THW’s Guide to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – The Hockey Writers – Previews and Predictions

It’s officially that time of year. As the final NHL games of the regular season wrapped up on Thursday night (April 16), we are starting the second season: the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The postseason will have a bit of a different look this season, however, with six new teams entering the fold for a chance at the ultimate prize. It’s always exciting to have the bracket change year-over-year, while also still having some teams return for another chance at the title.

So with all the moving parts and new teams and players being introduced to this big stage, we may need to make some introductions to fans not all that familiar with everything or just fans that haven’t been able to follow the whole league. Let’s start by talking about the teams and dropping them into some categories that might help define who they are.

Group 1: Welcome Back to the Playoffs

This fleet of teams had been on a hiatus from the postseason for different amounts of time and reasons, but they’re back and ready to make a new impression and hopefully a long run.

Buffalo Sabres: It’s been 15 long years for the Sabres and their fans, but they are back and better than ever. With a young core primarily led by Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, this team is exciting to watch, and the playoff environment their fans will generate will be among the best in the field. They’ve gotten breakout seasons from other young players such as Ryan McLeod, Josh Doan, and Jack Quinn and are anchored by a wall in net in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Watch out for the Atlantic Division champions.

Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers are a team that has flown under the radar. The roster is woven with young talent and experienced veterans, which allows them to rely on everyone. Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras lead the scoring charge, while Jamie Drysdale and Travis Sanheim are the heart of the defence. They have also been able to lean on the unlikely emergence of goaltender Dan Vladar to steal them a game or two. This team has many possibilities with a balanced core returning to the playoffs after five absences.

Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are built similarly to the Flyers. They’ve brought in durable vets such as Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund, while also putting a lot of stock into their younger players like Cutter Gauthier and Jackson LaCombe. They have a rock-solid guy in Lukáš Dostál manning the crease, which is huge in close playoff games. They are inexperienced, like many of the teams in this group, but the West is wide open. Anaheim is back in the playoffs after seven straight misses.

Utah Mammoth: Technically, the Mammoth have never made the playoffs. The team they used to be (the Arizona Coyotes) last made it in 2020, so either way, it’s been a while. This team has been adamant in developing their young core over the years, and it has finally paid off. Combine that with adding a few offseason and deadline weapons, and this team is interesting.

Captain Clayton Keller is at the helm with young star Dylan Guenther and veteran Nick Schmaltz having career seasons alongside him. Mikhail Sergachev has also become a true number one blueliner for this team when they needed it, and MacKenzie Weegar was a perfect add as well. He’s a top-10 hitter in the NHL. Maybe the new squad in Utah surprises.

Pittsburgh Penguins: This is a team we’ve seen go deep into the playoffs with the same big three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang so many times. Now, after missing the last three postseasons, general manager Kyle Dubas has surrounded his decorated stars with some youth and speed, and they are right back into contention. Egor Chinakhov and Ben Kindel are among those leading the revitalized Penguins squad, each putting up over 35 points. Does Sid the Kid have one more in him?

Group 2: Back for Another Try

These teams returned to the playoffs in 2026 for the first time after some time off. With last year’s experience in the bag and this season’s momentum, watch out for these Canadian squads.

Montreal Canadiens: One of the most exciting teams to watch, in my opinion, the Canadiens are back in the playoffs again. They returned to the postseason in 2025 after missing three straight. They have a new 50-goal scorer in Cole Caufield, a quiet 100-point scorer in captain Nick Suzuki, and a future Norris Trophy winner in Lane Hutson. And that’s not even mentioning guys like Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovský, who are blossoming into stars.

One thing the Habs will need to keep an eye on is their young goalie tandem. Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler have been amazing for this team when they needed it, but they are among the least experienced of any playoff team. This team can score, but their success will likely hinge on their young duo’s ability to hold them in games.

Ottawa Senators: The Senators returned to the playoffs last season after a seven-year drought. They put up a good fight, and now they’re back for more. They’re led by scrappy captain Brady Tkachuk and a couple big seasons from Drake Batherson and Tim Stützle. The team’s blue line has been bruised and battered, but at full strength, I believe it’s one of the best ones in the league. If they can put it all together like they have at points this season, anything can happen for them this spring.

Group 3: The Mess of the West

This group all has recent experience, but hasn’t won it all anywhere from a few seasons ago to ever in their history. The Western Conference is a mix of juggernauts and teams that just squeaked in, but anything is possible in the NHL Playoffs.

Colorado Avalanche: The Presidents’ Trophy winners have more than earned that title this season. They lost just 16 games in regulation, taking until the end of February to hit double-digit regulation losses. Led by an abundance of stars like Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, and a career-defining season from Martin Necas, this team is terrifying. The goaltending tandem is the cherry on top. They can easily win their second Stanley Cup of the 2020s if they want to.

Minnesota Wild: The third-place team in a crazy-skilled Central Division is the Wild, who are absolutely desperate for a Round 1 win. They are almost always in the playoffs, but haven’t been past the first round since 2015. I believe this season is their best shot yet to do it. They may have a tough matchup in the Dallas Stars, but with huge star power in Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber, and two lights-out goalies, it’s hard not to have at least some faith in the “State of Hockey” and their team.

Dallas Stars: Now for the second-place team in the Central and another juggernaut in the West. The Stars are loaded down with star power. Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, and Jake Oettinger are the highlights of this deep roster. They’ve been turned away in three consecutive Western Conference Finals and face no easier challenge this season. Dallas will have to kick it into another gear this time around.

Los Angeles Kings: They don’t play the Oilers, finally, but unfortunately, they get the Avalanche to start things out. Then again, this hardworking Kings squad can never be counted out. They made a big swing mid-season for Artemi Panarin, who has been stellar since his arrival and is a great star to stack on top of Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield. The blue line and goaltending, although shaky at times, have found more than enough ways to win games for them at the right times.

They’re led by a couple of decorated stars in Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. It’ll take absolutely everyone, but the path and the talent are there for LA to do something.

Group 4: Panthers Redemption

The fourth and final category is reserved for those who have fallen victim to the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers. Due to a mountain of injuries, they have missed the postseason this time around. These four teams will be dying to take advantage of their absence and claim the title.

Edmonton Oilers: The team that has suffered by far the most heartbreak at the hands of the Panthers in recent history is the Oilers. They are back once again, with another new-look squad and two different goalies. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard are a trio that they can always rely on, with each of them recording over 90 points. They’ve been able to rely on depth lately amid a slew of injuries, which is a positive sign for the playoffs. Is this the year Edmonton gets over the hump?

Carolina Hurricanes: The Hurricanes are like the Oilers, except they can’t seem to get past the conference finals. They’ve lost in the third round three times since 2019, including twice to Florida. Maybe that trend ends this season. Their roster is as well-balanced as any other team’s, and that rings true through all three position groups. The addition of Nikolaj Ehlers gave them a huge bump and complemented the star power of Sebastian Aho nicely.

The defence is always good, led by Jaccob Slavin. Of course, there’s the goalie group too, where they have three strong options who can start any night and produce quality play. Can the Canes get the job done?

Tampa Bay Lightning: The other Florida team is riding high this season and looking to keep the Cup in-state. They’ve been knocked out in each of the last two first rounds by the Panthers, so hopefully a different matchup brings different luck. Nikita Kucherov led the way this season with 130 points, Jake Guentzel set a new career-high with 88 points, and the emergence of Darren Raddysh as a two-way weapon was the perfect recipe for this team. Expect them to make noise down south.

Boston Bruins: It all seemed to come crumbling down after the Panthers ended the Bruins 2024 Playoff run. They missed the playoffs last season and saw captain Brad Marchand traded to that same Cup-winning Florida squad.

It’s time for Boston to forget all of that. David Pastrnak has recorded his fourth-straight 100-point campaign, Morgan Geekie scored a career-high 39 goals, and the rest of the Bruins’ depth is firing at the right time. Jeremy Swayman has also seemingly found his game after a tough 2024-25 season, so he’ll be one to watch in Round 1. The B’s are in tough with the hungry Sabres, but don’t let them get hot.

Players to Watch

This section could be an article all by itself, so we’ll keep it brief. McDavid and Draisaitl are must-watch television every night, and as mentioned, they are on the hunt for revenge times two. I would keep an eye on them. Staying in the West, MacKinnon and Makar are a dangerous duo, and with the way their team has been rolling all season, they’ll likely be around entertaining us for a while this spring. They’re looking for their second Cup, as mentioned.

If you want goal scorers who will be relied on by their teams to pave the way, look at the Eastern Conference. Caufield, Pastrnak, and Kucherov are all names that will look to stake their claim in a deep field of teams. They have all been very successful in their playoff careers so far. Another guy with lots of success recently in the playoffs is Rantanen. He will be one to watch in Dallas as he looks to push his team all the way. He had a stellar 2025 Playoffs with 22 points in 18 games.

Other names to watch are some new stories to the playoff world that will be interesting. The duos of Keller and Lawson Crouse with Utah and Thompson and Dahlin with Buffalo are two that have long tenures with their teams. The Utah/Arizona group has just one appearance, and the Sabres none, so it will be fun to watch these guys lead their teams into battle with a real chance at a Cup for the first time in their careers.

Game 1 Schedule

Here’s the schedule for every team’s first game of the playoffs. All times are listed in Mountain Daylight Time. Don’t forget to check out the full Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule to follow your team.

Saturday is the start of about two straight months of playoff hockey. Enjoy the ride and be sure to come back to The Hockey Writers for the best coverage of everything happening.