How many Canadian teams will make the playoffs in 2026?

With the 2025-26 season set to begin next week, everyone is wondering how their respective teams will fare over the next several months.

In Canada, the pressure continues to rise to see if one of its teams can snap the 32-year championship drought. Though some teams have come close in recent years, including the Edmonton Oilers in each of the past two, there’s hope that the schneid will end this coming spring.

Last season, five teams from Canada clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs – the Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets. However, only Edmonton had the best shot of grabbing Lord Stanley.

With a new season on the horizon and plenty of shuffling within the teams north of the border, many wonder how many Canadian teams will make it to the postseason this time around.

That question was discussed on Thursday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE. Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton gave their thoughts on which Canadian squads will be playing well into April.

Tyler Yaremchuk: I’m going to say we once again get five, and I will say, as a bonus, that it’s the exact same five that make the playoffs. Think that’s hot or cold?

Carter Hutton: I think it’s hot because the team that would be the borderline team getting in last year was the Montreal Canadiens. I don’t really see them having a step back. I talked about that the other day. I think Sam Montembeault is another guy that can have a breakout year. I talk about obviously getting injured late in the year. He played over 60 games last year. I think his conditioning is going to be high. He’s going to be ready. The Demidov bump, another year of these young defensemen.

The outside teams, you talk about Vancouver and Calgary. Calgary’s the team that may be that X-factor because of Dustin Wolf, but I look for a sophomore slump from Wolf, too. You see this all the time. He got the contract. There’s a lot of pressure on him. He was so good for so long. Your Winnipeg teams, your teams that are staples – Toronto, Edmonton, they are going to be getting in. They’re going to be difference makers. The Ottawa Senators, again, I can’t see them slowing down. I think Linus Ullmark has settled in there, and they have a lot of young hope there with a lot of good talent. 

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…