The Stanley Cup Playoffs are one of the oldest traditions in North American sports, and they’re built for fans of all levels, whether it’s your first time watching hockey or you’ve followed the sport for years. Even so, the format and traditions can still be confusing.
As the playoffs begin, questions like “Who is Lord Stanley?” and “Why is there less fighting?” come up often. By June, when the Final arrives, the conversation shifts to the Conn Smythe Trophy and debates over the greatest playoff performances in history.
If you’re new to the game and wondering what the fuss is all about, or why now is the time to jump in, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know.
How the Playoff Bracket Works
For NBA fans, the Stanley Cup Playoff bracket will look familiar. Sixteen teams qualify, all competing for a chance to hoist the Cup.
The first 12 spots are straightforward: the top three teams from each division (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific) automatically make the playoffs.
Standings are determined during the regular season, where teams earn two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss across an 82-game schedule (41 home, 41 away).
The final four spots are Wild Cards. The two highest-ranked teams in each conference that didn’t finish top three in their division earn those spots.
The Road to Victory
The bracket is set at the end of the regular season once points are finalized, which this year occurred on April 16. The higher-ranked division winner faces the No. 2 Wild Card team in its conference, while the lower-ranked division winner plays the No. 1 Wild Card.
The second- and third-place teams in each division face off in the first round, with the same format used in both conferences.
Each series is best-of-seven. The higher seed hosts Games 1 and 2, while Games 3 and 4 shift to the lower seed’s home ice. If necessary, the series alternates each game from there, with Game 5 back at the higher seed’s arena.
Who Is “Lord Stanley”?
Simply put, “Lord Stanley” refers to Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor General of Canada who donated the Stanley Cup in 1892 to be awarded to the country’s top amateur hockey club.
More than 130 years later, fans and players often use the name to refer to the trophy itself, which remains one of the most iconic prizes in sports.
It also comes with one of hockey’s most well-known superstitions. During the playoffs, players avoid touching the Cup, believing that doing so before earning it brings bad luck.
Even the trophy’s longtime keeper, Phil Pritchard, wears gloves when handling it, often repeating the same idea: you don’t touch the Stanley Cup until you’ve earned it.
Once a team wins, that restraint disappears. Each player gets a day with the Cup, often celebrating with family, taking it through their hometown, or creating unforgettable personal moments with it. Jack Johnson of the Colorado Avalanche even famously had his children baptized in it.
Why There’s Less Fighting in the Playoffs
One of hockey’s most entertaining elements is the fight. Players drop the gloves and go one-on-one, usually until one hits the ice.
But fighting is far less common in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In both the regular season and the playoffs, a fight results in a five-minute penalty.
During the regular season, that penalty can be manageable. In the playoffs, where every game carries more weight, five minutes can swing momentum in a way that’s difficult to recover from.
That doesn’t mean fights disappear entirely, especially in rivalry matchups. More often, they happen when the outcome is already decided and the risk of the penalty is lower.
What Is the Conn Smythe Trophy, and Who’s the GOAT?
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It typically goes to a player on the winning team, but there have been six exceptions in history, including most recently Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers in 2024.
The award is named after Conn Smythe, a central figure in Canadian hockey who purchased the Toronto St. Pats in 1927 and later renamed them the Toronto Maple Leafs. As an owner, general manager, and coach, he won eight Stanley Cups and remains one of the most influential figures in the sport’s history.
When it comes to playoff greatness, no name comes up more often than Wayne Gretzky. His four Stanley Cups with Edmonton and record-setting performances helped define what postseason excellence looks like in hockey, and why he’s widely considered the greatest of all time.
Parting Shot
The Stanley Cup Playoffs combine structure, tradition, and intensity in a way few events in sports can match. Understanding how it all works, from the bracket to the superstitions, only adds to the experience.
Once the puck drops, it’s easy to see why so many fans get hooked every spring.
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