NHL Playoff Bracket 2015: Schedule, Format and Stanley Cup Odds
After an 82-game season, just 16 teams remain with a chance to fight for the Stanley Cup—sometimes literally.
The intensity gets ratcheted up this time of year, with so much on the line. With the Los Angeles Kings out, there will be a new champion crowned. Never fear, California, the Anaheim Ducks are still in with a chance to keep the Cup in the state.
Will a surprise team like the Minnesota Wild or Winnipeg Jets pull off a first-round upset? Can the Washington Capitals finally make it out of the conference semifinals? Will there be a first-time Cup winner, such as the St. Louis Blues or Nashville Predators?
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Before the puck drops on the 2015 NHL playoffs, let's take a look at the full schedule, championship odds and format for the seeding.
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 7 p.m. | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC, TVA Sports, NHL Network |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 7 p.m. | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC, TVA Sports, CNBC |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 7 p.m. | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Montreal at Ottawa | CBC |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Ottawa at Montreal | CBC |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Detroit at Tampa Bay | CNBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 3 p.m. | Detroit at Tampa Bay | NBC, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Thursday, April 23 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay at Detroit | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 6* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Tampa Bay at Detroit | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Detroit at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 7 p.m. | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 8 p.m. | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | NBC, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 7 p.m. | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | NY Rangers at Pittsburgh | TBD |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Pittsburgh at NY Rangers | TBD |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 7 p.m. | NY Islanders at Washington | USA, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 7 p.m. | NY Islanders at Washington | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | Noon | Washington at NY Islanders | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Washington at NY Islanders | USA, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Washington at NY Islanders | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | NY Islanders at Washington | TBD |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 9:30 p.m. | Minnesota at St. Louis | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 3 p.m. | Minnesota at St. Louis | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 8 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | CNBC, SN1, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | St. Louis at Minnesota | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | St. Louis at Minnesota | TBD |
| 7* | *Wednesday, April 29 | TBD | Minnesota at St. Louis | TBD |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 8:30 p.m. | Chicago at Nashville | NBCSN, SN 360, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 9:30 p.m. | Chicago at Nashville | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 3 p.m. | Nashville at Chicago | NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 9:30 p.m. | Nashville at Chicago | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Nashville at Chicago | TBD |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Chicago at Nashville | TBD |
| 1 | Thursday, April 16 | 10:30 p.m. | Winnipeg at Anaheim | CNBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, April 18 | 10:30 p.m. | Winnipeg at Anaheim | NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| 3 | Monday, April 20 | 9 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Wednesday, April 22 | 9:30 p.m. | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Friday, April 24 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 6* | *Sunday, April 26 | TBD | Anaheim at Winnipeg | Sportsnet |
| 7* | *Tuesday, April 28 | TBD | Winnipeg at Anaheim | Sportsnet |
| 1 | Wednesday, April 15 | 10 p.m. | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 2 | Friday, April 17 | 10 p.m. | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC, TVA Sports, CNBC |
| 3 | Sunday, April 19 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN |
| 4 | Tuesday, April 21 | 10 p.m. | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC, TVA Sports, USA |
| 5* | *Thursday, April 23 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
| 6* | *Saturday, April 25 | TBD | Vancouver at Calgary | CBC |
| 7* | *Monday, April 27 | TBD | Calgary at Vancouver | CBC |
| Anaheim Ducks | 9-1 |
| Calgary Flames | 20-1 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 17-2 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 20-1 |
| Minnesota Wild | 10-1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 12-1 |
| Nashville Predators | 15-1 |
| NY Islanders | 16-1 |
| NY Rangers | 5-1 |
| Ottawa Senators | 18-1 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 16-1 |
| St. Louis Blues | 8-1 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 9-1 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 17-1 |
| Washington Capitals | 13-1 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 18-1 |
Format Breakdown
As usual, there are 16 teams in the playoffs. That hasn't changed in the last two years. What did change last year was how those franchises were paired up against one another.
Instead of just having a No. 1 seed play a No. 8 seed, it plays a wild-card team. Those two teams are pitted against one another, with the wild cards being in the bracket as a No. 4 seed. That leaves the Ottawa Senators, a team that won six of its last seven games, against the Montreal Canadiens.
If that seems confusing at all, you're not alone. Ed Frankovic of WNST offered his take on the current format:
"Current NHL playoff format is goofy & almost as stupid as 2 vs 3 pt games. League needs to expand to balance league out. Playoffs within Div
— Ed Frankovic (@EdFrankovic) March 7, 2015"
From that point, mostly everything else stays the same in the playoffs. However, 16 teams in the playoffs—over half of the league—might not be enough for the NHL.
Even with the recent changes to the format and conferences last season, several analysts believe the league should tweak the format. Jonathan Willis of Sportsnet is one proponent of change. He explains how change would actually help the more dominant teams:
"With a qualification round, a first-place finisher would have some reward for its fine regular season. It would have a few days off to rest and rehabilitate injuries. It would draw a tired opponent in the first round and possibly even draw a lower-end team if there was an upset in the best-of-three qualification round. It would, in effect, stack the deck a little in favour of the NHL’s best teams, thereby rewarding clubs for their excellent regular season performances.
"
For now, the format remains the same and will be the deciding factor for the Stanley Cup. Given the way the regular season has gone, expect fireworks when the teams finally take the ice.
Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.
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