How To Get NHL Playoff Tickets
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are some of the most thrilling events in all of professional sports. Every spring, 16 teams battle through four grueling rounds for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup. If you are looking for the cheapest 2026 NHL Playoff tickets, you have come to the right place.
Tickets for this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs are in massive demand. The Colorado Avalanche are running away with the Presidents’ Trophy, the Carolina Hurricanes lead the Eastern Conference, and fan bases across the league are buzzing with playoff energy. That level of excitement drives prices up fast, which is exactly why choosing the right ticket marketplace matters.
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What Teams Are in the 2026 NHL Playoffs?
The 2025-26 NHL regular season wraps up on April 16, 2026. The top three teams from each division earn automatic playoff berths, and two wild card teams per conference round out the 16-team field. Below are the projected playoff teams for both conferences based on current standings.
Eastern Conference
| Seed | Team | Points | Record | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Buffalo Sabres | 106 | 49-23-8 | Buy Tickets |
| A2 | Montreal Canadiens | 104 | 47-22-10 | Buy Tickets |
| A3 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 102 | 48-25-6 | Buy Tickets |
| M1 | Carolina Hurricanes | 108 | 51-22-6 | Buy Tickets |
| M2 | Boston Bruins | 96 | 43-26-10 | Buy Tickets |
| M3 | Ottawa Senators | 94 | 42-27-10 | Buy Tickets |
| WC1 | Detroit Red Wings (Wild Card) | 91 | 41-29-9 | Buy Tickets |
| WC2 | Florida Panthers (Wild Card) | 78 | 37-38-4 | Buy Tickets |
Western Conference
| Seed | Team | Points | Record | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Colorado Avalanche | 114 | 52-16-10 | Buy Tickets |
| C2 | Dallas Stars | 106 | 47-20-12 | Buy Tickets |
| C3 | Minnesota Wild | 102 | 45-22-12 | Buy Tickets |
| P1 | Edmonton Oilers | 90 | 40-29-10 | Buy Tickets |
| P2 | Utah Hockey Club | 90 | 42-30-6 | Buy Tickets |
| P3 | Nashville Predators | 84 | 37-32-10 | Buy Tickets |
| WC1 | Winnipeg Jets (Wild Card) | 82 | 35-31-12 | Buy Tickets |
| WC2 | St. Louis Blues (Wild Card) | 78 | 33-33-12 | Buy Tickets |
The Avalanche have been the class of the league this season, posting 114 points and tracking toward the Presidents’ Trophy. In the East, the Hurricanes lead the way at 108 points, while the Buffalo Sabres (106 points) and Dallas Stars (106 points) are right behind them. Other strong contenders include the Montreal Canadiens (104 points), the Tampa Bay Lightning (102 points), and the Minnesota Wild (102 points).
Where Can I Buy 2026 NHL Playoff Tickets?
If your favorite team qualifies for the playoffs, it will typically send presale offers to fans who hold partial- or full-season ticket packages. This is the best way to get early access to high-demand postseason games like 2026 NHL Playoff tickets.
Once those presales close, teams release any remaining inventory to the general public. Those tickets tend to sell out quickly, leaving the secondary resale market as the primary option for most fans. That is where TickPick stands apart from the competition.
On TickPick, you will never pay hidden service fees. The price listed is the price you pay at checkout. Other major marketplaces tack on fees of 20% or more after you have already selected your seats, inflating the final cost well beyond the advertised price. With TickPick, what you see is what you get.
How to Get Sold-Out NHL Playoff Tickets
If you could not secure tickets through any presale or general on-sale, you are far from alone. NHL Playoff games routinely sell out, especially in hockey-mad markets and in the later rounds of the postseason. The good news is that sold out does not mean unavailable.
Season ticket holders and other original buyers frequently list their seats on the resale market, and TickPick aggregates those listings from trusted sellers. Whether you are looking for seats at Ball Arena in Denver, Lenovo Center in Raleigh, KeyBank Center in Buffalo, or American Airlines Center in Dallas, TickPick can help you find available inventory for even the most in-demand matchups.
With these games carrying the season’s highest stakes, resale prices will naturally be elevated. But that does not mean good deals cannot be found if you know where to look. Prices on the resale market fluctuate throughout the day, and checking TickPick close to game time can sometimes reveal last-minute price drops from sellers looking to move their tickets.
2026 NHL Playoffs FAQs
How Many Teams Make the NHL Playoffs?
16 teams qualify for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs each year. The top three teams from each of the four divisions (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific) earn automatic berths, accounting for 12 spots. The remaining four spots go to wild-card teams, two from each conference, determined by the next-best records, regardless of division.
When Do the 2026 NHL Playoffs Start?
The 2025-26 NHL regular season ends on April 16, 2026. The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is expected to begin in late April 2026. The Stanley Cup Finals are projected to take place in June 2026.
What Are the Four NHL Divisions?
The Eastern Conference consists of the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Division. The Western Conference consists of the Central Division and the Pacific Division. Each division sends its top three teams to the playoffs, with wild-card spots filling out the rest of the bracket.
How Does the NHL Playoff Bracket Work?
The NHL uses a division-based playoff format. In the first round, each division’s top seed faces the lower wild card from its conference, while the second and third seeds in each division play each other. The bracket reseeds after the first round, so the top remaining seed always faces the lowest remaining seed. Every round is a best-of-seven series, and the last two teams standing meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.
How to Get Cheap NHL Playoff Tickets
With high-stakes hockey comes high ticket prices, and service fees on other platforms make the problem even worse. On sites like StubHub, Vivid Seats, and SeatGeek, fees of 15-25% are added to the listed price at checkout. That can turn a $120 ticket into $150 or more before you even realize it.
TickPick is the only major ticket marketplace that charges zero service fees to buyers. The listed price is the final price. For high-value playoff tickets, that difference adds up quickly, making TickPick the best option for fans looking to save money without sacrificing seat quality.
Here are some additional tips for finding the best deals on 2026 NHL Playoff tickets:
Target first-round games. First-round tickets are generally the most affordable playoff tickets available. Locking in seats before the matchup hype builds can save you a significant amount. Look at first-round options for teams like the Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, and Winnipeg Jets for some of the best value.
Consider road games. Home teams typically command higher prices. If you live near an opposing team’s arena, attending the away games in a series can be a budget-friendly alternative. For example, catching an Avalanche road game at Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota may cost less than a home game at Ball Arena.
Watch wild card matchups. Wild card series often fly under the radar compared to matchups between division leaders. Teams like the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, and Florida Panthers are in a wild-card position this year, and their games can offer strong value.
Monitor prices on game day. Sellers who have not moved their tickets by the morning of a game will sometimes lower their asking price significantly. Checking TickPick a few hours before puck drop can reveal last-minute bargains.
New to TickPick? Sign up today and get $10 off your first purchase. No service fees, ever.
2026 NHL Playoff Schedule
The complete 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff schedule will be updated as matchups are finalized. Here are the key dates to keep in mind:
Regular Season Ends: April 16, 2026
First Round: Late April 2026
Second Round: Mid-May 2026
Conference Finals: Late May 2026
Stanley Cup Finals: June 2026
Browse the full schedule and find tickets for every round on TickPick’s NHL Playoff page.
If you have any questions about purchasing NHL Playoff tickets, feel free to reach out to our support team. We are happy to help you find the perfect seats at the best price.