With the NHL regular season wrapping up on April, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin Saturday, April, and the postseason bracket is almost finalized. Sixteen teams—eight from each conference—will battle for hockey’s most storied prize, but the final wild-card spot in the East remains up for grabs, adding suspense as the last games play out.
The St. Louis Blues secured their place as the Western Conference’s second wild card after a dominant win over the Utah Hockey Club. Their reward: a tough first-round matchup against the top-seeded Winnipeg Jets, who claimed their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy and enter the playoffs as favorites to break Canada’s Stanley Cup drought.
In the East, the Washington Capitals clinched the top seed, while the Toronto Maple Leafs captured the Atlantic Division crown. The Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets are locked in a dramatic race for the final spot—the Canadiens can clinch with a point against Carolina, but a regulation loss opens the door for the Blue Jackets to steal the berth on the season’s last day.
Key NHL Playoff Dates:
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Regular season ends: Thursday, April 17
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Playoffs begin: Saturday, April 19
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Stanley Cup Final concludes by: June 23
First-round matchups and the full playoff schedule will be confirmed after Thursday’s games. With the field nearly set and only one spot left to decide, fans are in for a thrilling start to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
