The NHL will soon host its postseason 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs once the 2022-2023 regular season ends, check out how the format for the playoff including details like number of teams, rounds, and more
The NHL regular season currently has just less than a month remaining on the schedule and clubs are currently aiming to secure postseason spots.
NHL 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs format explained, playoff teams, rounds, games
No surprise here, it was only a matter of time until Boston picked up the ❌.
The @NHLBruins grabbed their 50th win of the season and are the first team to clinch a spot in the 2023 #StanleyCup Playoffs.
#NHLStats: https://t.co/UwbigdgHbB pic.twitter.com/BHPhR3ABT5— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 12, 2023
The @NYRangers look to win their fifth straight game versus the Hurricanes (regular season & playoffs), while the @NJDevils can dethrone Carolina from top spot in the Metropolitan Division for the first time since Dec. 19.#NHLStats: https://t.co/xVZBBRYaHv pic.twitter.com/egjMuwOOSB
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 21, 2023
The upcoming 2023 NHL postseason playoffs is just the second consecutive year of normal postseason play following adjustments in the playoff format due to COVID-19.
NHL postseason playoffs number of teams
The NHL postseason playoffs will feature a total of 16 teams. Eight teams from both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will take part in the postseason playoffs.
Top three teams from each division in a conference, get guaranteed spots in the postseason playoffs. The winners of the divisions get the top two seeds for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the last two spots will go to the teams with the two best records compared to the remaining teams. This means that the teams can come from the same division depending on their records. These teams make up the wild-card teams.
NHL postseason playoffs format and rounds
The NHL postseason Stanley Cup playoffs features four rounds all discussed below:
First round
The first round of the NHL postseason playoffs features the top team in the conference against the second wild-card team. Meanwhile, the other division winners will take on the other wild-card team. The other matches will feature the No. 2 team against a No. 3 team from the same division.
Second round
Once the first round concludes, the NHL does no reseed the winners in the second round. Instead, the series winner of the No. 2 vs No. 3 teams will play against the winner of the series featuring the winner vs the wild card team.
Conference finals
Once the second rounds ends, the last two teams in each conference will square off in the conference finals.
Stanley Cup Finals
Finally, the two conference winners will then fight for the Stanley Cup in the finals.
NHL postseason Stanley Cup playoffs number of games in a series
Every series of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs will feature a best-of-seven series irrespective of the round. This means that the first team who wins four games will advance to the next round.
Teams play each series in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, where teams with the better record plays Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 at its home arena. Meanwhile, their opponents will host Games 3, 4, and 6. In this format, only the first four games in the series are played out regardless of the results. The other three, Games 5, 6 and 7 are played out only if necessary.
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