The NHL released the schedule for the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after the conclusion of the regular season on Thursday night.
The Colorado Avalanche are the number-one seed in the Western Conference, while the Carolina Hurricanes took the Eastern Conference’s regular-season crown. The final teams to sneak into the bracket were the Los Angeles Kings and the Ottawa Senators, in the conferences’ respective second wild card spots.
Playoff action will begin on Saturday, April 18, with the Hurricanes against the Senators, the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Minnesota Wild against the Dallas Stars.
All times listed are Eastern time and, per NHL PR, are subject to change.
Eastern Conference
Buffalo [A1] vs. Boston [WC1]
Game 1
Boston at Buffalo
Sunday, April 19 at 7:30 pm
TV: ESPN, SN1, SN360, TVAS
Game 2
Boston at Buffalo
Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30 pm
TV: ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 3
Buffalo at Boston
Thursday, April 23 at 7 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, Max, SN, TVAS
Game 4
Buffalo at Boston
Sunday, April 26 at 2 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS
Game 5*
Boston at Buffalo
Tuesday, April 28, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Buffalo at Boston
Friday, May 1, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Boston at Buffalo
Sunday, May 3, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Tampa Bay [A2] vs. Montreal [A3]
Game 1
Montreal at Tampa Bay
Sunday, April 19 at 5:45 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 2
Montreal at Tampa Bay
Tuesday, April 21 at 7 pm
TV: ESPN2, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 3
Tampa Bay at Montreal
Friday, April 24 at 7 pm
TV: SN, CBC, TVAS, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX
Game 4
Tampa Bay at Montreal
Sunday, April 26 at 7 pm
TV: SNE, SNO, SNP, CBC, TVAS, ESPN
Game 5*
Montreal at Tampa Bay
Wednesday, April 29, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Tampa Bay at Montreal
Friday, May 1, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Montreal at Tampa Bay
Sunday, May 3, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Carolina [M1] vs. Ottawa [WC2]
Game 1
Ottawa at Carolina
Saturday, April 18 at 3 pm
TV: ESPN, SN, OMNI, TVAS
Game 2
Ottawa at Carolina
Monday, April 20 at 7:30 pm
TV: ESPN2, SNE, SNO, SNP, CBC, TVAS
Game 3
Carolina at Ottawa
Thursday, April 23 at 7:30 pm
TV: SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, HBO MAX
Game 4
Carolina at Ottawa
Saturday, April 25 at 3 pm
TV: SN, TVAS, OMNI, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Game 5*
Ottawa at Carolina
Monday, April 27, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Carolina at Ottawa
Thursday, April 30, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Ottawa at Carolina
Saturday, May 2, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Pittsburgh [M2] vs. Philadelphia [M3]
Game 1
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Saturday, April 18 at 8 pm
TV: ESPN, SN, TVAS
Game 2
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Monday, April 20 at 7 pm
TV: ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 3
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Wednesday, April 22 at 7 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVAS
Game 4
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Saturday, April 25 at 8 pm
TV: TBS, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, TVAS
Game 5*
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Monday, April 27, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Wednesday, April 29, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Saturday, May 2, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Western Conference
Colorado [C1] vs. Los Angeles [WC2]
Game 1
Los Angeles at Colorado
Sunday, April 19 at 3 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SNO, SNW, SNP, TVAS
Game 2
Los Angeles at Colorado
Tuesday, April 21 at 10 pm
TV: ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 3
Colorado at Los Angeles
Thursday, April 23 at 10 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, SN360, TVAS
Game 4
Colorado at Los Angeles
Sunday, April 26 at 4:30 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SNW, SNP, SN360, TVAS
Game 5*
Los Angeles at Colorado
Wednesday, April 29, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Colorado at Los Angeles
Friday, May 1, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Los Angeles at Colorado
Sunday, May 3, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Dallas [C2] vs. Minnesota [C3]
Game 1
Minnesota at Dallas
Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 pm
TV: ESPN, SNO, SNW, SNP, TVAS
Game 2
Minnesota at Dallas
Monday, April 20 at 9:30 pm
TV: ESPN, SN360, TVAS
Game 3
Dallas at Minnesota
Wednesday, April 22 at 9:30 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN360, TVAS
Game 4
Dallas at Minnesota
Saturday, April 25 at 5:30 pm
TV: TBS, truTV, HBO MAX, SNO, SNW, SNP, TVAS
Game 5*
Minnesota at Dallas
Tuesday, April 28, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Dallas at Minnesota
Thursday, April 30, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Minnesota at Dallas
Saturday, May 2, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Vegas [P1] vs. Utah [WC1]
Game 1
Utah at Vegas
Sunday, April 19 at 10 pm
TV: ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 2
Utah at Vegas
Tuesday, April 21 at 9:30 pm
TV: ESPN2, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 3
Vegas at Utah
Friday, April 24 at 9:30 pm
TV: TBS, HBO MAX, SN360, TVAS
Game 4
Vegas at Utah
Monday, April 27, at TBD start time
TV: ESPN
Game 5*
Utah at Vegas
Wednesday, April 29, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Vegas at Utah
Friday, May 1, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Utah at Vegas
Sunday, May 3, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Edmonton [P2] vs. Anaheim [P3]
Game 1
Anaheim at Edmonton
Monday, April 20 at 10 pm
TV: SN, CBC, TVAS, ESPN2
Game 2
Anaheim at Edmonton
Wednesday, April 22 at 10 pm
TV: SN, CBC, TVAS, TBS, HBO MAX
Game 3
Edmonton at Anaheim
Friday, April 24 at 10 pm
TV: TNT, truTV, HBO MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 4
Edmonton at Anaheim
Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 pm
TV: ESPN, SN, CBC, TVAS
Game 5*
Anaheim at Edmonton
Tuesday, April 28, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 6*
Edmonton at Anaheim
Thursday, April 30, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
Game 7*
Anaheim at Edmonton
Saturday, May 2, at TBD start time
TV: TBD
