Apr 18, 2023
·Kristen Humphries
There’s nothing like the NHL playoffs to give you a taste of winter in the heart of spring. After months of grueling games, the top 16 teams have earned their spot in the 2023 NHL playoff bracket.
As of now, fans and critics are betting on the Boston Bruins to bring home the Stanley Cup trophy. With a record setting 65 wins during the regular season and 135 total points – the Boston Bruins are a top contender. But as we all know, there’s always room for Cinderella stories and upsets when it comes to the NHL Finals.
So, get ready for some intense and unforgettable hockey games as the NHL playoffs unfold. From the nail-biting first round to the epic finale, the playoffs are a true test of a team’s skill, endurance and heart.
How do the NHL playoffs work?
The NHL is comprised of four divisions and two conferences, where the top 3 teams from each division and two wild-card teams in each conference make up the playoffs. In total, there are 16 teams – eight in the West and eight in the East conference. The teams are seeded according to their regular season points, with the highest seed playing against the lowest wild-card team in each conference.
There are four rounds total in the postseason (first round, second round, conference finals, Stanley Cup Finals), with each round functioning on a best-of-seven series. Whichever team has the top seed in the first two rounds of the playoffs will have home-ice advantage. And the team with the most regular season points will have the upper hand in the conference finals and Stanley Cup.
What is the 2023 NHL playoffs schedule?
The Stanley Cup postseason begins on April 17th, 2023. All times shown below are in Eastern Time. If you’d like to watch from home, you can catch the NHL Playoffs on ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, TNT, SN, SNE and SNW. You can also stream fuboTV, and CBS Sports will be reporting as the games unfold as well.
Here is the NHL playoff schedule for Round One games:
NHL Eastern Conference Playoffs Schedule
FIRST ROUNDS
Game 1: Monday, April 17th – 7:30 PM ET @ Boston
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19th – 7:30 PM ET @ Boston
Game 3: Friday, April 21st – 7:30 PM ET @ Florida
Game 4: Sunday, April 23rd – 3:30 PM ET @ Florida
Game 5: Wednesday, April 26th – TBA @ Boston
Game 6: Friday, April 28th – TBA @ Florida
Game 7: Sunday, April 30th – TBA @ Boston
Game 1: Tuesday, April 18th – 7:30 PM ET @ Toronto
Game 2: Thursday, April 20th – 7:00 PM ET @ Toronto
Game 3: Saturday, April 22nd – 7:00 PM ET @ Tampa Bay
Game 4: Monday, April 24th – 7:30 PM ET @ Tampa Bay
Game 5: Thursday, April 27th – TBA @ Toronto
Game 6: Saturday, April 29th – TBA @ Tampa Bay
Game 7: Monday, May 1st – TBA @ Toronto
Game 1: Monday, April 17th – 7:00 PM ET @ Carolina
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19th – 7:00 PM ET @ Carolina
Game 3: Friday, April 21st – 7:00 PM ET @ NY
Game 4: Sunday, April 23rd – 1:00 PM ET @ NY
Game 5: Tuesday, April 25th – TBA @ Carolina
Game 6: Friday, April 28th – TBA @ NY
Game 7: Sunday, April 30th – TBA @ Carolina
Game 1: Tuesday, April 18th – 7:00 PM ET @ NJD
Game 2: Thursday, April 20th – 7:30 PM ET @ NJD
Game 3: Saturday, April 22nd – 8:00 PM ET @ NYR
Game 4: Monday, April 24th – 7:00 PM ET @ NYR
Game 5: Thursday, April 27th – TBA @ NJD
Game 6: Saturday, April 29th – TBA @ NYR
Game 7: Monday, May 1st – TBA @ NJD
NHL Western Conference Playoffs Schedule
FIRST ROUNDS
Game 1: Tuesday, April 18th – 10:00 PM ET @ CA
Game 2: Thursday, April 20th – 9:30 PM ET @ CA
Game 3: Saturday, April 22nd – 10:00 PM ET @ SK
Game 4: Monday, April 24th – 10:00 PM ET @ SK
Game 5: Thursday, April 27th – TBA @ CA
Game 6: Saturday, April 29th – TBA @ SK
Game 7: Monday, May 1st – TBA @ CA
Game 1: Monday, April 17th – 9:30 PM ET @ DS
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19th – 9:30 PM ET @ DS
Game 3: Friday, April 21st – 9:30 PM ET @ MW
Game 4: Sunday, April 23rd – 6:30 PM ET @ MW
Game 5: Tuesday, April 25th – TBA @ DS
Game 6: Friday, April 28th – TBA @ MW
Game 7: Sunday, April 30th – TBA @ DS
Game 1: Tuesday, April 18th – 9:30 PM ET @ VGK
Game 2: Thursday, April 20th – 10:00 PM ET @ VGK
Game 3: Saturday, April 22nd – 4:00 PM ET @ WJ
Game 4: Monday, April 24th – 9:30 PM ET @ WJ
Game 5: Thursday, April 27th – TBA @ VGK
Game 6: Saturday, April 29th – TBA @ WJ
Game 7: Monday, May 1st – TBA @ VGK
Game 1: Monday, April 17th – 10:00 PM ET @ EO
Game 2: Wednesday, April 19th – 10:00 PM ET @ EO
Game 3: Friday, April 21st – 10:00 PM ET @ LAK
Game 4: Sunday, April 23rd – 9:00 PM ET @ LAK
Game 5: Tuesday, April 25th – TBA @ EO
Game 6: Friday, April 28th – TBA @ LAK
Game 7: Sunday, April 30th – TBA @ EO
NHL playoffs tickets
Are you looking to buy NHL Playoff tickets? SeatGeek has all of your ticketing needs covered. Ticket prices vary depending on various factors, including the teams playing, the location of the game, the round of the playoffs, and of course, your seat location. In general, NHL Playoff tickets are more expensive than regular season tickets.
Tickets for the NHL Playoff games start around $150; however, some games start as low as $64 and as high as $450. On average, the ticket price for an NHL Playoff game is $475. Keep in mind that the closer we get to the Stanley Cup Finals and Championship game, the more expensive tickets will get. For example, tickets for the Colorado Avalanche game 7 start around $400 and run upwards of $7,000.
To find the best and most affordable tickets with SeatGeek, we recommend using the provided filters. First, head over to the official NHL Playoffs page to view a list of upcoming games. When you’ve selected the game you want to attend, you will see filters on the left-hand side that allow you to refine your search.
Pro Tip: Select ‘low prices’ and ‘include fees’ to find the cheapest tickets and avoid hidden checkout fees!
Who won the Stanley Cup Finals 2022?
The Colorado Avalanche dominated the two-time defending Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 in the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals. This was the first championship for the Avalanche team since 2001, and their third overall appearance in the Stanley Cup. The Colorado Avalanche were largely carried throughout the season by star player Mikko Rantanen who scored 5 goals and completed 20 assists during the 2022 Playoffs.
As we head into the 2023 NHL postseason, several teams could potentially make a run for the Stanley Cup title. Colorado Avalanche is a big contender for a consecutive win, but many critics argue that the Boston Bruins will take home the win this season.
While it’s impossible to predict with certainty which team will come out on top in the 2023 NHL Playoffs, one thing is for sure – hockey fans can look forward to another thrilling postseason of high-stakes competition and unforgettable moments on the ice.