Stanley Cup Playoffs 2024: NHL Bracket, Format and Updated Predictions

Eight teams from the Eastern and Western Conference will battle in the 2023-24 NHL Playoffs, with the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup on the line.

Last year's champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, were the final team to make the field of eight out west while two open wildcard slots remain in the east.

Connor McDavid will have an opportunity to compete for the one accolade that has eluded him to this point in his storied career. Ditto, Auston Matthews.

The Dallas Stars are, arguably, the best team in the league while the Boston Bruins will look to erase the bitter disappointment of a historic elimination a season ago.

What teams are in the best position to make their championship dreams come true?

Find out with this look at current standings, the bracket setup, and predictions for the first round of this year's playoffs.

Eastern Conference Standings

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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 06: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG PAINTS Arena on April 6, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

1. x-New York Rangers (53-22-4)]
2. x-Carolina Hurricanes (50-22-7)
3. x-Boston Bruins (46-18-15)
4. x-Florida Panthers (49-24-6)
5. x-Toronto Maple Leafs (46-23-9)
6. x-Tampa Bay Lightning (44-27-7)
7. New York Islanders (36-27-15)
8. Pittsburgh Penguins (37-30-12)
9. Washington Capitals (37-31-11)
10. Detroit Red Wings (38-32-8)
    
11. Philadelphia Flyers (36-32-11)
12. New Jersey Devils (37-37-5)
13. Buffalo Sabres (37-37-5)
14. Ottawa Senators (34-40-4)
15. Montreal Canadiens (30-36-12)
16. Columbus Blue Jackets (26-41-12)

x-clinched playoffs

Western Conference Standings

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DALLAS, TX - APRIL 11: Winnipeg Jets center Sean Monahan (23) and Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) wait for the puck to drop at a face-off during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Winnipeg Jets on April 11, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

1. x-Dallas Stars (50-20-9)
2. x-Vancouver Canucks (48-22-9)
3. x-Colorado Avalanche (49-24-6)
4. x-Winnipeg Jets (48-24-6)
5. x-Edmonton Oilers (48-24-5)
6. x-Nashville Predators (45-29-5)
7. x-Los Angeles Kings (41-26-11)
8. Vegas Golden Knights (42-28-8)
9. St. Louis Blues (4x-2-32-5)
10. Minnesota Wild (37-32-9)
11. Seattle Kraken (33-31-13)
12. Calgary Flames (35-37-5)
13. Arizona Coyotes (34-40-5)
14. Anaheim Ducks (26-48-5)
15. Chicago Blackhawks (23-50-5)
16. San Jose Sharks (18-51-9)

x-clinched playoffs

Brackets and Predictions

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TAMPA, FL - APRIL 11: Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning against Brady Tkachuk #7 of the Ottawa Senators during the first period at Amalie Arena on April 11, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

Eastern Conference

• Bruins (Atlantic Division 1) vs. Lightning (Wild Card 1) (Prediction: Lightning)
• Panthers (A2) vs. Maple Leafs (A3) (Prediction: Leafs)
• Rangers (Metropolitan Division 1) vs. Penguins (WC 2) (Prediction: Rangers)
• Hurricanes (M2) vs. Islanders (M3) (Predictions: Hurricanes)

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Western Conference

• Stars (Central Division 1) vs. Golden Knights (Wild Card 2) (Prediction: Stars)
• Avalanche (C2) vs. Jets (C3) (Prediction: Jets)
• Canucks (Pacific Division 1) vs. Predators (WC1) (Prediction: Canucks)
• Oilers (P2) vs. Kings (P3) (Prediction: Oilers)

Maple Leafs Seek Deep Playoff Run and First Stanley Cup Since 1967

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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 11: Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs looks on during warm ups before facing the New Jersey Devils at Scotiabank Arena on April 11, 2024 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)

On paper, there are few teams with the overall talent and ability of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Auston Matthews has a league-leading 68 goals, and William Nylander and Mitch Marner have accumulated 56 assists. With explosive scoring, and a goalie in Ilya Samsonov who has compiled a 23-7 record in the net, the Leafs appear to be in a good place to make a deep run in the playoffs.

A grueling first-round match-up with the Florida Panthers likely awaits. That series will likely set the tone for Toronto's playoff run if they can continue scoring against Florida and goalie Anthony Stolarz (.926 save percentage) at the clip they have this season.

If they struggle to find the net, or Samsonov lets the Panthers put the puck in the goal and turn the series into a shootout, the Leafs could find themselves heading home early.

Again.

Such an outcome will likely result in major changes across the organization, as James Mirtle of The Athletic reported on The Leaf Report podcast.

"They lose in the first round, there's going to be pretty big changes. And there could be big changes this year and potentially even the year after. (Brendan) Shanahan's got one year left on his deal. There's a new president of MLSE," Mirtle said (h/t The Hockey News).

Last season, the Leafs outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games, only for Florida to defeat them 4-1 in the second round. Even that result could, and probably should, result in changes given the talent at play and the lack of results so far.