When Do the 2021 NHL Playoffs Start?

The 2021 NHL playoffs are scheduled to begin on May 11.

Introduction

The Stanley Cup playoffs are the most important playoffs in all of hockey. The best teams from across the NHL come together to compete for the chance to lift the iconic trophy.

Every year, the playoff format changes slightly, but the basics remain the same. The playoffs start in April and end in June, with each series being played over a best-of-seven format.

This year, there will be four rounds of playoffs:
-The first round is a best-of-5 series between the 16 qualifying teams.
-The second round is a best-of-7 series between the 8 winners of the first round.
-The conference finals are a best-of-7 series between the 4 winners of the second round.
-The Stanley Cup Final is a best-of-7 series between the 2 winners of the conference finals.

When Do the 2021 NHL Playoffs Start?

The 2021 NHL playoffs are an upcoming postseason tournament of the National Hockey League. The playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 16 and will end no later than May 28, with the Stanley Cup Finals held in June. This will be the first time since 2013 that all four playoff rounds will be played entirely in one country, as the Canadian teams will host all games for the first and second rounds, while the American teams will host all games for the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.

The Qualifying Round

The NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs will begin on Saturday, August 1. The qualifying round, which will see the bottom 16 teams in the league play for the right to advance to the first round of the playoffs, will be held August 1-5. The first round of the playoffs will be held August 7-23.

The First Round

The first round of the 2021 NHL Playoffs is set to begin on May 15, with the top four teams in each conference playing each other in best-of-seven series. The first two games of each series will be played at the home arena of the lower-seeded team, with the remaining games taking place at the home arena of the higher-seeded team.

If a series is tied after four games, then it will go to a seventh and deciding game, which will be played at the higher-seeded team’s home arena. The conference semifinals and conference Finals are also best-of-seven series, with all games being played at the home arena of the higher-seeded team.

The Stanley Cup Final, which will see the winner of the Eastern Conference take on the winner of the Western Conference, is also a best-of-seven series. All Stanley Cup Final games will be played at neutral sites, with potential host cities including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis.

The Second Round

The second round of the 2021 NHL playoffs will begin on May 24th. The matchups for the second round have not been determined yet, as the first round is still ongoing. The second round will consist of four best-of-seven series, with the winners advancing to the conference finals.

The Conference Finals

The Conference Finals are the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The two winners of the Conference Semifinals play each other in best-of-seven series to determine the conference champion, who will advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The
Conference Finals are currently scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 15, 2021.

The Stanley Cup Final

The Stanley Cup Final is the championship series of the National Hockey League (NHL), a professional ice hockey league in North America. The Stanley Cup Final is played under a best-of-seven format, [2] and it is the best-of-seven championship series of the NHL’s postseason. [3] The winning team receives the Stanley Cup, which is the oldest trophy in professional sports. [4]

The Stanley Cup Final is traditionally held in June, while the regular season of the NHL runs from October to April. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–21, the playoffs will instead be held in May and June 2021. [5][6][7]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have won the most Stanley Cup Finals among active NHL teams, with five wins out of eight appearances. [8] The Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings have each won four times, while the Boston Bruins have won three times. [9][10][11]

Conclusion

The 2021 NHL playoffs are set to begin on May 15, 2021.