2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview: Favorites and Key Matchups to Watch

The excitement is building as the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs approach, with the first series set to commence on Saturday, April 18. This year’s postseason promises to be historic, as the league is on track for a significant turnover, potentially featuring eight teams that did not qualify the previous year. With the Florida Panthers’ run for a three-peat derailed by injuries, a new champion is guaranteed.

The regular season will conclude on Thursday, April 16, just a day after the Eastern Conference teams finish their campaigns. In the Western Conference, Central Division rivals Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota have secured their playoff spots. The top-seeded Avalanche are poised to capture the Presidents’ Trophy, ensuring home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, while five spots remain open.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the Metropolitan Division champion Carolina Hurricanes have clinched a spot, joined by the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Montreal Canadiens from the Atlantic Division. Notably, the Sabres have ended a record 14-year postseason drought, marking a significant achievement for the franchise. Five spots remain available in the East as well.

The playoff format sees the top three teams from each division earning a spot, with the next two highest-placed teams in each conference filling the remaining four slots, regardless of division. The teams with the best records in each conference will face off against the wild-card team with the lowest record, while other matchups pit division rivals against each other. This structure increases the likelihood of division foes clashing in the later rounds.

All four playoff rounds are best-of-seven series, with the first team to secure 16 victories being crowned the Stanley Cup champions. Currently, the first-round matchup confirmed is Dallas vs. Minnesota.

BetMGM Sportsbook has made Colorado the 3-1 favorite to win the Stanley Cup, followed closely by Tampa Bay at 9-2, Carolina at 5-1, and Dallas at 10-1. Fans can catch every playoff game nationally televised in the U.S. on either ESPN or Turner networks. TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will also be available on truTV and through Max’s B/R Sports Add-On, while Canadian viewers can enjoy the action on Sportsnet and CBC.

As the playoffs unfold, the anticipation grows for a thrilling tournament that culminates in early June. Should the final series reach a decisive Game 7, it could take place as late as June 21.

Highlighting the potential stars of this postseason, the Avalanche boast MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon and standout defenseman Cale Makar, who have propelled their team to the top since October. Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, having lost in the Cup Final the past two years, are expected to improve defensively, and they welcome back Leon Draisaitl for the playoffs. Tage Thompson, a crucial player in the U.S. Olympic gold victory, leads the Sabres as they make their long-awaited return to the postseason. Finally, Nikita Kucherov, competing with MacKinnon and McDavid in the scoring race, has been instrumental in guiding the Lightning through a challenging season plagued by injuries.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.