- Saturday’s triple-header opens with Ottawa at Carolina, followed by Minnesota at Dallas and Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
- Buffalo will host its first playoff game since 2011, with six teams returning to the postseason after missing last year
- Full matchup details, schedule breakdown, and what to watch for — read below
The NHL dropped the first round schedule on Wednesday afternoon, and the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will open with a loaded Saturday triple-header on April 18.
All three Saturday games will air on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. The action starts at 3 p.m. ET with the Ottawa Senators visiting the Carolina Hurricanes. Minnesota travels to Dallas at 5:30 p.m. ET. The nightcap belongs to the Philadelphia Flyers heading to Pittsburgh at 8 p.m. ET for a cross-state rivalry matchup.
Sunday’s slate features four games across both conferences. The Boston Bruins visit the Atlantic Division champion Buffalo Sabres, who will host a playoff game for the first time since 2011. The Montreal Canadiens head to Tampa Bay to face a Lightning team making its ninth straight postseason appearance. Out west, the Utah Mammoth travel to Vegas, and a Western Conference wild card team will visit Colorado. Times and broadcast details for Sunday are still pending.
Monday rounds out the opening wave with one Pacific Division matchup yet to be finalized. Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles all played on Thursday night with seeding still on the line.
This year’s playoff field features a six-team turnover from last season, the second-highest in NHL history. Anaheim, Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Utah all missed the postseason in 2024-25. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will each skate in their 16th career postseason, extending their franchise record with the Penguins.
Utah becomes the 23rd state to host Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey. The Mammoth joined a short list of expansion-era teams to reach the playoffs within their first two NHL seasons, alongside the Oilers and Golden Knights.
The full first round schedule, including Game 2 dates and remaining broadcast assignments, will be released after the regular season wraps up Thursday night. For more on this year’s playoff picture, check the full schedule breakdown at NHL.com.
