Cup Final Playoffs began on Saturday, April 19th and will conclude no later than Monday, June 23rd. You can view the upcoming NHL playoff schedule below.

The 2025 NHL Playoffs started 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.

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.

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The Carolina Hurricanes are sure to make some noise this postseason, which is great news with the recent launch of online sports betting in North Carolina. Bettors living in the Tar Heel state can now wager on their favorite teams!

NHL Playoff Bracket FAQs

When did the 2025 NHL Playoffs start?

The 2025 NHL Playoffs began on Saturday, April 19th, 2025.

How many games are in the NHL playoffs?

Each series is a best-of-seven following a 2-2-1-1-1 structure. The winning team will need to win 16 games total, but the champion could play as many as 28 games if all four of their series go the full seven games. The maximum number of games in one playoff (all teams combined) is 105.

When was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?

The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Canadian teams have made the finals seven times since then (Vancouver 1994 & 2011, Calgary 2004, Edmonton 2006, Ottawa 2007, Montreal 2021, Edmonton 2025).

How many teams are left in the 2025 NHL Playoffs?

As of May 13, 2025, there are 8 teams remaining in the 2025 NHL Playoffs. The playoffs are currently in the Second Round, with four teams in the Eastern Conference and four teams in the Western Conference still competing for the Stanley Cup.

How is the NHL playoff bracket determined?

The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs. The remaining four spots (two per conference) are filled by the teams with the next best records as Wild Cards. Teams are then seeded 1-8 in each conference.

How do upsets affect the NHL playoff bracket?

Upsets are common in the Stanley Cup Playoffs but do not affect the bracket. The playoff bracket is fixed and teams are not reseeded after each round. The higher seed always plays the lower seed in each matchup.

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