Playoff Season Is Here For The NHL

Mary Gilmore, Staff Writer

With the regular season concluding, the 2025-26 Hockey season has reached its most competitive time period. 16 teams have entered the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and early-round matchups have already been surprising. ESPN reports that this postseason marks the first time since 2023 that a new champion is guaranteed, as the Florida Panthers missed the playoff field after back‑to‑back titles.

As the regular season closed on April 15, several teams were still fighting for playoff seeding and draft lottery odds. Bleacher Report notes that while all playoff teams were confirmed, final positions remained fluid until the last points of most games.

For the current playoff season, in the Atlantic Division, the Buffalo Sabres have a 3–2 series lead over the Boston Bruins due to strong performances from Tage Thompson and third‑period scoring. Game 6 is set for May 1st.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens are currently locked in a tight battle, splitting the first two games which were both decided in overtime. Their games resume April 29th in Tampa Bay.

In the Metropolitan Division, the Carolina Hurricanes have dominated the Ottawa Senators, taking the series 4-0.

Across the league, these early playoff games have featured standout performances, including multi‑assist streaks, late‑game scores, and rare penalty‑shot moments.

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, set for May 5, will determine the order for the 16 non‑playoff teams. The Vancouver Canucks hold the best odds at 25.5% for the number one pick, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks at 13.5%.

ESPN’s panel of analysts overwhelmingly projects the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning as early favorites in the Eastern Conference. In ESPN’s first‑round picks, 19 of 26 experts selected Buffalo to defeat Boston, citing the Sabres depth, scoring balance, and improved goaltending. Meanwhile, the Lightning earned 22 of 27 expert picks to advance past Montreal, with analysts pointing to Tampa Bay’s veteran core and postseason experience as decisive advantages. Beyond individual matchups, ESPN’s broader playoff preview identifies the Colorado Avalanche as one of the strongest overall contenders, using their Presidents Trophy season and offensive skills as reasons they could emerge as the Cup favorite.

CBS Sports offers a slightly different angle, predicting several potential upsets and tightly matched series. Their analysts emphasize that the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild matchup could be one of the most competitive in the West. In the East, CBS points to the Lightning and Canadiens series as another toss‑up, noting that both teams finished with 106 points and could realistically advance depending on goaltending and special‑teams performance.

Fresh matchups and fierce competition promise a postseason packed with intensity. Fans are on the edge of their seats as they await for the future of their favorite teams.