The chase for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice will begin on Saturday.
We started with 32 teams. Then we quickly saw squads fall off in early April as others began to focus on spring. The Colorado Avalanche finished the season as the NHL’s top team and will look to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2022.
Speaking of the Cup, we’re set to get a new final matchup for the first time since 2023, and a new Eastern Conference finalist since 2022. The Edmonton Oilers can still challenge for Lord Stanley’s mug, but the Florida Panthers will get a much-needed rest this spring after an injury-riddled campaign.
Here is a full first-round playoff schedule, as released by the NHL on Friday:
2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule (Round 1)
*if needed
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Sunday, April 19 Boston at Buffalo 7:30 PM 2 Tuesday, April 21 Boston at Buffalo 7:30 PM 3 Thursday, April 23 Buffalo at Boston 7:00 PM 4 Sunday, April 26 Buffalo at Boston 2:00 PM 5 Tuesday, April 28 Boston at Buffalo* TBD 6 Friday, May 1 Buffalo at Boston* TBD 7 Sunday, May 3 Boston at Buffalo* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Sunday, April 19 Montreal at Tampa Bay 5:45 PM ET 2 Tuesday, April 21 Montreal at Tampa Bay 7:00 PM 3 Friday, April 24 Tampa Bay at Montreal 7:00 PM 4 Sunday, April 26 Tampa Bay at Montreal 7:00 PM 5 Wednesday, April 29 Montreal at Tampa Bay* TBD 6 Friday, May 1 Tampa Bay at Montreal* TBD 7 Sunday, May 3 Montreal at Tampa Bay* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Saturday, April 18 Ottawa at Carolina 3:00 PM 2 Monday, April 20 Ottawa at Carolina 7:30 PM 3 Thursday, April 23 Carolina at Ottawa 7:30 PM 4 Saturday, April 25 Carolina at Ottawa 3:00 PM 5 Monday, April 27 Ottawa at Carolina* TBD 6 Thursday, April 30 Carolina at Ottawa* TBD 7 Saturday, May 2 Ottawa at Carolina* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Saturday, April 18 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 8:00 PM 2 Monday, April 20 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh 7:00 PM 3 Wednesday, April 22 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 7:00 PM 4 Saturday, April 25 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 7:00 PM 5 Monday, April 27 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh* TBD 6 Wednesday, April 29 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia* TBD 7 Saturday, May 2 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Sunday, April 19 Los Angeles at Colorado 3:00 PM 2 Tuesday, April 21 Los Angeles at Colorado 10:00 PM 3 Thursday, April 23 Colorado at Los Angeles 10:00 PM 4 Sunday, April 26 Colorado at Los Angeles 4:30 PM 5 Wednesday, April 29 Los Angeles at Colorado* TBD 6 Friday, May 1 Colorado at Los Angeles* TBD 7 Sunday, May 3 Los Angeles at Colorado* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Saturday, April 18 Minnesota at Dallas 5:30 PM 2 Monday, April 20 Minnesota at Dallas 9:30 PM 3 Wednesday, April 22 Dallas at Minnesota 9:30 PM 4 Saturday, April 25 Dallas at Minnesota 5:30 PM 5 Tuesday, April 28 Minnesota at Dallas* TBD 6 Thursday, April 30 Dallas at Minnesota* TBD 7 Saturday, May 2 Minnesota at Dallas* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Sunday, April 19 Utah at Vegas 10:00 PM 2 Tuesday, April 21 Utah at Vegas 9:30 PM 3 Friday, April 24 Vegas at Utah 9:30 PM 4 Monday, April 27 Vegas at Utah TBD 5 Wednesday, April 29 Utah at Vegas* TBD 6 Friday, May 1 Vegas at Utah* TBD 7 Sunday, May 3 Utah at Vegas* TBD
Game # Date Game Time (ET) 1 Monday, April 20 Anaheim at Edmonton 10:00 PM 2 Wednesday, April 22 Anaheim at Edmonton 10:00 PM 3 Friday, April 24 Edmonton at Anaheim 10:00 PM 4 Sunday, April 26 Edmonton at Anaheim 9:30 PM 5 Tuesday, April 28 Anaheim at Edmonton* TBD 6 Thursday, April 30 Edmonton at Anaheim* TBD 7 Saturday, May 2 Anaheim at Edmonton* TBD
