The National Hockey League has released the schedule and national broadcast details for the initial matches of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round. These games will take place from Saturday, April 18, through Monday, April 20. The full First Round schedule will be revealed after the regular season concludes on Thursday night.
Opening Games on Saturday
Saturday, April 18, will feature the first games of the playoffs. The Ottawa Senators will face the Carolina Hurricanes at 3 p.m. ET, with coverage on ESPN, SN, and TVAS. At 5:30 p.m. ET, the Minnesota Wild will play against the Dallas Stars, also broadcast on ESPN, SN, and TVAS. The Philadelphia Flyers will then take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. ET, with the same network coverage.
Additional games on Saturday include a Western Conference Wild Card #2 team against the Colorado Avalanche, the Montreal Canadiens versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Boston Bruins against the Buffalo Sabres, and Utah Mammoth versus the Vegas Golden Knights. The final matchup will be a Pacific Division #3 team against a Pacific Division #2 team. Time and TV information for these games are to be determined.
Playoff Qualification and Team Milestones
The final two matchups for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be decided tonight with the Edmonton Oilers (91 points), Anaheim Ducks (90 points) and Los Angeles Kings (91 points) all in action.
This season sees a six-team turnover in the Stanley Cup Playoffs compared to last season, marking the second-highest turnover in NHL history. Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Utah all qualified after missing the postseason in 2024-25. This is the ninth season in the last 11 to have a playoff turnover of at least five teams.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are both entering their 16th postseason, a franchise record. Crosby enters the 2026 playoffs tied with Jaromir Jagr for the fifth-most playoff points in NHL history. Malkin owns the fourth-most playoff points by a player born outside of North America.
Lightning’s Playoff Streak
The Tampa Bay Lightning have extended their franchise record with a ninth consecutive postseason appearance since 2017-18, tied for the longest active streak in the NHL with Colorado. Over that span, they lead the NHL in playoff wins, series wins, trips to the Final, and championships.
Utah’s Debut
Utah will become the 23rd state to host Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey. Utah joined a list of teams in the post-expansion era to reach the postseason within their first two NHL seasons.
- The Oilers and Golden Knights both went two-for-two.
- The Hartford Whalers (now CAR), Quebec Nordiques (now COL), Atlanta Flames (now CGY) and Seattle Kraken all qualified once.
Fan Engagement
Fans worldwide can participate in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge. The eligible entrant that finishes atop the leaderboard will win the chance to attend a 2026–27 NHL event and an Adventure Chrono 41mm NHL Limited Edition Watch by Norqain.
The complete First Round schedule will be announced when finalized, following the conclusion of the regular season on Thursday night.