2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs by
the numbers
[April 18, 2026]
The NHL playoffs begin Saturday with three series, followed by four
more getting underway Sunday and the last opening on Monday night.
The only certainty is that there won't be a three-peat, since the
back-to-back champion Florida Panthers did not make the 16-team
field. Here's a by the numbers look at the chase for the Stanley
Cup:
2 — Consecutive trips to the final by Connor McDavid and the
Edmonton Oilers, who lost to Florida each time but are back for
another try. The last team to reach the final three years in a row
and not win was St. Louis from 1968-70.
4 — Current playoff teams seeking their first Stanley Cup
championship: Buffalo, Minnesota, Ottawa and Utah. The Sabres in
their 55th season without a title have the second-longest wait of
anyone in the league, just behind Toronto's drought that dates to
1967.
6 — Teams in the field that did not make it last year: Anaheim,
Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Utah. That is one shy
of the largest turnover in history (2021). The Penguins were 6-1
long shots to make it after a three-year absence, while the Flyers
got in for the first time since 2020.
7 — Coaches who got their team into the playoffs in their first
season in charge. Anaheim's Joel Quenneville, Boston's Marco Sturm,
Dallas' Glen Gulutzan, Pittsburgh's Dan Muse, Philadelphia's Rick
Tocchet were hired last offseason. Los Angeles' D.J. Smith took over
March 1 and Vegas' John Tortorella on March 29.
10 — Players who have skated in 1,000 or more regular-season games
and never hoisted the Stanley Cup, led by Colorado's Brent Burns
(1,579). The others are Ottawa's Claude Giroux (1,345), Minnesota's
Nick Foligno (1,287), Dallas' Jamie Benn (1,252) and Matt Duchene
(1,195), Pittsburgh's Erik Karlsson (1,159), Dallas' Tyler Myers
(1,139), Edmonton's Adam Henrique (1,058) and Minnesota's Marcus
Johansson (1,058 GP) and Jeff Petry (1,048).
13 — Years since the Presidents' Trophy winner for the best regular
season also won the Stanley Cup. Colorado is looking to become the
first since Chicago in 2013 and 16th ever.
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso (33) watches a goal is scored
during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville
Predators, Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP
Photo/George Walker IV)
14 — Seasons since the Sabres last made the
playoffs, the longest drought in NHL history. Detroit now has that
distinction (10 seasons).
15 — U.S. players who won gold at the Olympics who
now have a chance for a double championship year: Colorado's Brock
Nelson, Dallas' Jake Oettinger, Boston's Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy
Swayman, Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel, Minnesota's Matt Boldy, Quinn
Hughes and Brock Faber, Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson,
Buffalo's Tage Thompson, Carolina's Jaccob Slavin, Tampa Bay's Jake
Guentzel, Vegas' Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, and Anaheim's Jackson
LaCombe.
21 — Series victories by the Sabres in their franchise history.
Lindy Ruff was coach for 10 of them.
87 — Times Montreal has qualified, the most of any team. Boston is
in for a 78th time, ranking second.
201 — Career playoff points for Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, who
needs one point to pass former teammate Jaromir Jagr for sole
possession of the fifth most in NHL history.
820 — Regular-season games played by Philadelphia's Rasmus
Ristolainen, the most of any active player without making the
playoffs. Former teammate Rasmus Dahlin of Buffalo (568 games) is
also in tor the first time as the only defenseman to make his
postseason debut after recording 400 points.
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