How the Stanley Cup Playoffs Work

Sixteen teams, four best-of-seven rounds, and sudden-death overtime with no shootouts — the longest trophy grind in North American sport.

Torch Editorial · 5 min read · Updated August 2026

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win in North American sport: sixteen wins across two months, against opponents who get up to seven chances to answer. Here’s the format.

Who gets in

Sixteen teams qualify — eight per conference: the top three from each division plus two wild cards per conference. The first round is bracketed by division: each division winner opens against a wild card, and the second- and third-place teams in each division play each other.

Best of seven, every round

Every series is best-of-seven — first to four wins advances. The team with the better regular-season record holds home-ice advantage, hosting games 1, 2, 5 and 7. Four rounds: first round, second round, the Conference Finals, and the Stanley Cup Final between the two conference champions.

Playoff overtime is different

In the regular season, a tied game goes to a five-minute three-on-three overtime and then a shootout. The playoffs abandon all of that: overtime is full 20-minute periods of five-on-five, sudden death — first goal wins, however long it takes. Multi-overtime games that end past midnight are part of playoff lore.

Why upsets keep happening

A seven-game series is supposed to protect the better team, but hockey’s scoring is low and its bounces are random enough that a hot goaltender can erase a talent gap for two weeks. Presidents’ Trophy winners — the best regular-season team — have been first-round casualties often enough that no seed feels safe.