+ Conflict with the World Cup
The playoffs start on Saturday and will last just over two months. When the final series gets underway, it begins in early June and it will consist of seven games, played on the night of June 22, by which time the midsummer celebrations will have passed and we are in the middle of the World Cup.
+ The matches in the first round
Eastern Conference, starting Saturday: Carolina (1 in the Metropolitan Division)–Ottawa (wild-card 2), Sunday night: Pittsburgh (2 in Metropolitan)–Philadelphia (3 in Metropolitan), Sunday: Tampa Bay (2 in Atlantic)–Montreal (3 in Atlantic), Monday night: Buffalo (1 in Atlantic)–Boston (wild-card 1).
Western Conference, starting Saturday: Dallas (2nd in Central)–Minnesota (3rd in Central), Sunday: Colorado (1st in Central)–Los Angeles (wild-card 2), Monday night: Vegas (1st in Pacific)–Utah (wild-card 1), Tuesday night: Edmonton (2nd in Pacific)–Anaheim (3rd in Pacific).
Viaplay broadcasts all matches.
+ Sabres, Mammoths and Ducks
After 14 straight seasons of missing the playoffs - an NHL record - the Buffalo Sabres are making their first playoff appearance since 2011. It will be captain Rasmus Dahlin’s first NHL playoff appearance in his eighth season with the club. Buffalo qualified as the second-best team in the East after a remarkable turnaround that began in December, when the team was in last place. A ten-game winning streak followed and of the team’s last 53 games, 39 have ended in victory.
The second-longest wait was for Leo Carlsson's Anaheim Ducks, who are making their first playoff appearance since 2018. The Utah Mammoths are making their first playoff appearance in franchise history. The Mammoths are in their second NHL season after being sold and moved from Arizona.
+ Favorites
After two straight titles and three straight Finals, an injury-hit Florida Panthers missed the playoffs. Instead, Gabriel Landeskog's Colorado enters as the favorite after the team won the Presidents Trophy as the best team in the regular season. The Avalanche won 55 of 82 games. Colorado won its most recent title in 2022. Carolina was the best in the East, but has fallen in the semifinals three times in the last seven seasons and has earned a reputation as the team that can't get past the semifinals.
+ The stars
Connor McDavid won the NHL's scoring title for the sixth time, with 48 goals and 138 points in 82 games, and after two straight Final losses, his Edmonton Oilers are chasing the title - in that case the first Canadian team since Montreal won in 1993. German goal machine Leon Draisaitl is also expected to be back for the playoffs.
Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon led the NHL in goals with 53, and the team also features defenseman Cale Makar.
Sidney Crosby, 38, is chasing his fourth Cup title as his Pittsburgh team returns after three years without a playoff appearance. Crosby is making his 16th playoff appearance of his career.
+ Swedish stars
Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is the Swede who has impressed the most in the NHL this season. He also set a personal best in scoring with 74 points (19 goals and 55 assists) in 77 games. Erik Karlsson, 35, has returned to his old form after the Olympics and has been excellent in Pittsburgh with 31 points (11 goals and 20 assists) in the last 24 games.
Adrian Kempe has pushed Los Angeles to the playoffs with 36 goals, the second-most among Swedish players in the NHL after Filip Forsberg of Nashville, who scored 40 goals.
+ Ten most recent champion teams
2025: Florida, 2024: Florida, 2023: Vegas, 2022: Colorado, 2021: Tampa Bay, 2020: Tampa Bay, 2019: St. Louis, 2018: Washington, 2017: Pittsburgh, 2016: Pittsburgh.
