The NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs will begin in mid-April and the biggest question is whether the Boston Bruins can keep their spectacular play going through four rounds of the postseason.
They have already clinched a playoff spot and have a chance to break the NHL record of 62 wins in a season. But which other teams will make it and what are the matchups in the first round?
USA TODAY Sports is here with everything you need to know about the NHL playoffs, including updated playoff brackets. Here’s a comprehensive look at the current NHL postseason outlook, including when the playoffs and the Stanley Cup Final are scheduled to start:
This file will be updated weekly.
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Updated NHL playoff standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(as of March 21 — complete standings can be found here)
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning
Wild cards
New York Islanders
Florida Panthers
Currently out of playoff position
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitals
Ottawa Senators
Buffalo Sabres
Detroit Red Wings
Philadelphia Flyers
Montreal Canadiens
Columbus Blue Jackets
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
Dallas Stars
Minnesota Wild
Colorado Avalanche
Pacific Division
Vegas Golden Knights
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers
Wild card
Seattle Kraken
Winnipeg Jets
Currently out of playoff position
Calgary Flames
Nashville Predators
St. Louis Blues
Vancouver Canucks
Arizona Coyotes
Anaheim Ducks
Chicago Blackhawks
San Jose Sharks
Eastern Conference playoff bracket
(as of March 21)
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers
Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Western Conference
(as of March 21)
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets
Dallas Stars vs. Seattle Kraken
Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
When do the Stanley Cup playoffs begin?
They’re scheduled to begin on April 17, three days after the scheduled April 14 end of the regular season.
What is the tentative starting date of the Stanley Cup Final?
The scheduled starting date is June 3, though that’s subject to change. TNT will air the games.
Who won the Stanley Cup in 2022?
The Colorado Avalanche won for the first time since 2001. They defeated the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.
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When is the NHL draft?
The NHL draft is June 28 (first round) and June 29 (Rounds 2-7) at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The NHL draft lottery will be held at 7 p.m. ET on May 8 among the 16 non-playoff teams or teams that acquired their first-round picks in a trade. Teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the two drawings. Only the bottom 11 teams will have a chance to draft generational talent Connor Bedard at No. 1 overall.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket 2023 updates: Standings, schedule for postseason
