This year’s 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs will look a bit different than usual. In a normal year, the NHL playoffs would be divided by conference and feature the wild card system fans have been accustomed to for the last seven years or so. Now, however, thanks to the pandemic-shortened 56-game season that featured just intra-division play, the Stanley Cup playoffs are set to get a little weird and a little wild.
Of course, NHL playoff hockey is playoff hockey. We’re going to get the same heart-stopping, intense postseason action we usually do until a Stanley Cup champion is crowned. It’ll just look a bit different than normal.
There’s a lot to get caught up on, from which teams made the playoffs to seeding to the schedule and more. With that in mind, here’s all you need to know about the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs and how they’ll work.
Are the playoffs expanded like last year? What about play-in games like the NBA?
For starters, no the 2021 NHL playoffs aren’t expanded this year! Unlike last year’s 24-team playoff which featured a play-in round to make it fair to teams that played fewer games, these playoffs will have just 16 teams like usual.
And no, there aren’t any play-ins like the NBA has. It’d be cool to see the NHL move towards a play-in tournament system that makes the final seeds competitive, but that’s not currently on the league’s radar at the moment.
So if there are no play-ins, how does the NHL's format work?
Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
With the NHL playing in a four-division format this year for the regular season, the playoffs — for the first two rounds, anyway — will be intra-division. That means the four divisions — the North, East, Central, and West — will send the top four teams in their respective divisions to the playoffs to make up the 16 teams.
From there, the teams will be seeded by regular season standings, with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed playing the No. 3 seed in a best-of-seven series.
(And yes, all series in these playoffs will be best-of-seven!)
Once there is just one team remaining in each division, the four teams will then move onto the Stanley Cup Semifinals. If that sounds a bit confusing written out, the NHL recently put out a nice video explainer (with visuals!) on the format.
A reminder that the path to the #StanleyCup will look a little different this season. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/ZguhjxLfBm
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 13, 2021
The semifinals is where things get… interesting. With the four division winners crowned, the teams will then be re-seeded by regular season standings, and the same No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 format will apply until a Stanley Cup champion is named.
Does that mean we could get an unconventional Stanley Cup Final?
(Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
We very well could! This unusual format means we could see two teams usually in the Western Conference — such as Edmonton and Vegas — play for the Stanley Cup. Don’t get me started on how the NHL will award the Conference trophies — the Prince of Wales Trophy and the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl — this year given that there will be no conference champion!
Sadly, given there will be only one North Division team moving onto the semifinals this year, we will not be getting an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final.
With that out of the way, which teams have made the playoffs?
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
An important question! Now that the Colorado Avalanche have taken the No. 1 seed in the West, we know all the teams and the first-round matchups.
East Division
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Washington Capitals
- Boston Bruins
- New York Islanders
North Division
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Edmonton Oilers
- Winnipeg Jets
- Montreal Canadiens
Central Division
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Florida Panthers
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Nashville Predators
West Division
- Colorado Avalanche
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Minnesota Wild
- St. Louis Blues
The NHL playoff matchups are now set. https://t.co/mqaEW5LR5q pic.twitter.com/DSLoEdVZ1X
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) May 14, 2021
But wait, isn't the regular season still going?
It is, unfortunately. Due to the Vancouver Canucks COVID outbreak back in April, the North Division will be playing regular season games until Wednesday, May 19. That means the North Division’s playoffs won’t start until Thursday, insuring that the Canadian teams will be a bit behind the rest of the league.
Mark your calendars 🗓
Our series schedule is set for the opening round against the Canadiens.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Z4mTES2sCB
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 13, 2021
It’s hard to say if the NHL will hold off on playing the second round until all the first-round matchups are complete, but there will be a bit of a gap between Canada and the rest of the league.
Are the teams going to be in a bubble like last year?
As of now there will be no bubble this year, but there is a bit of a snag with the Canadian teams. Due to border issues, the Canadian team may have to play in the United States when we get down to the final four teams in the semifinals.
As of late-April, the NHL was aware of this issue and was looking into adjustments as necessary.
“If we can’t travel in Canada, either as among the provinces or from the U.S. to Canada and back, we’ll make whatever adjustments we have to do to get the playoffs completed. But obviously, as it has been, it’s wildly unpredictable,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said to ESPN.
And at the end, you’ll get to see the best trophy in sports
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Yep! Get ready for another few months of intense NHL playoff action to remind you exactly why you love hockey in the first place with the best trophy in all of sports.
