How Will the NHL Playoffs Work This Year?

The NHL playoffs are upon us and there are some big changes this year. Here’s everything you need to know about how they’ll work.

Introduction

This year’s Stanley Cup playoffs will be unlike any other. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the playoffs will be held in two “bubbles” in Canada, with no fans in attendance. The first round will be a best-of-5 series, and all subsequent rounds will be best-of-7. Here’s a look at how the NHL playoffs will work this year.

The first round of the playoffs will begin on August 1, with the qualifying round and first round being held in Toronto, and the second round and conference finals being held in Edmonton. All games will be played at either Scotiabank Arena or Rogers Place.

The qualifying round will see the bottom four teams in each conference (the aforementioned “play-in” teams) play each other in best-of-5 series to determine who advance to the first round proper. The first round of the playoffs will then see the remaining 12 teams in each conference (the top four seeds in each conference plus the four winners of the qualifying round) play each other in best-of-5 series.

The second round and conference finals will both be best-of-7 series, with the winners of each respective series advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. The Stanley Cup Final will also be a best-of-7 series, with the winner being crowned champion of 2020 NHL Playoffs.

How the NHL Playoffs Will Work This Year

The NHL playoffs will work a little differently this year. Instead of the usual 16 teams, the playoffs will include 24 teams. This is because the NHL paused its season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The playoffs will be held in two “hub” cities, which have yet to be announced.

The Qualifiers

The NHL playoffs will have a different look this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, with 24 teams instead of the usual 16 qualifying for the postseason.

Here’s a look at how the expanded playoff format will work:

The top four teams in each conference will play each other in a round-robin tournament to determine seeding for the first round of the playoffs. The remaining 16 teams will square off in best-of-five series to earn a spot in the first round.

The first round of the playoffs will be a best-of-seven series, followed by the customary best-of-seven conference semifinals and finals, and then the Stanley Cup Final.

The First Round

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin on August 1st with the qualifying round. In the qualifying round, the 5th seed will play the 12th seed, the 6th will play the 11th, the 7th will play the 10th, and the 8th will play the 9th. These games will be best-of-five series that are played in a hub city. The winners of these series will advance to the First Round.

The First Round is a best-of-seven series that is also played in a hub city. The match-ups for the first round are:

1st seed vs. Qualifying Round winner
2nd seed vs. Qualifying Round winner
3rd seed vs. Qualifying Round winner
4th seed vs. Qualifying Round winner

The winners of these series will advance to the Second Round where they will be reseeded based on their regular season records. The match-ups for the second round are:

1st overall seed vs lowest remaining seed
2nd overall seed vs 2nd lowest remaining seed
3rd overall seed vs 3rd lowest remaining seed
4th overall seeding is not used

The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final

The Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final will be played entirely within two hub cities chosen by the NHL. The games will be played in a best-of-seven series.

Conclusion

The NHL playoffs will look a little different this year thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The league has decided to go with a bubble format for the Stanley Cup playoffs, meaning all games will be played in two Canadian cities: Toronto and Edmonton.

This unique playoff format means that there will be no home-ice advantage for any of the teams involved. All games will be played in neutral arenas, and the only fans in attendance will be a limited number of family members and friends of the players.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the NHL is confident that its playoffs will be a success. We can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!