Following two strange seasons due to the pandemic outbreak, the NHL returned to normalcy for the 2021-22 campaign with a full regular season. However, it's time to turn the page as the Stanley Cup playoffs are already underway.
Only 16 teams have made the postseason and remain alive in the quest for the most coveted prize in the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup, donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892, is also the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the reigning champions of the NHL with two straight titles under their belts, first beating the Dallas Stars in 2020 and later frustrating the Montreal Canadiens' hopes of ending a 28-year drought last season. Here, take a look at everything you need to know about the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Format and Teams
16 teams - eight from each conference, Eastern and Western - have qualified for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, the best three in each division and two wild-card teams. The field consists of four rounds to be played in best-of-seven series.
In the first round, division winners take on the wild-card teams while the second and third-seeded teams in each division face each other. Teams with better record in the regular season have home-ice advantage, which means that they host the first two games of the series and also Games 5 and 7 (if needed). These are all the teams that have qualified for the 2022 NHL playoffs:
-
Eastern Conference
Metropolitan Division
- Carolina Hurricanes (116 points)
- New York Rangers (110 points)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (103 points)
- Washington Capitals (100 points)
Atlantic Division
- Florida Panthers (122 points)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (115 points)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (110 points)
- Boston Bruins (107 points)
-
Western Conference
Central Division
- Colorado Avalanche (119 points)
- Minnesota Wild (113 points)
- St. Louis Blues (109 points)
- Dallas Stars (98 points)
- Nashville Predators (97 points)
Pacific Division
- Calgary Flames (111 points)
- Edmonton Oilers (104 points)
- Los Angeles Kings (99 points)
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Schedule
Monday, May 2
- Boston at Carolina
- Tampa Bay at Toronto
- St. Louis at Minnesota
- Los Angeles at Edmonton
Tuesday, May 3
- Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
- Washington at Florida
- Nashville at Colorado
- Dallas at Calgary
Wednesday, May 4
- Boston at Carolina
- Tampa Bay at Toronto
- St. Louis at Minnesota
- Los Angeles at Edmonton
Thursday, May 5
- Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
- Washington at Florida
- Nashville at Colorado
- Dallas at Calgary
Friday, May 6
- Carolina at Boston
- Toronto at Tampa Bay
- Minnesota at St. Louis
- Edmonton at Los Angeles
Saturday, May 7
- NY Rangers at Pittsburgh
- Florida at Washington
- Colorado at Nashville
- Calgary at Dallas
Sunday, May 8
- Carolina at Boston
- Toronto at Tampa Bay
- Minnesota at St. Louis
- Edmonton at Los Angeles
Monday, May 9
- NY Rangers at Pittsburgh
- Florida at Washington
- Colorado at Nashville
- Calgary at Dallas
If needed:
Tuesday, May 10
- Boston at Carolina
- Tampa Bay at Toronto
- St. Louis at Minnesota
- Los Angeles at Edmonton
Wednesday, May 11
- Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
- Washington at Florida
- Nashville at Colorado
- Dallas at Calgary
Thursday, May 12
- Carolina at Boston
- Toronto at Tampa Bay
- Minnesota at St. Louis
- Edmonton at Los Angeles
Friday, May 13
- NY Rangers at Pittsburgh
- Florida at Washington
- Colorado at Nashville
- Calgary at Dallas
Saturday, May 14
- Boston at Carolina
- Tampa Bay at Toronto
- St. Louis at Minnesota
- Los Angeles at Edmonton
Sunday, May 15
- Pittsburgh at NY Rangers
- Washington at Florida
- Nashville at Colorado
- Dallas at Calgary
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs: Bracket
2022 Stanley Cup playoffs predictions & odds: Which teams are favored to win the trophy?
The Florida Panthers may head into the postseason as strong contenders following a fantastic campaign that saw them win the 2021-22 Presidents' Trophy, but oddsmakers don't see them as the biggest favorites. According to Caesars, the Colorado Avalanche are the most favored team to win the 2022 Stanley Cup with +330 odds.
- Colorado Avalanche +330
- Florida Panthers +550
- Calgary Flames +750
- Toronto Maple Leafs +1000
- Carolina Hurricanes +1100
- Tampa Bay Lightning +1100
- Minnesota Wild +1600
- Boston Bruins +1600
- New York Rangers +1600
- Edmonton Oilers +1800
- St. Louis Blues +2000
- Pittsburgh Penguins +2000
- Washington Capitals +4000
- Dallas Stars +5000
- Nashville Predators +5000
- Los Angeles Kings +5000
