BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 06: Members of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrate with Edward Pasquale #80 after their 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 06, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are set, with games between the 16 teams that earned postseason berths slated to commence on Wednesday, April 10. The field includes the best squads the NHL has developed over the course of the 2018-19, promising fans an exciting month of hockey.
PLayoff Match-ups and Seeding
In the NHL, there are four divisions, two in each conference. The top three teams with the most points (a regulation or overtime win is two points, an overtime loss is one point) at the end of the regular season in each division qualify for the playoffs. Additionally, the top two teams in points in each conference that didn’t finish in the top three of their respective divisions qualify as wild card teams.
The top teams in each conference’s divisions play the wild card teams in their respective conferences in the first round, with the top division winner in points playing the second wild card. The second and third teams in each division play each other in the first round. All NHL playoff series are a best-of-seven, follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format and home ice belongs to the higher-seeded team.
Eastern Conference
1. Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
2. Boston Bruins vs. 3. Toronto Maple Leafs
1. Washington Capitals vs. WC1 Carolina Hurricanes
2. New York Islanders vs. 3. Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
1. Nashville Predators vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
2. Winnipeg Jets vs. 3. St. Louis Blues
1. Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Colorado Avalanche
2. San Jose Sharks vs. 3. Vegas Golden Knights
Series Schedules and TV Channels
Through the first round, most NHL playoff games will be broadcast on either CNBC, NBC, NBC Sports Network, the NHL Network or USA. CNBC, NBC and NBC Sports Network content can be streamed on the NBC Sports app for those who have a cable/satellite television provider. For those without a cable or satellite television subscription, the quintet of broadcasters who will show playoff hockey can be viewed live on various streaming services like Hulu Live TV and YouTube TV.
The game schedule, with all times Eastern, for the first round is as follows:
Wednesday, April 10
Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., USA
Pittsburgh at New York, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
St. Louis at Winnipeg, 8 p.m., NHL Network
Dallas at Nashville, 9:30 p.m., USA
Vegas at San Jose, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Thursday, April 11
Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Carolina at Washington, 7:30 p.m., USA
Colorado at Calgary, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Friday, April 12
Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m., CNBC
Pittsburgh at New York, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
St. Louis at Winnipeg, 9:30 p.m., CNBC
Vegas at San Jose, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Saturday, April 13
Carolina at Washington, 3 p.m., NBC
Dallas at Nashville, 6 p.m., CNBC
Toronto at Boston, 8 p.m., NBC
Colorado at Calgary, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Sunday, April 14
New York at Pittsburgh, 12 p.m., NBC
Tampa Bay at Columbus, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Winnipeg at St. Louis, 7:30 p.m., CNBC
San Jose at Vegas, 10 p.m., NBC Sports
Monday, April 15
Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Washington at Carolina, 7 p.m., CNBC
Nashville at Dallas, 9:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Calgary at Colorado, 10 p.m., CNBC
Tuesday, April 16
Tampa Bay at Columbus, 7 p.m., CNBC
New York at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Winnipeg at St. Louis, 9:30 p.m., CNBC
San Jose at Vegas, 10:30 p.m., NBC Sports
Wednesday, April 17
Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Nashville at Dallas, 8 p.m., USA
Calgary at Colorado, 10 p.m., NBC Sports Network
Thursday, April 18
Washington at Carolina, 7 p.m., NBC streaming only
Pittsburgh at New York (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
St. Louis at Winnipeg (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Vegas at San Jose (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Friday, April 19
Colorado at Calgary (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Columbus at Tampa Bay (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Toronto at Boston (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Saturday, April 20
Carolina at Washington (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Dallas at Nashville (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
New York at Pittsburgh (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Winnipeg at St. Louis (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Sunday, April 21
Boston at Toronto (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Calgary at Colorado (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
San Jose at Vegas (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Tampa Bay at Columbus (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Monday, April 22
Nashville at Dallas (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Pittsburgh at New York (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
St. Louis at Winnipeg (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Washington at Carolina (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Tuesday, April 23
Colorado at Calgary (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Columbus at Tampa Bay (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Toronto at Boston (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Vegas at San Jose (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Wednesday, April 24
Carolina at Washington (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Dallas at Nashville (if necessary), channel and time to be determined
Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Odds
After winning a record-tying 62 games in regulation or overtime during the regular season, the Lightning enter the postseason as a massive favorite to win the cup. William Hill has Tampa Bay at +240 and BetOnline has the Lightning at +200. The rest of the William Hill odds to win the Stanley Cup open the postseason at:
San Jose +750
Vegas +800
St. Louis +900
Boston 10/1
Calgary 10/1
Washington 11/1
Nashville 13/1
Pittsburgh 15/1
Winnipeg 16/1
Maple Leafs 20/1
Columbus 30/1
Dallas 30/1
Colorado 30/1
New York 30/1
Columbus is an interesting play, as goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is among the hottest in the league and the last team to win 62 regular season games, the 1995-96 Red Wings, didn’t win the Stanley Cup that year. The most tempting action will be on Toronto, whose team is very skilled but is facing the recent history of being owned by Boston in the postseason in these odds.
16 teams have accomplished their goals of reaching the playoffs. Only one will achieve its ultimate goal of claiming the Stanley Cup. These eight playoff series will begin to determine which team that will be.