What is the NHL Playoff Format?
The NHL playoffs are a 16-team single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season. The tournament is divided into four rounds:
- Round 1 (Wild Card Round): Eight teams play in a best-of-three series, with the winners advancing to Round 2.
- Round 2 (Divisional Round): Eight teams play in a best-of-seven series, with the winners advancing to the Conference Finals.
- Round 3 (Conference Finals): Four teams play in a best-of-seven series, with the winners advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.
- Round 4 (Stanley Cup Final): Two teams play in a best-of-seven series to determine the Stanley Cup champion.
The playoffs are seeded based on the teams' regular season records, with the top eight teams in each conference receiving home-ice advantage in the first two rounds. The playoffs typically begin in mid-April and conclude with the Stanley Cup Final in mid-June.
FAQs
- How many teams make the playoffs? 16
- What is a best-of-three series? A series where the first team to win two games advances.
- What is the home-ice advantage? The team with the better regular season record plays more games at home during a series.
- What does it mean to win the Stanley Cup? It means that the team is the NHL champion for the season.
- When do the playoffs usually start? Mid-April
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