With the regular season concluded, the 2025 Stanley Cup playoff bracket is finalized, setting the stage for a thrilling postseason. Wild‑card duels and high‑stakes matchups promise drama from opening puck drop to the final.
This dynamic interactive list transforms coverage into a live roadmap of the playoffs: each series update reveals scores, head‑to‑head histories and underdog breakthroughs. Each achievement charts the path to the coveted championship.
Designed for clarity and speed, it delivers real‑time progress without distractions. Seamless desktop‑to‑mobile transitions ensure uninterrupted tracking of upsets, overtime thrillers, and top‑seeded teams vying for the NHL‘s big cup.
Stanley Cup 2025 bracket
Teams are split between the Eastern and Western Conferences, with the first round matchups at the base and arrows directing the progression of winning teams through the semifinals, conference finals and ultimately, the final.
From wild-card entries clawing their way through the competition to top-seeded juggernauts defending their dominance, the bracket’s structure clearly outlines the path each team must take to claim hockey’s most coveted trophy.
The NHL has already released the 2025 bracket layout, allowing fans and media outlets to have their picks ready before the action begins. Check out how each of the brackets would look, according to USA Today Sports:
Eastern Conference bracket
A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference bracket
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
The Montreal Canadiens celebrate a 4-2 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes and clinch the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs at the Bell Centre on April 16, 2025. (Source: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Key dates
- April 19, 2025: The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs kick off with the First Round, as 16 teams begin their best‑of‑seven quests for hockey’s ultimate prize.
- June 15, 2025: Deadline for the first club‑elected salary arbitration notification, set as the later of June 15 or 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.
- June 23, 2025: The Stanley Cup Final is slated to conclude by this date at the latest, wrapping up the postseason and crowning the 2025 champion.
Eastern Conference team information
| Seed | Team |
| A1 | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| A2 | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| A3 | Florida Panthers |
| WC2 | Montreal Canadiens |
| M1 | Washington Capitals |
| M2 | Carolina Hurricanes |
| M3 | New Jersey Devils |
| WC1 | Ottawa Senators |
“WC1” and “WC2” denote the Wild‑Card teams, which slot in as the conference’s fourth seeds. The bracket follows the NHL’s 2‑2‑1‑1‑1 home‑ice format throughout each best‑of‑seven series.
Western Conference team information
| Seed | Team |
| C1 | Winnipeg Jets |
| C2 | Dallas Stars |
| C3 | Colorado Avalanche |
| WC2 | St. Louis Blues |
| P1 | Vegas Golden Knights |
| P2 | Los Angeles Kings |
| P3 | Edmonton Oilers |
| WC1 | Minnesota Wild |
