How do the NHL playoffs work? Explaining the rules, format, and everything you need to know

With a week to go before the 2023 NHL Playoffs are tentatively set to begin, several teams have reached the stage where every game is a must-win. The first round of the playoffs is currently scheduled to begin on April 17, however, depending on cancelations or delays, it could be pushed back.

The regular season is set to come to an end on April 13, however, with only three days remaining on the schedule, the NHL playoff bracket is not fully set. Several teams are still vying for the remaining playoff spots, as three of the four wild card positions have yet to be clinched.

"These four teams refuse to lose! Which two teams will take the Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference?" - NHL Network

The Seattle Kraken managed to secure one of the Western Conference Wild Card spots, leaving a showdown between the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets for the final postseason position. The final Wild Card team will be paired against the number one seed in the opening round of the playoffs.

A look at the format for the NHL Playoffs

Sixteen teams will qualify for the NHL playoffs, with the three top-ranked sides from each division joined by four wild card teams.

Wild card teams are the two teams in each conference outside of the top three with the highest points totals. Divisional alignment has no effect on wild cards, so it's possible for one division to have five teams in the postseason, with the other division in the conference having just three.

"best playoffs in all of sports, worst playoff format in all of sports. go back to the 1-8 format. divisional playoffs just gives us the same matchups every single year and doesn't reward the higher seeds for having a great season. going back to the 1-8 format would fix all of it." - @RockyTopHyatt

The playoff format has evolved from the traditional 1-8 format to more natural matchups within the division, with the top team facing one of the two teams below them in the standings if they advance from the first round.

This could also force higher seeds to face off in the opening round, even though they finished 3rd and 4th in the conference, which could be the case for the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.

This means that the Boston Bruins would have to face either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning, even though that would not be the case in a traditional 1-8 format.

The NHL Playoffs are played as a best-of-seven series in a 2-2-1-1-1 format. This means that the team with the best record will host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the opponents will host Games 3, 4, and 6.

The finals of the NHL playoffs will begin on June 8

The Stanley Cup Finals are set to begin on June 8, however, much like the beginning of the postseason, this is merely a tentative date. The Stanley Cup Finals are set to run from June 10-18, depending on how long the series lasts.