A handful of teams are one step closer to the Stanley Cup, while others have been sent packing.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway in the NHL, and a couple of contenders wasted little time punching their tickets to the second round. Meanwhile, several first-round series could go down to the wire as the playoff field dwindles down to eight teams.
When does the second round start, and which teams are still in the mix for the Stanley Cup? Here’s what to know as the playoffs shift to the second round.
Which teams are in the NHL playoffs?
Here’s a look at the remaining playoff field:
Eastern Conference
- Carolina Hurricanes (defeated Ottawa Senators 4-2 in first round)
- Philadelphia Flyers (defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 in first round)
- Buffalo Sabres (Atlantic No. 1 seed)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic No. 2 seed)
- Montreal Canadiens (Atlantic No. 3 seed)
- Boston Bruins (wild card No. 1)
Western Conference
- Colorado Avalanche (Defeated Los Angeles Kings 4-0 in first round)
- Dallas Stars (Central No. 2 seed)
- Minnesota Wild (Central No. 3 seed)
- Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific No. 1 seed)
- Edmonton Oilers (Pacific No. 2 seed)
- Anaheim Ducks (Pacific No. 3 seed)
- Utah Mammoth (wild card No. 1)
- Los Angeles Kings (wild card No. 2)
Do the NHL playoffs reseed teams?
The NHL playoffs feature a bracket format and don’t reseed teams after the first round.
Charlie McAvoy, one of the NHL’s most charitable players, learned the value of hard work from his father Charles McAvoy Sr., who runs a four-generation plumbing business.
NHL playoff bracket
Here are the second-round matchups:
Eastern Conference
- Hurricanes (M1) vs. Flyers (M3)
- Sabres (A1)/Bruins (WC1) vs. Lightning (A2)/Canadiens (A3)
Western Conference
- Avalanche (C1) vs. Stars (C2)/Wild (C3)
- Golden Knights (P1)/Mammoth (WC1) vs. Oilers (P2)/Ducks (P3)
Brady and Matthew Tkachuk celebrated Team USA’s men’s hockey victory over Canada, thanked fans for their support and dedicated their title to first responders in the United States.
NHL second-round schedule
Series information will be added once available.
Where to watch and stream games in the 2026 NHL playoffs
Second-round games will be broadcast across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS and truTV.
Games airing on ESPN’s family of networks can be streamed on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
TNT, TBS and truTV broadcasts are available to stream on Max. Games on TNT can also be streamed on TNTDrama.com and the TNT app, while TBS broadcasts are available to stream on TBS.com and the TBS app. Simulcasts shown on truTV can be streamed on truTV.com and the truTV app, as well.
The Florida Panthers clinched their second consecutive Stanley Cup after defeating the Oilers 5-1 in Game 6.