The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs represent a return to normalcy, after a bubble-encased postseason in 2020 and a 2021 tournament that featured realigned intradivisional play, followed by a rebracketing for the final two rounds. Sixteen teams have qualified for a shot, but only one will get to skate the sacred chalice this June.
From the first round all the way through the Stanley Cup Final, ESPN has you covered, including the first 12 games of the playoffs all on ESPN networks, as well as the entire Cup finals on ABC and ESPN+.
Plus, tune in to The Point every weekday afternoon throughout the playoffs for analysis, storytelling and previews of that night's action. And if you miss anything, watch full-game replays on demand on ESPN+, along with highlights from every game on In The Crease.
Read on for the full playoff picture, including previews, analysis, highlights, schedule and more for each team and series.
More: Playoff schedule
How officials handle the pressure of playoffs
Previews for all 16 teams | Best bets
Experts' picks | Wyshynski's full bracket
Ranking the top 50 players in the playoffs
Lapsed fan's guide to the playoffs
Ranking players that need a Cup
Second round
Jump to:
FLA-TB
CAR-NYR
COL-STL
CGY-EDM
Atlantic Division
No. 1 Florida Panthers vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Regular-season records:
Panthers: 58-18-6, 122 points
Lightning: 51-23-8, 110 points
Leading playoff scorers:
Panthers: LW Carter Verhaeghe (6 G | 6 A)
Lightning: RW Nikita Kucherov (2 G | 6 A)
Schedule:
Game 1 (at FLA): Tues., May 17, 7 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 2 (at FLA): Thurs., May 19, 7 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 3 (at TB): Sun., May 22, 1:30 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 4 (at TB): Mon., May 23, 7 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 5 (at FLA): TBA
Game 6 (at TB): TBA
Game 7 (at FLA): TBA
Metropolitan Division
No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 2 New York Rangers
Regular-season records:
Hurricanes: 54-20-8, 116 points
Rangers: 52-24-6, 110 points
Leading playoff scorers:
Hurricanes: D Tony DeAngelo (1 G | 7 A); D Jaccob Slavin (2 G | 6 A)
Rangers: D Adam Fox (3 G | 6 A)
Schedule:
Game 1 (at CAR): Weds., May 18, 7 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 2 (at CAR): Fri., May 20, 8 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 3 (at NYR): Sun., May 22, 3:30 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 4 (at NYR): Tues., May 24, 7 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 5 (at CAR): TBA
Game 6 (at NYR): TBA
Game 7 (at CAR): TBA
Central Division
No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 St. Louis Blues
Regular-season records:
Avalanche: 56-19-7, 119 points
Blues: 49-22-11, 109 points
Leading playoff scorers:
Avalanche: D Cale Makar (3 G | 7 A)
Blues: LW David Perron (5 G | 4 A)
Schedule:
Game 1 (at COL): Tues., May 17, 9:30 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 2 (at COL): Thurs., May 19, 9:30 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 3 (at STL): Sat., May 21, 8 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 4 (at STL): Mon., May 23, 9:30 ET (TNT) | Preview
Game 5 (at COL): TBA
Game 6 (at STL): TBA
Game 7 (at COL): TBA
Pacific Division
No. 1 Calgary Flames vs. No. 2 Edmonton Oilers
Regular-season records:
Flames: 50-21-11, 111 points
Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points
Leading playoff scorers:
Flames: LW Johnny Gaudreau (2 G | 5 A)
Oilers: C Connor McDavid (4 G | 10 A)
Schedule:
Game 1 (at CGY): Weds., May 18, 9:30 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 2 (at CGY): Fri., May 20, 10:30 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 3 (at EDM): Sun., May 22, 8 ET (ESPN2) | Preview
Game 4 (at EDM): Tues., May 24, 9:30 ET (ESPN) | Preview
Game 5 (at CGY): TBA
Game 6 (at EDM): TBA
Game 7 (at CGY): TBA
First round
Jump to:
Atlantic: FLA-WSH | TOR-TB
Metro: CAR-BOS | NYR-PIT
Central: COL-NSH | MIN-STL
Pacific: CGY-DAL | EDM-LA
Atlantic Division
No. 1 Florida Panthers vs. No. 4 Washington Capitals
Claude Giroux ties it back up for the Panthers
Aaron Ekblad sets up Claude Giroux in close as the Panthers make it 2-2 in the third period.
Regular-season records:
Panthers: 58-18-6, 122 points
Capitals: 44-26-12, 100 points
Leading scorers:
Panthers: LW Jonathan Huberdeau, 115 points (30 G, 85 A)
Capitals: LW Alex Ovechkin, 90 points (50 G, 40 A)
Claude Giroux's fun new world with the Panthers
Panthers advance 4-2:
Game 1 (at FLA): Capitals 4, Panthers 2 | Replay
Game 2 (at FLA): Panthers 5, Capitals 1 | Replay
Game 3 (at WSH): Capitals 6, Panthers 1 | Replay
Game 4 (at WSH): Panthers 3, Capital 2 (OT) | Replay
Game 5 (at FLA): Panthers 5, Capitals 3 | Replay
Game 6 (at WSH): Panthers 4, Capitals 3 (OT) | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Capitals
No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Nick Paul weaves through Toronto's defense for his second goal
Tampa Bay's Nick Paul shows off his stick work to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead.
Regular-season records:
Maple Leafs: 54-21-7, 115 points
Lightning: 51-23-8, 110 points
Leading scorers:
Maple Leafs: C Auston Matthews, 106 points (60 G, 46 A)
Lightning: C Steven Stamkos, 106 points (42 G, 64 A)
Why the Lightning's three-peat quest will be so difficult
Lightning advance 4-3:
Game 1 (at TOR): Maple Leafs 5, Lightning 0 | Replay
Game 2 (at TOR): Lightning 5, Maple Leafs 3 | Replay
Game 3 (at TB): Maple Leafs 5, Lightning 2 | Replay
Game 4 (at TB): Lightning 7, Maple Leafs 3 | Replay
Game 5 (at TOR): Maple Leafs 4, Lightning 3 | Replay
Game 6 (at TB): Lightning 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) | Replay
Game 7 (at TOR): Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 1 | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins
Max Domi's second goal increases Hurricanes' lead
Max Domi grabs his second goal of the game as he zips it in to pad the Hurricanes lead to 3-1 vs. the Bruins.
Regular-season records:
Hurricanes: 54-20-8, 116 points
Bruins: 51-26-5, 107 points
Leading scorers:
Hurricanes: C Sebastian Aho, 81 points (37 G, 44 A)
Bruins: LW Brad Marchand, 80 points (32 G, 48 A)
Hurricanes advance 4-3:
Game 1 (at CAR): Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1 | Replay
Game 2 (at CAR): Hurricanes 5, Bruins 2 | Replay
Game 3 (at BOS): Bruins 4, Hurricanes 2 | Replay
Game 4 (at BOS): Bruins 5, Hurricanes 2 | Replay
Game 5 (at CAR): Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1 | Replay
Game 6 (at BOS): Bruins 5, Hurricanes 2 | Replay
Game 7 (at CAR): Hurricanes 3, Bruins 2 | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Bruins
No. 2 New York Rangers vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh Penguins
Panarin wins it in OT as Rangers eliminate Penguins
Artemi Panarin's power-play goal in overtime lifts the Rangers past the Penguins in Game 7.
Regular-season records:
Rangers: 52-24-6, 110 points
Penguins: 46-25-11, 103 points
Leading scorers:
Rangers: LW Artemi Panarin, 96 points (22 G, 74 A)
Penguins: C Sidney Crosby, 84 points (31 G, 53 A)
Rangers advance 4-3:
Game 1 (at NYR): Penguins 4, Rangers 3 (3OT) | Replay
Game 2 (at NYR): Rangers 5, Penguins 2 | Replay
Game 3 (at PIT): Penguins 7, Rangers 4 | Replay
Game 4 (at PIT): Penguins 7, Rangers 2 | Replay
Game 5 (at NYR): Rangers 5, Penguins 3 | Replay
Game 6 (at PIT): Rangers 5, Penguins 3 | Replay
Game 7 (at NYR): Rangers 4, Penguins 3 (OT) | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Penguins
Central Division
No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators
Makar tees up Nichushkin for Avs' go-ahead goal
Valeri Nichushkin's one-timer in the third period gives the Avalanche a 4-3 lead over the Predators.
Regular-season records:
Avalanche: 56-19-7, 119 points
Predators: 45-30-7, 97 points
Leading scorers:
Avalanche: RW Mikko Rantanen, 92 points (36 G, 56 A)
Predators: D Roman Josi, 95 points (23 G, 72 A)
Avalanche advance 4-0:
Game 1 (at COL): Avalanche 7, Predators 2 | Replay
Game 2 (at COL): Avalanche 2, Predators 1 (OT) | Replay
Game 3 (at NSH): Avalanche 7, Predators 3 | Replay
Game 4 (at NSH): Avalanche 5, Predators 3 | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Predators
No. 2 Minnesota Wild vs. No. 3 St. Louis Blues
Colton Parayko seals Blues' win with empty-net score
Colton Parayko finds the net as the Blues secure a 5-1 win over the Wild and advance to the Western Conference quarterfinals.
Regular-season records:
Wild: 53-22-7, 113 points
Blues: 49-22-11, 109 points
Leading scorers:
Wild: LW Kirill Kaprizov, 108 points (47 G, 61 A)
Blues: RW Vladimir Tarasenko, 82 points (34 G, 48 A)
Blues advance 4-2:
Game 1 (at MIN): Blues 4, Wild 0 | Replay
Game 2 (at MIN): Wild 6, Blues 2 | Replay
Game 3 (at STL): Wild 5, Blues 1 | Replay
Game 4 (at STL): Blues 5, Wild 2 | Replay
Game 5 (at MIN): Blues 5, Wild 2 | Replay
Game 6 (at STL): Blues 5, Wild 1 | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Wild
Pacific Division
No. 1 Calgary Flames vs. No. 4 Dallas Stars
Gaudreau sends Calgary into a frenzy with series-clinching OT goal
The Scotiabank Saddledome goes wild as Johnny Gaudreau gets the overtime winner to send the Flames to the second round over the Stars.
Regular season records:
Flames: 50-21-11, 111 points
Stars: 46-30-6, 98 points
Leading scorers:
Flames: LW Johnny Gaudreau, 115 points (40 G, 75 A)
Stars: C Joe Pavelski, 81 points (27 G, 54 A)
How the Flames' top line continues to ignite their offensive engine
Flames advance 4-3:
Game 1 (at CGY): Flames 1, Stars 0 | Replay
Game 2 (at CGY): Stars 2, Flames 1 | Replay
Game 3 (at DAL): Stars 4, Flames 2 | Replay
Game 4 (at DAL): Flames 4, Stars 1 | Replay
Game 5 (at CGY): Flames 3, Stars 1 | Replay
Game 6 (at DAL): Stars 4, Flames 2 | Replay
Game 7 (at CGY): Flames 3, Stars 2 (OT) | Replay
Keys to the offseason for the Stars
No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Kings
McDavid wraps around to net impressive an insurance goal
Connor McDavid lets out a roar of excitement after he outworks the Kings to score a nice second-chance goal.
Regular season records:
Oilers: 49-27-6, 104 points
Kings: 44-27-11, 99 points
Leading scorers:
Oilers: C Connor McDavid, 123 points (44 G, 79 A)
Kings: C Anze Kopitar, 67 points (19 G, 48 A)
Oilers advance 4-3:
Game 1 (at EDM): Kings 4, Oilers 3 | Replay
Game 2 (at EDM): Oilers 6, Kings 0 | Replay
Game 3 (at LA): Oilers 8, Kings 2 | Replay
Game 4 (at LA): Kings 4, Oilers 0 | Replay
Game 5 (at EDM): Kings 5, Oilers 4 (OT) | Replay
Game 6 (at LA): Oilers 4, Kings 2 | Replay
Game 7 (at EDM): Oilers 2, Kings 0 | Replay