NHL Playoff Bracket Set as Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin Saturday

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Written By Nick Crain | Published at April 17, 2026
Apr 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) stops a shot by Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Thursday night marked the NHL regular season finale as teams around the league finalized playoff positioning, and now the bracket is officially set. Following a quiet Friday with no games on the schedule, the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday, and with eight first-round matchups, four in each conference, there will be no shortage of drama, physicality, and star power across the league.

For fans looking to see who plays who, the full bracket is now locked in and ready to analyze.

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

One of the most anticipated matchups in this opening round is the Dallas Stars versus the Minnesota Wild. These are two teams that have history and were both ultra-competitive within the Central Division this season. That one could go either way, and should be a physical series with no shortage of fireworks. In the Eastern Conference, keep an eye on the Pittsburgh Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers, as a pair of in-state rivals take the ice in a seven-game series.

That is what makes this time of year so fun. The regular season is over, the bracket is set, and all of the standings drama has now turned into actual playoff hockey. Every team still alive now knows its path, and every fan base can officially start looking ahead to what could come in the first round and beyond.

The wait is over. The NHL playoff bracket is official, and the Stanley Cup chase begins Saturday. The Colorado Avalanche are the current favorite to win it all, but that can all change quickly as the playoffs unfold.

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