The chase for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice will begin on Saturday.
What a year! We saw history made with Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, the Utah Hockey Club making its NHL debut for its inaugural season, Connor McDavid hitting 1,000 points, Sam Rosen’s retirement tour, Sidney Crosby setting the point/game season record, and plenty more.
The Winnipeg Jets won the Presidents’ Trophy, while Ovechkin and the Caps stormed through the East, and the Montreal Canadiens claimed the final Wild Card spot in a dream run. We get to see a Battle of Ontario for the first time in 20 years, a fourth consecutive year of Edmonton versus Los Angeles, and the Florida Panthers will defend the throne in a Battle of Florida.
With the bracket set, it’s time to expect the unexpected.
Here is the schedule for Round 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Eastern Conference
#A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. #WC1 Ottawa Senators
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Sunday, April 20 | 1. Ottawa at Toronto | 7 p.m. |
| Tuesday, April 22 | 2. Ottawa at Toronto | 7:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, April 24 | 3. Toronto at Ottawa | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 26 | 4. Toronto at Ottawa | 7 p.m. |
| *Tuesday, April 29 | 5. Ottawa at Toronto | TBD |
| *Thursday, May 1 | 6. Toronto at Ottawa | TBD |
| *Saturday, May 3 | 7. Ottawa at Toronto | TBD |
#A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. #A3 Florida Panthers
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Tuesday, April 22 | 1. Florida at Tampa | 8:30 p.m |
| Thursday, April 24 | 2. Florida at Tampa | 6:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 26 | 3. Tampa at Florida | 1 p.m. |
| Monday, April 28 | 4. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
| *Wednesday, April 30 | 5. Florida at Tampa | TBD |
| *Friday, May 2 | 6. Tampa at Florida | TBD |
| *Sunday, May 4 | 7. Florida at Tampa | TBD |
#M1 Washington Captials vs. #WC2 Montreal Canadiens
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Monday, April 21 | 1. Montreal at Washington | 7 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 23 | 2. Montreal at Washington | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, April 25 | 3. Washington at Montreal | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday, April 27 | 4. Washington at Montreal | 6:30 p.m. |
| *Wednesday, April 30 | 7. Montreal at Washington | TBD |
| *Friday, May 2 | 6. Washington at Montreal | TBD |
| *Sunday, May 4 | 7. Montreal at Washington | TBD |
#M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #M3 New Jersey Devils
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Sunday, April 20 | 1. New Jersey at Carolina | 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday, April 22 | 2. New Jersey at Carolina | 6 p.m. |
| Friday, April 25 | 3. Carolina at New Jersey | 8 p.m. |
| Sunday, April 27 | 4. Carolina at New Jersey | 3:30 p.m. |
| *Tuesday, April 29 | 5. New Jersey at Carolina | TBD |
| *Friday, May 2 | 6. Carolina at New Jersey | TBD |
| *Sunday, May 4 | 7. New Jersey at Carolina | TBD |
Western Conference
#C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. #WC2 St. Louis Blues
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Saturday, April 19 | 1. St. Louis at Winnipeg | 6:00 p.m. |
| Monday, April 21 | 2. St. Louis at Winnipeg | 7:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, April 24 | 3. Winnipeg at St. Louis | 9:30 p.m. |
| Sunday, April 27 | 4. Winnipeg at St. Louis | 1 p.m |
| *Wednesday, April 30 | 5. St. Louis at Winnipeg | TBD |
| *Friday, May 2 | 6. Winnipeg at St. Louis | TBD |
| *Sunday, May 4 | 7. St. Louis at Winnipeg | TBD |
#C2 Dallas Stars vs. #C3 Colorado Avalanche
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Saturday, April 19 | 1. Colorado at Dallas | 8:30 p.m. |
| Monday, April 21 | 2. Colorado at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 23 | 3. Dallas at Colorado | 9:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 26 | 4. Dallas at Colorado | 9:30 p.m. |
| *Monday, April 28 | 5. Colorado at Dallas | TBD |
| *Thursday, May 1 | 6. Dallas at Colorado | TBD |
| *Saturday, May 3 | 7. Colorado at Dallas | TBD |
#P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. #WC1 Minnesota Wild
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Sunday, April 20 | 1. Minnesota at Vegas | 10 p.m. |
| Tuesday, April 22 | 2. Minnesota at Vegas | 11 p.m. |
| Thursday, April 24 | 3. Vegas at Minnesota | 9 p.m. |
| Saturday, April 26 | 4. Minnesota at Vegas | 4 p.m. |
| *Tuesday, April 29 | 5. Vegas at Minnesota | TBD |
| *Thursday, May 1 | 6. Minnesota at Vegas | TBD |
| *Saturday, May 3 | 7. Vegas at Minnesota | TBD |
#P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. #P3 Los Angeles Kings
| Date | Game | Time ET |
| Monday, April 21 | 1. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10 p.m. |
| Wednesday, April 23 | 2. Edmonton at Los Angeles | 10 p.m. |
| Friday, April 25 | 3. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 10 p.m. |
| Sunday, April 27 | 4. Los Angeles at Edmonton | 9:30 p.m. |
| *Tuesday, April 29 | 5. Edmonton at Los Angeles | TBD |
| *Thursday, May 1 | 6. Los Angeles at Edmonton | TBD |
| *Saturday, May 3 | 7. Edmonton at Los Angeles | TBD |