When do the NHL playoffs start? What to know ahead of Stanley Cup playoffs 2025

Following an 82-game regular season, the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are set to start with 16 teams looking to hoist the Stanley Cup two months from now.

The Washington Capitals and Las Vegas Golden Knights are the top seeded teams in the Eastern and Western Conference respectively, with the Dallas Stars rating as one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

The best-of-7 first rounds, which feature divisional play, start Saturday. The Stanley Cup finals will begin in late May or early June, depending on how the next three rounds play out.

Nashville Predators center Jonathan Marchessault (81) scores a goal past Dallas Stars defenseman Mathew Dumba (3) and goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the second period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, April 16, 2025. The Predators won 5-1.

The best-of-seven first rounds begin Saturday, April 19.

Teams begin play in their division for the first two rounds, then the third round is the conference championship. The top three teams in the four divisions make the playoffs, and then two wild cards from each conference. The last wild card will go in a bracket with the points leaders (Washington and Winnipeg), with the better wild card in the other bracket.

The Stanley Cup Finals are the fourth round and will begin June 8.

Central Division

Pacific Division

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

Metropolitan Division

Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils

WESTERN CONFERENCE

St. Louis Blues (WC2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1C)

Game 1: Blues at Jets, Saturday, April 19, 4 p.m. MT/5 p.m. CT; TNT, truTV

Game 2: Blues at Jets, Monday, April 21, 6:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 3: Jets at Blues, Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 4: Jets at Blues, Sunday, April 27, 11 a.m. MT/noon CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Blues at Jets, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *

Game 6: Jets at Blues, Friday, May 2, TBD *

Game 7: Blues at Jets, Sunday, May 4, TBD *

*If necessary

Colorado Avalanche (3C) vs. Dallas Stars (2C)

Game 1: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, April 19, 6:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. CT; TNT, truTV

Game 2: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 3: Stars at Avalanche, Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 4: Stars at Avalanche, Saturday, April 26, 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT; TBS

Game 5: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 28, TBD *

Game 6: Stars at Avalanche, Thursday, May 1, TBD *

Game 7: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, May 3, TBD*

*If necessary

Minnesota Wild (WC1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (1P)

Game 1: Wild at Golden Knights, Sunday, April 20, 8 p.m. MT/9 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 2: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 22, 9 p.m. MT/10 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 3: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m. MT/8 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 4: Golden Knights at Wild, Saturday, April 26, 2 p.m. MT/3 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *

Game 6: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, May 1, TBD *

Game 7: Wild at Golden Knights, Saturday, May 3, TBD *

*If necessary

Edmonton Oilers (3P) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2P)

Game 1: Oilers at Kings, Monday, April 21, 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 2: Oilers at Kings, Wednesday, April 23, 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT; TBS

Game 3: Kings at Oilers, Friday, April 25, 8 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT; TNT, truTV

Game 4: Kings at Oilers, Sunday, April 27, 7:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Oilers at Kings, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *

Game 6: Kings at Oilers, Thursday, May 1, TBD *

Game 7: Oilers at Kings, Saturday, May 3, TBD *

*If necessary

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Ottawa Senators (WC2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (1A)

Game 1: Senators at Maple Leafs, Sunday, April 20, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 2: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 22, 5:30 p.m./6:30 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 3: Maple Leafs at Senators, Thursday, April 24, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; ESPN2

Game 4: Maple Leafs at Senators, Saturday, April 26, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *

Game 6: Maple Leafs at Senators, Thursday, May 1, TBD *

Game 7: Senators at Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 3, TBD *

*If necessary

Florida Panthers (3A) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2A)

Game 1: Panthers at Lightning, Tuesday, April 22, 6:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 2: Panthers at Lightning, Thursday, April 24, 4:30 p.m. MT/5:30 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 3: Lightning at Panthers, Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. MT/noon CT; TBS, truTV

Game 4: Lightning at Panthers, Monday, April 28, TBD

Game 5: Panthers at Lightning, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *

Game 6: Lightning at Panthers, Friday, May 2, TBD *

Game 7: Panthers at Lightning, Sunday, May 4, TBD *

*If necessary

Montreal Canadiens (WC2) vs. Washington Capitals (1M)

Game 1: Canadiens at at Capitals, Monday, April 21, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 2: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 23, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 3: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, April 25, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT; TNT, truTV

Game 4: Capitals at Canadiens, Sunday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *

Game 6: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, May 2, TBD *

Game 7: Canadiens/at Capitals, Sunday, May 4, TBD *

*If necessary

New Jersey Devils (3M) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2M)

Game 1: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, April 20, 1 p.m. MT/2 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 22, 4 p.m. MT/5 p.m. CT; ESPN

Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, April 25, 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Sunday, April 27, 1:30 p.m. MT/2:30 p.m. CT; TBS, truTV

Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *

Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, May 2, TBD *

Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, May 4, TBD *

*If necessary

The NHL playoffs are spread across the ESPN family of networks, mostly ESPN2 in the first round, TNT and truTV, and TBS.

Current Odds

Opening Odds

Montreal Canadiens

+8000

+15000

St. Louis Blues

+4000

+4500

New Jersey Devils

+4000

+1300

Minnesota Wild

+4000

Ottawa Senators

+3500

+4000

Los Angeles Kings

+2000

+2200

Toronto Maple Leafs

+1200

+1600

Tampa Bay Lightning

+1100

+2000

Winnipeg Jets

+1000

+2200

Washington Capitals

+950

+10000

Edmonton Oilers

+950

+1000

Vegas Golden Knights

+850

+1200

Dallas Stars

+850

+1000

Carolina Hurricanes

+800

+1100

Colorado Avalanche

+750

+1000

Florida Panthers

+750

+900

The NFL playoffs begin Jan. 17, 2026 and conclude with Super Bowl LX on Feb. 9, 2026.

The Major League Baseball standings are here.

Bret Bloomquist can be reached at [email protected]; @Bretbloomquist on X.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Stanley Cup playoffs 2025: Playoffs, TV, odds, standings

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When do the NHL playoffs start? What to know ahead of Stanley Cup playoffs 2025

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