Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (2024)

  • Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (1)

    ESPN staffApr 23, 2024, 01:05 AM ET

The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs are almost here! The NHL's 32 teams are down to just 16 in the postseason, with the opening games of the first round set to begin Saturday.

Will the New York Rangers parlay their success in winning the Presidents' Trophy to a championship -- thus breaking the "curse" of that award?

Can the Vegas Golden Knights repeat, despite starting the postseason as the underdog in their initial series?

Read on for the full playoff coverage from every first-round series all the way through the Stanley Cup Final.

More: Playoff schedule
Megapreview
Lapsed fan's guide
Wyshynski's bracket
Top 50 players
Cup contender comps

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (2)

First round

Atlantic Division

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (3)

A1 FloridaPanthers
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (4)

WC1 Tampa BayLightning

Regular-season records:

Panthers: 52-24-6, 110 points
Lightning: 45-29-8, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Panthers: Sam Reinhart, 94 points (57 G, 37 A)
Lightning: Nikita Kucherov, 144 points (44 G, 100 A)

Consensus pick: Panthers

Schedule: (FLA leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (5)play

Matthew Tkachuck scores an empty-netter late in 3rd for Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk scores a goal on an empty-net late in the third period.

Game 1: FLA 3, TB 2 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: TB @ FLA | April 23, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) | Preview
Game 3: FLA @ TB | April 25, 7 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 4: FLA @ TB | April 27, 5 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: TB @ FLA | April 29* | Preview
Game 6: FLA @ TB | May 1* | Preview
Game 7: TB @ FLA | May 4* | Preview

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (6)

A2 BostonBruins
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (7)

A3 TorontoMaple Leafs

Regular-season records:

Bruins: 47-20-15, 109 points
Maple Leafs: 46-26-10, 102 points

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Leading scorers:

Bruins: David Pastrnak, 110 points (47 G, 63 A)
Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, 107 points (69 G, 38 A)

Consensus pick: Bruins

Schedule: (Series tied 1-1)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (8)play

Auston Matthews gives Maple Leafs lead in the 3rd

Auston Matthews is hyped after netting the go-ahead goal for the Maple Leafs in the third period.

Game 1: BOS 5, TOR 1 | Recap
Game 2: TOR 3, BOS 2 | Recap | Replay
Game 3: BOS @ TOR | April 24, 7 p.m. (ESPN) | Preview
Game 4: BOS @ TOR | April 27, 8 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: TOR @ BOS | April 30 | Preview
Game 6: BOS @ TOR | May 2* | Preview
Game 7: TOR @ BOS | May 4* | Preview

Metropolitan Division

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (9)

M1 New YorkRangers
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (10)

WC2 WashingtonCapitals

Regular-season records:

Rangers: 55-23-4, 114 points
Capitals: 40-31-11, 91 points

Leading scorers:

Rangers: Artemi Panarin, 120 points (49 G, 71 A)
Capitals: Dylan Strome, 67 points (27 G, 40 A)

Consensus pick: Rangers

Schedule: (NYR leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (11)play

Rempe and Panarin score 33 seconds apart to put Rangers ahead 2-0

Matt Rempe and Artemi Panarin slot back-to-back goals to open the scoring for the Rangers.

Game 1: NYR 4, WSH 1 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: WSH @ NYR | April 23, 7 p.m. (ESPN) | Preview
Game 3: NYR @ WSH | April 26, 7 p.m. (TNT) | Preview
Game 4: NYR @ WSH | April 28, 8 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: WSH @ NYR | May 1* | Preview
Game 6: NYR @ WSH | May 3* | Preview
Game 7: WSH @ NYR | May 5* | Preview

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (12)

M2 CarolinaHurricanes
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (13)

M3 New YorkIslanders

Regular-season records:

Hurricanes: 52-23-7, 111 points
Islanders: 39-27-16, 94 points

Leading scorers:

Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho, 89 points (36 G, 53 A)
Islanders: Mathew Barzal, 80 points (23 G, 57 A)

Consensus pick: Canes

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Schedule: (CAR leads 2-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (14)play

Aho and Martinook score 9 seconds apart to give Carolina the lead

Sebastian Aho ties the game and Jordan Martinook scores 9 seconds later to give the Hurricanes the lead vs. Islanders.

Game 1: CAR 3, NYI 1 | Recap
Game 2: CAR 5, NYI 3 | Recap | Replay
Game 3: CAR @ NYI | April 25, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2) | Preview
Game 4: CAR @ NYI | April 27, 2 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: NYI @ CAR | April 30* | Preview
Game 6: CAR @ NYI | May 2* | Preview
Game 7: NYI @ CAR | May 4* | Preview

Central Division

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (15)

C1 DallasStars
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (16)

WC2 VegasGolden Knights

Regular-season records:

Stars: 52-21-9, 113 points
Golden Knights: 45-29-8, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Stars: Jason Robertson, 80 points (29 G, 51 A)
Golden Knights: Jonathan Marchessault, 69 points (42 G, 27 A)

Consensus pick: Stars

Schedule: (VGK leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (17)play

Mark Stone lights the lamp in return game for Vegas

Mark Stone rips a long wrister into the back of the net to give the Golden Knights an early 1-0 lead.

Game 1: VGK 4, DAL 3 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: VGK @ DAL | April 24, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN) | Preview
Game 3: DAL @ VGK | April 27, 10:30 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 4: DAL @ VGK | April 29 | Preview
Game 5: VGK @ DAL | May 1* | Preview
Game 6: DAL @ VGK | May 3* | Preview
Game 7: VGK @ DAL | May 5* | Preview

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (18)

C2 WinnipegJets
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (19)

C3 ColoradoAvalanche

Regular-season records:

Jets: 52-24-6, 110 points
Avalanche: 50-25-7, 107 points

Leading scorers:

Jets: Mark Scheifele, 72 points (25 G, 47 A)
Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, 140 points (51 G, 89 A)

Consensus pick: Avs

Schedule: (WPG leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (20)play

Adam Lowry's second goal of the game barely crosses the red line

Adam Lowry's shot barely makes it over the red line completely for the Jets.

Game 1: WPG 7, COL 6 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: COL @ WPG | April 23, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN) | Preview
Game 3: WPG @ COL | April 26, 10 p.m. (TNT) | Preview
Game 4: WPG @ COL | April 28, 2:30 p.m. (TNT) | Preview
Game 5: COL @ WPG | April 30* | Preview
Game 6: WPG @ COL | May 2* | Preview
Game 7: COL @ WPG | May 4* | Preview

Pacific Division

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (21)

P1 VancouverCanucks
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (22)

WC1 NashvillePredators

Regular-season records:

Canucks: 50-23-9, 109 points
Predators: 47-30-5, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Canucks: J.T. Miller, 103 points (37 G, 66 A)
Predators: Filip Forsberg, 94 points (48 G, 46 A)

Consensus pick: Canucks

Schedule: (VAN leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (23)play

Canucks score a pair of goals within 12 seconds of each other

The Canucks stun the Predators and take a 3-2 lead at home by scoring two goals in 12 seconds.

Game 1: VAN 4, NSH 2 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: NSH @ VAN | April 23, 10 p.m. (ESPN2) | Preview
Game 3: VAN @ NSH | April 26, 7:30 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 4: VAN @ NSH | April 28, 5 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: NSH @ VAN | April 30* | Preview
Game 6: VAN @ NSH | May 3* | Preview
Game 7: NSH @ VAN | May 5* | Preview

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (24)

P2 EdmontonOilers
vs.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (25)

P3 Los AngelesKings

Regular-season records:

Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points
Kings: 44-27-11, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Oilers: Connor McDavid, 132 points (32 G, 100 A)
Kings: Adrian Kempe, 75 points (28 G, 47 A)

Consensus pick: Oilers

Schedule: (EDM leads 1-0)

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (26)play

McDavid notches 5 assists in Game 1 for the Oilers

Connor McDavid becomes the first NHL player to have 5 assists in a playoff game since 1998 in the Oilers' Game 1 win.

Game 1: EDM 7, LA 4 | Recap | Replay
Game 2: LA @ EDM | April 24, 10 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 3: EDM @ LA | April 26, 10:30 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 4: EDM @ LA | April 28, 10:30 p.m. (TBS) | Preview
Game 5: LA @ EDM | May 1* | Preview
Game 6: EDM @ LA | May 3* | Preview
Game 7: LA @ EDM | May 5* | Preview

Stanley Cup Playoffs Central: Bracket, schedule, preview for the NHL's postseason (2024)
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