The stage is set for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The final NHL postseason berth was awarded and the playoff bracket was finalized on the penultimate night of the regular season.
Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now.
The Montreal Canadiens, on April 16, defeated the Carolina Hurricanes to clinch the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card berth over the Columbus Blue Jackets, locking in the 16-team bracket in the process. The Habs are going to the playoffs for the first time since their run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
So, when do the playoffs start and how do they work? Here’s what to know:
All NHL teams play 82 regular-season contests.
The final games of the regular season take place on Thursday, April 17.
The postseason action gets underway just two days later on Saturday, April 19.
Half of the 32-team league qualifies for the postseason, with eight Eastern Conference teams and eight Western Conference squads making up the field.
There are four total divisions — two per conference — and the top three finishers in each earn playoff berths. The postseason bracket is then rounded out by wild-card berths, which are awarded to the two best remaining teams in each conference.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Division winners face wild-card teams in the first round. The top-ranked division winner in each conference draws the second-ranked wild-card team while the second-ranked division faces the top-ranked wild card. The rest of Round 1 pits the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in each division up against one another.
The postseason follows a bracket format rather than reseeding teams, setting up more potential divisional matchups in the second round.
The only thing currently known about the Stanley Cup Final schedule is that Game 7 will be played no later than June 23.