Right here is how the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoff structure will work

For starters, no the 2021 NHL playoffs aren’t expanded this year! Unlike final year’s 24-crew playoff which featured a play-in spherical to possess it dazzling to groups that played fewer video games, these playoffs can enjoy factual 16 groups cherish traditional.

And no, there aren’t any play-ins cherish the NBA has. It’d be frigid to conception the NHL transfer in opposition to a play-in tournament machine that makes the final seeds aggressive, nonetheless that’s no longer at the 2nd on the league’s radar at the 2nd.

With the NHL taking half in in a four-division structure this year for the frequent season, the playoffs — for the first two rounds, anyway — will be intra-division. That formulation the four divisions — the North, East, Central, and West — will ship the stay four groups in their respective divisions to the playoffs to possess up the 16 groups.

From there, the groups will be seeded by frequent season standings, with the No. 1 seed taking half within the No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed taking half within the No. 3 seed in a handiest-of-seven sequence.

(And yes, all sequence in these playoffs will be handiest-of-seven!)

Once there is factual one crew final in every division, the four groups will then transfer onto the Stanley Cup Semifinals. If that sounds a microscopic bit advanced written out, the NHL no longer too long ago save out a nice video explainer (with visuals!) on the structure.

A reminder that the path to the #StanleyCup will watch a microscopic assorted this season. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/ZguhjxLfBm

— NHL Public Kinfolk (@PR_NHL) May well 13, 2021

The semifinals is where issues salvage… attention-grabbing. With the four division winners crowned, the groups will then be re-seeded by frequent season standings, and the same No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 structure will educate except a Stanley Cup champion is known as.

We very neatly might maybe perhaps maybe! This weird and wonderful structure formulation we might maybe perhaps maybe conception two groups steadily within the Western Conference — similar to Edmonton and Vegas — play for the Stanley Cup. Don’t salvage me began on how the NHL will award the Conference trophies — the Prince of Wales Trophy and the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl — this year provided that there will be no conference champion!

Sadly, given there will be handiest one North Division crew spicy onto the semifinals this year, we might maybe perhaps maybe no longer be getting an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final.

An notable query! Now that the Colorado Avalanche enjoy taken the No. 1 seed within the West, we know the total groups and the first-spherical matchups.

East Division

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Washington Capitals
3. Boston Bruins
4. Unique York Islanders

North Division

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Edmonton Oilers
3. Winnipeg Jets
4. Montreal Canadiens

Central Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes
2. Florida Panthers
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
4. Nashville Predators

West Division

1. Colorado Avalanche
2. Vegas Golden Knights
3. Minnesota Wild
4. St. Louis Blues

The NHL playoff matchups are now diagram. https://t.co/mqaEW5LR5q pic.twitter.com/DSLoEdVZ1X

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) May well 14, 2021

It is, sadly. As a consequence of the Vancouver Canucks COVID outbreak support in April, the North Division will be taking half in frequent season video games except Wednesday, May well 19. That formulation the North Division’s playoffs won’t delivery up except Thursday, insuring that the Canadian groups will be a microscopic bit dreary the the leisure of the league.

Note your calendars 🗓

Our sequence schedule is determined for the hole spherical in opposition to the Canadiens.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Z4mTES2sCB

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May well 13, 2021

It’s onerous to deliver if the NHL will protect off on taking half within the 2nd spherical except the total first-spherical matchups are total, nonetheless there will be a microscopic bit of a hole between Canada and the the leisure of the league.

As of now there will be no bubble this year, nonetheless there might be a microscopic bit of a snag with the Canadian groups. As a consequence of frame disorders, the Canadian crew might maybe perhaps maybe merely enjoy to play within the US when we salvage all of the formulation down to the final four groups within the semifinals.

As of gradual-April, the NHL became responsive to this instruct and became taking a watch into adjustments as needed.

“If we can’t run in Canada, both as amongst the provinces or from the U.S. to Canada and support, we’ll possess no matter adjustments we’ve to discontinue to salvage the playoffs carried out. However clearly, because it has been, it’s wildly unpredictable,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman acknowledged to ESPN.