Stanley Cup 2026: Schedule, Favorites, and Editorial Predictions

The Stanley Cup is the main trophy of the National Hockey League, contested at the end of the playoff season. The best teams from the regular season compete for the title, and the tournament traditionally takes place from April to June.

The playoffs feature 16 teams—8 from the Western Conference and 8 from the Eastern Conference. The clubs play in knockout series until one team wins four games. This format makes each round extremely intense, and the ultimate winner is determined not only by skill but also by roster depth, the form of the leaders, and consistency over the series.

The Stanley Cup is considered the most competitive and thrilling tournament in world hockey: each series and game can be unpredictable, leaders may falter, and wild-card teams can advance further and further.

In this article, we will analyze the format of the 2026 Stanley Cup, the match schedule, assess the tournament favorites, and provide a prediction for the playoff outcome.

How the NHL Playoffs Work

The NHL playoffs, where the best team will receive the Stanley Cup, involve 16 clubs—8 of the best teams from the regular season from both the Western and Eastern Conferences. Below is the list of participants for the 2026 Stanley Cup.

Western Conference

• Colorado Avalanche
• Dallas Stars
• Minnesota Wild
• Vegas Golden Knights
• Edmonton Oilers
• Anaheim Ducks
• Utah Mammoth
• Los Angeles Kings

Eastern Conference

• Carolina Hurricanes
• Buffalo Sabres
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• Montreal Canadiens
• Pittsburgh Penguins
• Boston Bruins
• Ottawa Senators
• Philadelphia Flyers

The NHL Playoffs consist of four stages: the first round (⅛ finals), the second round (¼ finals), the semifinals, and the final series. To advance to the next stage, a team must win four times against their opponent. Therefore, the minimum number of games in one series is four, and the maximum is seven.

The home-ice advantage in each round is awarded to the team with the higher seed based on the regular season results. The series games follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, where the higher-seeded team hosts the first two games, as well as the fifth and seventh games if necessary. The lower-seeded team hosts the third, fourth, and sixth games if needed.

The first matches of the ⅛ finals series start on April 18. The seventh game of the final series is scheduled for June 21, but if fewer games are needed in the decisive series, the tournament may conclude on June 15, 17, or 19.

⅛ Finals

In the first round, teams from the same conference will play against each other in the usual divisional format. Division winners will face two teams that made it to the playoffs through the wild card, with the top division winner playing the lower-seeded team and the second division winner playing the higher-seeded team. The 2nd and 3rd teams of the divisions will play against each other.

¼ Finals

In the quarterfinal series within each conference, the winner of the series between the 2nd and 3rd division teams will meet the winner of the series between the 1st division team and a wild card club.

½ Finals (Conference Finals)

At this stage, the winners of the second-round series will face off. Thus, among the four best teams in the championship, there will be two clubs from the Western Conference and two clubs from the Eastern Conference. Clubs from the same conference will play against each other.

Final

In the final series, the best teams from the ½ finals will meet, one from each conference.

Playoff Match Schedule

The NHL Playoffs will start on April 18, 2026. The schedule for the first-round series is planned up to and including May 5. The ¼ final series will take place from May 6 to May 22, the ½ final series from May 22 to June 5, and the final series from June 5 to June 24.

Western Conference

Eastern Conference

Top Contenders for the Title

The list of the three most obvious favorites according to bookmakers to win the 2026 Stanley Cup includes the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Colorado Avalanche

Why they should win: holder of the Presidents' Trophy, the highest-scoring team of the regular season, and the best defense in the NHL. On average, the Avalanche players scored 3.71 goals per game – an incredibly high figure. They conceded only 2.53. Moreover, the Avalanche roster includes the top scorer of the regular season and the third top point-getter of the championship, Nathan MacKinnon.

Odds to win the Stanley Cup: 4.2*

Chances to win the Stanley Cup: 23.8%

*Here and further: odds are approximate at the time of publication and may vary across different bookmakers' lines

Tampa Bay Lightning

Odds to win the Stanley Cup: 5.25

Chances to win the Stanley Cup: 19%

Carolina Hurricanes

Why they should win: the best team in the Eastern Conference and the most "home" team in the league – the Canes have won over 70% of their games at home. They lead the Eastern teams in average scoring (3.62 per game).

Odds to win the Stanley Cup: 5.85

Chances to win the Stanley Cup: 17.1%

Who might surprise

There are probably at least three clubs that will try to surprise, in which bookmakers have less faith than in their opponents. We are talking about the Minnesota Wild, Utah Mammoth, and Boston Bruins. The "Wild" had a good regular season – they are quite capable of taking the series against Dallas to a seventh game. Utah, in their debut playoff appearance, might make some noise – especially since they got lucky with the seeding (they avoided the bracket with the Colorado Avalanche). As for the Boston Bruins, bookmakers consider them the least likely winners among the 16 teams, but the "Bears" will try to take their 2-3 games in the series against Buffalo.

Who will win the 2026 Stanley Cup

Finally, the most interesting part – our editorial prediction for the Stanley Cup. First, let's take a look at the bookmakers' odds for winning the tournament.

Long-term Bets on the NHL Playoffs 2026

For now, we offer you to explore key and special bets on the outcomes in the conferences and the selection of the potential Stanley Cup winner 2026.

Stanley Cup Winner – from the Western Conference

Odds: 1.85

Statistically, over the past 20 years, only once have teams from the Eastern Conference won the trophy three seasons in a row. Eastern clubs have reached a series of two consecutive cup wins three times, but the West interrupted their series in those cases. Moreover, Western Conference clubs look very strong this season – and it's not just about the Colorado Avalanche, as the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are also very formidable contenders.

Stanley Cup Winner – from the Central Division

Odds: 2.5

Although the bracket featuring Edmonton and Vegas appears less predictable and somewhat easier, it’s hard to believe that either of them will first get past a team like Colorado or Dallas in the conference finals, and then defeat the best team from the East in the championship final. Therefore, if you’re looking to take a risk with decent odds — this is your chance!

Division of the Western Conference Winner – Central

Odds: 1.43

If you don't feel like taking risks, the optimal choice is the Western Conference. Especially since Utah made it through the wild card to another bracket – and can easily knock out one or two opponents there. Minnesota has won 10 out of 12 games (83%) against teams from the Pacific Division playoff zone this season, Colorado – 9 out of 12 (75%), Dallas – 8 out of 12 (67%).

Special NHL Playoff Bets

Total matches with a 0:0 score in regular time less than 0.5

Odds: 1.6

In the last four seasons, this betting option has been successful in three cases. Goaltending in playoff games will be at the highest level, but delivering two consecutive seasons with zero outcomes in regular time will be challenging. Hence, bookmakers offer not the highest odds for such a development.

Number of shutout wins in regular time less than 8.5

Odds: 2.03

Despite the high level of goaltending skills, the offensive power of teams is growing stronger, and playoff games are increasingly less resembling defensive fortresses. If we consider trends for the proposed bet, it's enough to look at how the average seasonal figures for the number of shutout games are decreasing. Over a 15-year span, the average number of such games in one Stanley Cup is 11.5, over ten years – 10.5, over five years – 8.6. Let's assume that this season we will see no more than eight such games – this option was profitable in two of the last three seasons.

Number of seven-game series less than 4.5

Odds: 1.75

Despite serious competition, in recent years, seven-game series are becoming less frequent – the option with no more than four series was profitable in 5 out of the last 6 seasons. However, over this span, the average number of such series is close to four (3.83), so caution is advised, and one should rely on a more detailed study of the current matchups and potential pairings in the next rounds.

How to Make Predictions for NHL Playoffs

Hockey match predictions, especially NHL playoff games, require a different approach compared to the regular season. Here, not only the current form of the teams plays a decisive role, but also the specifics of the tournament format.

The format of the series is a key factor. All Stanley Cup rounds are played in a best-of-seven format. This means teams are able to adapt to each other over the course of the matchup, and random results occur less frequently. It is important to consider how well teams adjust after losses and handle long series.

The home-ice advantage also matters. Higher-seeded teams get the advantage of playing on their own rink, where they often perform more confidently. Crowd support, familiar conditions, and reduced travel can provide an extra edge, especially in decisive games.

Fatigue and scheduling become more noticeable as the tournament progresses. Long series, overtime games, and a tight schedule affect players’ physical condition. Teams with deeper rosters and effective rotation tend to handle these demands better.

Team playing style is another crucial element for analysis. In the playoffs, hockey becomes more conservative, with greater emphasis on defense and goaltending. Teams that play in a structured and disciplined manner often gain an advantage over more offensive but inconsistent opponents.

Considering all these factors together allows for a more accurate assessment of teams’ chances and helps make well-founded predictions for NHL playoff games.

The current match schedule helps track the progress of the tournament, understand the structure of the series, and identify key matchups at each stage in advance. This is especially important when preparing predictions, as every detail—from the schedule to team form—can influence the final outcome.

Follow the playoff updates and use Stanley Cup match predictions to stay informed about all key NHL events and make more informed decisions throughout the tournament.

If you want to dive deeper into hockey betting, we also recommend reading our other articles on the topic:

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• Hockey at the 2026 Olympics: Results, Statistics, and Top Players
• The Difference Between a Hat Trick and a Natural Hat Trick in Hockey
• The Importance of Zone Entries in Modern Hockey
• Home Ice Advantage in the NHL