NHL playoffs schedule 2026: Full bracket, dates, times, TV channels, live streams for road to Stanley Cup

The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway as of late April 2026, featuring 16 teams competing for the championship. Notably, the defending champion Florida Panthers, who won the 2025 Stanley Cup, failed to qualify for this year's playoffs — marking the first time in a decade that the defending champions are absent. The bracket is considered unusually wide open, with full scheduling details, TV broadcast information, and live stream options available via The Sporting News.