Hockey fans are counting down the hours until the 2025 NHL playoffs begin this Saturday. Since the postseason bracket is officially locked in, let’s have a look at our 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs preview.
After an action-packed NHL regular season that ran from October 4, 2025, to April 17, 2025, the stage is now set for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The postseason begins on Saturday, April 19, and is expected to conclude with the finals in June.
Even though we don’t have an exact date at this point, the finals should wrap up by June 23. This year’s playoff action will open with the Winnipeg Jets taking on St. Louis Blues.
| ℹ️  Tournament: | National Hockey League (NHL) 2025 Playoffs |
| 🏒 Venues: | Venues across the United States and Canada |
| 🗓️ Dates: | 19 April – June 2025 |
Wondering who’s favored to lift the Cup this season? Here’s how the 2024-25 NHL odds are shaping up for the 2024–25 NHL season, according to ice hockey betting companies:
It’s somewhat surprising to see the Stars boasting the shortest odds to win NHL 2025, especially considering their recent slump and defensive struggles in the absence of Miro Heiskanen, who could miss time during the playoffs.
The Avalanche are neck-and-neck with the reigning champion Panthers for second-favorite status with 9.00 (8/1) odds; the Lightning, Oilers, and Hurricanes have 10.00 (9/1) odds to round out the top six.
Unfortunately, the Panthers and Lightning are facing off in the first round since their matchup would have been a thrilling Eastern Conference final. The Maple Leafs 13.00 (12/1), on the other hand, might be a dark horse. Thanks to exceptional performances from Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, they have built an outstanding 18-6-2 record since February 20.
Let’s check out who 2025 NHL betting sites like to take the Eastern Conference crown in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs features two heated rivalries. In addition to the Panthers facing off against the Lightning, there’s an all-Canadian—and all-Ontario—showdown between the Atlantic Division-winning Toronto Maple Leafs and wildcard entrants Ottawa Senators. The Senators may be a wildcard team, but they swept the Maple Leafs during the regular season. It’s their first postseason meeting in 21 years.
The victor will face either Tampa Bay or Florida. The Lightning finished four points ahead of the Panthers, with the season series tied 2-2. The two last met in last year’s playoffs, where Florida came out on top en route to a championship.
The Eastern Conference-leading Capitals will face the Canadiens, who grabbed the final wildcard slot on the last day of the regular season. It’s Montreal’s first playoff appearance since 2021, and their long quest for a Cup—dating back to 1993—continues. Washington went 2-0-1 against them this season.
Next up for the winner will be either the Hurricanes (99 points) or the Devils (91 points, same as Montreal). The regular-season series was a dead heat, but Carolina has the playoff pedigree, winning four of their five previous postseason encounters, including last year’s showdown.
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Experience can’t be overstated, and that’s where Tampa Bay shines. This group has been together a long time, and that kind of chemistry matters in the playoffs. Although the franchise only entered the league in the 1992–93 season, their breakthrough came in 2002–03 with a playoff berth, followed by a Stanley Cup triumph just a year later.
Tampa Bay boasts a deep offensive arsenal, with Nikita Kucherov leading the charge as one of the NHL’s elite forwards. The Lightning already have four players with 35+ goals this season, helping them top the league in scoring. On the back end, the defense holds strong, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2021 Conn Smythe winner, remains a major difference-maker.
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The Senators were tough to break down this season, giving up just 220 goals—the 10th-best mark in the league. Offensively, though, they lagged behind with just 228 goals, placing them 22nd. The Leafs, on the other hand, were strong at both ends, ranking top 10 in goals scored and just outside the top 10 in goals allowed.
We believe Toronto will be able to put the series to bed before the sixth round. The Atlantic Division toppers have one of the shortest 2025 NHL Eastern Conference winner odds and have the firepower in their arsenal to make this a one-sided series.
Here are the latest 2025 NHL Western Conference winner odds for the top Western Conference teams across top NHL and NCAA hockey bookies:
As we mentioned earlier, the Jets and Blues will be the opening game of the NHL playoffs this year. The Jets are anchored by Connor Hellebuyck, the league’s top netminder by many measures, fresh off two straight Jennings Trophies and eyeing another Vezina. The path to the next round goes through either the 106-point Dallas Stars or the 102-point Colorado Avalanche. That series carries extra spice thanks to Mikko Rantanen.
The Finnish forward started the year with Colorado, won a Cup there in 2022, was traded to Carolina in January, and again to Dallas in March. Colorado, who won two of three against Dallas during the regular season, will lean on Nathan MacKinnon, the 2013 first overall pick, who racked up 116 points this year.
The Vegas Golden Knights enter the playoffs as the Pacific Division’s top seed and are set to take on the wildcard Minnesota Wild. One of the key storylines is the swan song of veteran goaltender Marc-André Fleury. The 21-season NHL stalwart and three-time Cup winner with the Penguins is hanging up his skates after this run, hoping to guide the Wild to their first-ever Finals appearance. Vegas, meanwhile, swept all three regular-season meetings between the two sides.
Elsewhere in the Pacific bracket, the second- and third-place teams clash in what promises to be a fiery rivalry renewal. The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings—two franchises with deep playoff history dating back to the 1980s—are meeting in the first round for a third straight year. While the Oilers have come out on top in each of the last six postseason series, the Kings held the upper hand in the 2023-24 regular season, winning three of the four encounters.
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Winnipeg’s history may lack championship glory, but this year’s Jets squad is a legitimate contender. With Hellebuyck standing tall in the net, Winnipeg has the backbone of a true Stanley Cup threat. Winnipeg’s offence has exceeded expectations, and if Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and company can sustain this level of play, they’ll remain a serious threat.
Few gave the Jets a chance to contend for a division or conference title at the start of the season, but now, it’s clear that the Central Division leaders are the real deal—and very much in the hunt for the 2024–25 Western Conference crown.
We believe the Lightning and the Jets are going to lock horns in this year’s Stanley Cup title decider. Agree? Get your bets in quick, as the first puck will hit the ice imminently.
