Here’s everything you need to know about the NHL playoffs, including the format and key rules.
The field for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is starting to take shape.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2 became the latest teams to clinch an NHL postseason berth. Toronto is headed to the playoffs for a ninth straight year, while Carolina will make its seventh consecutive postseason appearance.
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WATCH HEREThe Canes and Leafs are the fifth and sixth teams to join the playoff field. And over the final weeks of the 2024-25 regular season, 10 other clubs will earn a trip to the postseason for a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.
So, when will the playoffs start and how do they work? Here's what to know:
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How many games are in the NHL regular season?
All NHL teams play 82 regular-season contests.
When does the NHL regular season end?
NHL
The final games of the regular season take place on Thursday, April 17.
When do the 2025 NHL playoffs start?
The postseason action gets underway just two days later on Saturday, April 19.
How many teams make the NHL playoffs?
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.
What teams are going to the NHL playoffs in 2025?
Here's an updated look at the teams that have officially clinched a playoff berth:
Eastern Conference
- Washington Capitals
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference
- Winnipeg Jets
- Dallas Stars
- Vegas Golden Knights
How do the NHL playoffs work?
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.
Do the NHL playoffs reseed teams?
The postseason follows a bracket format rather than reseeding teams, setting up more potential divisional matchups in the second round.
When is the Stanley Cup Final 2025?
The only thing currently known about the Stanley Cup Final schedule is that Game 7 will be played no later than June 23.
