NHL field locked in
All Stanley Cup playoff spots have been clinched and the bracket is now about seeding — the late regular‑season movement concentrated in the Pacific, where a final scramble shuffled matchups ( ). Teams will learn first‑round opponents now that seeding’s settled — notable specifics: the Ducks clinched the Pacific’s No. 3 seed with a win over the Predators, and Colorado has Cale Makar back while Nazem Kadri remains questionable ( ).
The 2026 Stanley Cup playoff field is set, and the last night of the regular season finished the bracket in the West. Anaheim’s win over Nashville locked the Ducks into the Pacific’s No. 3 seed and set Colorado’s first-round opponent as Los Angeles. (nhl.com, nhl.com) By early Friday, the National Hockey League’s bracket showed these first-round series: Buffalo-Boston, Tampa Bay-Montreal, Carolina-Ottawa and Pittsburgh-Philadelphia in the East; Colorado-Los Angeles, Dallas-Minnesota, Vegas-Utah and Edmonton-Anaheim in the West. The playoffs begin April 18 with Carolina hosting Ottawa and Pittsburgh hosting Philadelphia. (nhl.com, espn.com) The late movement was concentrated in the Pacific Division, where Edmonton, Anaheim and Los Angeles entered Thursday still able to finish second or third. NHL.com listed multiple scenarios hours before puck drop, and Anaheim’s result removed the last uncertainty. (nhl.com) Vegas had already secured the Pacific title on April 15 with a 4-1 win over Seattle, which fixed the Golden Knights against the Utah Mammoth. Utah is in the playoffs in the franchise’s first season after the league approved the move to Utah beginning with 2024-25. (nhl.com, nhl.com) The East had settled earlier. Buffalo clinched the Atlantic Division on April 13, its first division title since 2009-10, and Carolina finished as the East’s top seed at 53-22-7 for 113 points. (nhl.com, nhl.com) Colorado enters with one major piece back and another still uncertain. NHL.com reported April 15 that defenseman Cale Makar had returned for the Avalanche, while center Nazem Kadri remained questionable as the bracket was being finalized. (nhl.com) The bracket also closes one of the season’s bigger swings: the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers missed the field entirely. ESPN noted that guarantees a new Stanley Cup winner for the first time since 2023. (espn.com) Now the calendar turns from scoreboard watching to Game 1 times. After a final week spent sorting Pacific seeds and wild-card paths, the postseason opens Saturday with every matchup finally attached to a team and a building. (espn.com, nhl.com)
