The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs start Monday, April 17.
The defending champions, the Colorado Avalanche, reached the NHL postseason but now will have to conquer not only their Western Conference foes but the Boston Bruins, who set an NHL record with a ludicrous total of 65 wins.
Read about the hockey postseason structure, and download our printable PDF bracket for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL Playoff Bracket 2023 Printable
Download our Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket PDF.
How Do the Stanley Cup Playoffs Work?
This was the most difficult playoff to qualify for in NHL history, with only 16 of the 32 teams (50 percent) qualifying for the annual postseason tournament. As many as 76.2 percent qualified — 16 of the 21-team league — as recently as 1990.
The postseason consisted of four best-of-seven rounds, with the Cup champion needing to win 16 games to lift the trophy. Eight teams from each conference qualify — three from each division plus a pair of wild cards in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
See which teams I listed as the best bets to win the Stanley Cup.
Eastern Conference NHL Playoffs
Round 1
ATLANTIC DIVISION
A1 Boston Bruinsvs WC2 Florida Panthers- A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs
A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
- M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs
WC1 New York Islanders - M2 New Jersey Devils vs
M3 New York Rangers
Round 2
ATLANTIC DIVISION
A2 Toronto Maple Leafsvs WC2 Florida Panthers
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
- M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs
M2 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference NHL Playoffs
Round 1
CENTRAL DIVISION
C1 Colorado Avalanchevs WC1 Seattle Kraken- C2 Dallas Stars vs
C3 Minnesota Wild
PACIFIC DIVISION
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs
WC2 Winnipeg Jets - P2 Edmonton Oilers vs
P3 Los Angeles Kings
Round 2
CENTRAL DIVISION
- C2 Dallas Stars
vs WC1 Seattle Kraken
PACIFIC DIVISION
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights
vs P2 Edmonton Oilers
NHL Playoffs Conference Finals
EASTERN CONFERENCE
M1 Carolina Hurricanesvs WC2 Florida Panthers
WESTERN CONFERENCE
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs
C2 Dallas Stars
NHL Playoffs: Stanley Cup Final
- Vegas Golden Knights vs Florida Panthers
Follow our full Stanley Cup Final best bets coverage.
How to Bet on the NHL Playoffs
The playoffs are among the most exciting events to bet on the North American sports calendar. Betting on the postseason is as easy as placing a Futures bet at the moment, but more props and picks — including taking odds and bets on whether any bubble teams will miss the postseason — are available to wager at most online sportsbooks.
NHL Playoff Promotions
There will undoubtedly be boosts and prop promos come playoff time — aside from the aforementioned wagers we mentioned above. Be on the lookout for those in the coming days.
