The 2023 NHL Playoffs bracket has been finalized, and hockey fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the games tonight. Stay updated on the latest playoff results, access a printable bracket, and get the best NHL odds for upcoming games.
Keep track of the progress of each playoff series by following our updated NHL playoff bracket below. We’ll be covering every series right up to the end of the Stanley Cup Final, and you can also check out the odds for each team’s chances of winning the coveted Stanley Cup. Additionally, our Conn Smythe Trophy odds page lets you track individual player progress throughout the playoffs.
NHL playoff format
The NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting is a postseason tournament featuring 16 teams – eight from each conference – that have qualified based on their regular-season performance. The playoffs are structured as a four-round elimination tournament, with teams competing in a best-of-seven series until one team emerges as the victor.
The first round, also known as the Conference Quarterfinals, features the top-seeded team in each conference facing off against the eighth-seeded team, followed by the second-seeded team against the seventh-seeded team, and so on. Each team competes in a best-of-seven series, with the first team to win four games advancing to the next round. The series follows a 2-2-1-1-1 pattern, with the higher-seeded team having the home-ice advantage for the first two games, followed by the lower-seeded team for the next two games, and then alternating for the remaining games if necessary.
The Conference Semifinals, or the second round, features the winners of the first-round matchups within each conference. The format remains the same, with teams competing in a best-of-seven series and the winners advancing to the next round. The third round, known as the Conference Finals, brings the remaining two teams in each conference face-to-face in another best-of-seven series to determine the conference champions. Finally, the Eastern and Western Conference winners advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, which is also a best-of-seven series, to compete for the ultimate prize in professional ice hockey, the Stanley Cup.
