The playoffs of the NHL 24 team begin Saturday. But there could be questions about how the 2020 NHL playoffs will work. We are here with answers, schedules and more.
Qualifications begin August 1st. See a full schedule here and below.
Click here for more on how they regulate themselves on everything, including the CBA and Return to Play agreement.
How the 24-team playoff format works
The NHL shared the “competitive format” for the 24-team playoff setup for how the 2020 NHL playoffs will work. The ’round robin’ applies to the seeding for the top four teams in each conference. The ‘qualifying match’ is rather referred to as a ‘play-in’ round. Toronto will host the Eastern Conference teams at Scotiabank Arena, while Edmonton will host the Western Conference teams at Rogers Place.
Competitive format
In each conference, teams sat with points percentage.
• Round of Robin: The top 4 teams play for seeding First Round (current rules for regular season in effect)
• Qualifying match: The remaining 8 teams play best-of-5 series to advance to the First Round (playoff overtime rules in effect)
• First Round and Second Round: Format (seeding vs. bracket) and length of series will be best of sand.
• Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final: The best-of-7 series will take place at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
* The qualifiers from the qualifying match play the top 4 seeds in the First Round. Individual matchups from the first round remain to be determined.
RELATED: Final standings, draft lottery results
Stanley Cup playoffs schedule
EASTERN CONFERENCE (Scotiabank Arena)
Round-robin
Sunday, August 2: Flyers 4, Bruins 1 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Lightning 3, Capitals 2 (SO) (recap)
Wednesday, August 5th: Lightning 3, Brown 2 (recap)
Thursday, August 6th: Flyers 3, Capitals 1 (recap)
Saturday, August 8th: Flyers 4, Lightning 1 (recap)
Sunday, August 9th: Capitals 2, Bruins 1 (recap)
First round matchups
• Flyers vs. Canadiens
• Capitals vs. islanders
• Bruins vs. Hurricanes
• Lightning vs. blue coats
(5) Pittsburgh Penguins Vs. (12) Montreal Canadiens (MTL won series 3-1)
Saturday, August 1st: Canadiens 3, Penguins 2 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Penguins 3, Canadiens 1 (recap)
Wednesday, August 5th: Canadiens 4, Penguins 3 (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Canadiens 2, Penguins 0 (recap)
(6) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (11) New York Rangers (CAR won series 3-0)
Saturday, August 1st: Hurricanes 3, Rangers 2 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Hurricanes 4, Rangers 1 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Hurricanes 4, Rangers 1 (recap)
(7) New York Islanders vs. (10) Florida Panthers (NYI won series 3-1)
Saturday, August 1st: Islanders 2, Panthers 1 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Islanders 4, Panthers 2 (recap)
Wednesday, August 5th: Panthers 3, Islanders 2 (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Islanders 5, Panthers 1 (recap)
(8) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (9) Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ won series 3-2)
Sunday, August 2nd: Blue Jackets 2, Maple Leafs 0 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Maple Leafs 3, Blue Coats 0 (recap)
Thursday, August 6th: Blue Jackets 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT) (recap)
Sunday, August 9th: Blue Jackets 3, Maple Leafs 0 (recap)
[CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL FIRST ROUND SCHEDULE]
WESTERN CONFERENCE (Rogers Place)
Round-robin
Vegas Golden Knights (3-0-0, 6 points)
Colorado Avalanche (2-1-0, 4 points)
Dallas Stars (1-2-0, 2 points)
St. Louis Blues (0-2-1, 1 point)
Sunday, August 2nd: Avalanche 2, Blues 1 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Golden Knights 4, Stars 3 (recap)
Wednesday, August 5th: Avalanche 4, Stars 0
Thursday, August 6th: Golden Knights 6, Blues 4 (recap)
Saturday, August 8th: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) (recap)
Sunday, August 9th: Stars 2, Blues 1 (SO) (recap)
First round matchups
• Golden Knights Vs. Blackhawks
• Avalanche vs. Coyotes
• Stars vs. The flames
• Blues vs. Canucks
(5) Edmonton Oilers vs. (12) Chicago Blackhawks (CHI won series 3-1)
Saturday, August 1st: Blackhawks 6, Oilers 4 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Oilers 6, Blackhawks 3 (recap)
Wednesday, August 5th: Blackhawks 4, Oilers 3 (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Blackhawks 3, Oilers 2 (recap)
(6) Nashville Predators vs. (11) Arizona Coyotes (ARZ won series 3-1)
Sunday, August 2nd: Coyotes 4, Predators 3 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Predators 4, Coyotes 2 (recap)
Wednesday 5 August: Coyotes 4, Predators 1 (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Coyotes 4, Predators 3 (OT) (recap)
(7) Vancouver Canucks vs. (10) Minnesota Wild (VAN won series 3-1)
Sunday, August 2nd: Wild 3, Canucks 0 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Canucks 4, wild 3 (recap)
Thursday, August 6th: Canucks 3, Wild 0 (recap)
Friday, August 7th: Canucks 5, Wild 4 (OT) (recap)
(8) Calgary Flames Vs. (9) Winnipeg Jets (CGY won series 3-1)
Saturday, August 1st: Flames 4, Jets 1 (recap)
Monday, August 3rd: Jets 3, Flames 2 (recap)
Tuesday, August 4th: Flames 6, Jets 2 (recap)
Thursday, August 6th: Flames 4, Jets 0 (recap)
Key Dates for 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, NHL Free Agency, Draft
So, we’ve just covered how the NHL playoffs in 2020 will work and the ‘where’ for the NHL playoffs back to award a Stanley Cup in 2020. Let’s cover the “when”.
Aug 10: Phase 2 of NHL Draft Lottery to determine the No. 1 overall pick
Aug 11: First Round begins
Aug 25: Second round begins
Sept 8: Finals for conference start
September 22: Stanley Cup Final begins
Oct 4: Last possible date for the Stanley Cup draw
Oct 9-10: 2020 NHL Draft (must follow end of cup final and take place before free agency)
Mid-Oct: free agent period opens
Nov. 17: Training camps open for the season 2020-21
Dec 1: 2020-21 NHL season begins
