2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Schedule Announced
The National Hockey League has officially released the schedule for the opening games of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round, confirming that postseason action will begin on Saturday, April 18, 2026. The announcement was made on April 16, 2026, following the conclusion of the regular season.
The First Round will feature three games on opening night, with national broadcasts across ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. The matchups and times are as follows:
- 3:00 p.m. ET – Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN, SN, TVAS)
- 5:30 p.m. ET – Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars (ESPN, SN, TVAS)
- 8:00 p.m. ET – Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (ESPN, SN, TVAS)
Additional Game 1 matchups are scheduled for Sunday, April 19, and Monday, April 20, 2026, though specific times and broadcast details for those games were to be finalized later. The NHL noted that the complete First Round schedule would be announced once all playoff berths were confirmed after the regular season ended on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
The 2026 playoffs will follow the standard best-of-seven, four-round format, with the Stanley Cup Final set to begin in June. All games in the United States will be televised on ESPN, ABC, TNT, and TBS.
As of the announcement, several teams were positioned to qualify for the postseason after missing the 2025 playoffs, including the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Utah Mammoth. The Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings were still competing for final playoff positioning on the final night of the regular season.
The NHL highlighted that the 2026 postseason would see significant roster turnover compared to the previous year, with six teams changing from the 2024–25 playoff field — the second-highest such change in league history.