While the 2021 NHL regular season won't officially be over until the final horn sounds at the conclusion of Wednesday's afternoon matinee between the Canucks and Flames, the playoffs will already be in full swing. The 2021 playoffs begin Saturday when the Bruins and Capitals hit the ice in Washington, D.C.
Unlike the 2020 summer bubble, there will be no qualifying round in 2021; that's right, we're down to the usual sweet 16. But, hockey fans, that's the only part of this postseason that's normal. No one will be avoiding touching — or maybe they will, every team has its own superstition — the Campbell Bowl (Western Conference champion) or the Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference champion) this year.
With teams realigned because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the division champions will square off in the final four, with the winners battling it out for the greatest trophy in all of sports: the Stanley Cup.
Who will be left standing at the end is anyone's guess, which is what makes the NHL's playoffs so mesmerizing and heart-thumping. Below is the full 2021 NHL playoff bracket and schedule, along with updated odds for who will raise Lord Stanley's Cup.
When do the 2021 NHL playoffs start?
The Stanley Cup playoffs were set to begin May 11 following a May 8 conclusion to the regular season. The NHL announced May 10 that the Bruins and Capitals would begin their first-round series on Saturday, May 15.
The NHL announced the remainder of the playoff schedule Thursday, with the North Division starting the latest. No. 1 seed Toronto will begin its series against fellow Original Six squad Montreal on Thursday, May 20. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers will start their best-of-seven set against the Jets one night prior.
2021 NHL playoffs bracket
How do the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs work?
The 2021 season is unlike any other, and that includes the playoffs. Unlike previous years, there will not be an Eastern Conference or a Western Conference champion. Instead, there will be four division champions meeting in the semis.
Before teams reach the final four, the playoffs will start with teams battling inside their division. The top-seeded squad in each division will face the No. 4 team in the division; the second-place team will play the No. 3 squad.
The first-round winners will square off in the second round, and then the champions of each division will meet in the 2021 Stanley Cup semifinals. Teams will be reseeded by regular-season points totals for the semis; the team with the best regular-season record will play the team with the fourth-best record, and No. 2 will play No. 3. The semifinal winners will then compete for Lord Stanley's Cup in the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
Each series in 2021 will be a best of seven.
MORE: In the U.S., watch every NHL game on fuboTV (7-day free trial)
NHL playoff first-round schedule
(All times Eastern)
East Division
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (4) New York Islanders
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Sun., May 16 | at Pittsburgh | Noon (NBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Pittsburgh | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at New York | 7 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at New York | 3 p.m. (NBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Pittsburgh | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at New York | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Pittsburgh | TBD |
(* If necessary)
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(2) Washington Capitals vs. (3) Boston Bruins
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Sat., May 15 | at Washington | 7:15 p.m. (NBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports, OMNI) |
| Mon., May 17 | at Washington | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at Washington | 7 p.m. (USA, SN1, TVA Sports) |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Boston | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Washington | TBD |
(* If necessary)
North Division
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Thu., May 20 | at Toronto | 7:30 p.m. (NHL Network, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Toronto | 7 p.m. (CNBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports, OMNI) |
| Mon., May 24 | at Montreal | 7 p.m. ET (SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Tue., May 25 | at Montreal | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Toronto | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Montreal | TBD |
| *Mon., May 31 | at Toronto | TBD |
(* If necessary)
(2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at Winnipeg | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Mon., May 24 | at Winnipeg | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Edmonton | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Winnipeg | TBD |
| *Sun., May 30 | at Edmonton | TBD |
(* If necessary)
Central Division
(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Nashville Predators
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Mon., May 17 | at Carolina | 8 p.m. (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Carolina | 8 p.m. (CNBC, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Nashville | 7 p.m. (USA, FXX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at Nashville | 2:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports) |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Carolina | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Nashville | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Carolina | TBD |
(* If necessary)
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(2) Florida Panthers vs. (3) Tampa Bay Lightning
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Sun., May 16 | at Florida | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Florida | 8 p.m. (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at Tampa Bay | 6:30 p.m. (USA, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Tampa Bay | 12:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Florida | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Florida | TBD |
(* If necessary)
West Division
(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (4) St. Louis Blues
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Mon., May 17 | at Colorado | 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN1, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Colorado | 10:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at St. Louis | 9:30 p.m. (USA, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at St. Louis | 5 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Colorado | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at St. Louis | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Colorado | TBD |
(* If necessary)
(2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Minnesota Wild
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel) |
| Sun., May 16 | at Vegas | 3 p.m. (NBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Vegas | 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at Minnesota | 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Minnesota | 8 p.m. (NBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Vegas | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Minnesota | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Vegas | TBD |
(* If necessary)
Updated odds to win the 2021 Stanley Cup
| Team | Odds* |
|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +450 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +550 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +650 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +750 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +850 |
| Boston Bruins | +1300 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +1300 |
| Washington Capitals | +1300 |
| Florida Panthers | +1500 |
| New York Islanders | +1600 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2200 |
| Minnesota Wild | +2500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +2800 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +3000 |
| Nashville Predators | +4100 |
| St. Louis Blues | +4100 |
* Odds according to FanDuel.