The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are poised to be legendary. Parity was the name of the game in the 2024-25 season with both the east and west boasting stellar teams up and down the standings. This is not a season where there’s a single, clear-cut favorite in each conference, but rather four or even five teams on each side of the bracket that you can believe has what it takes to go all the way.
Unquestionably the most fascinating series in the first round comes out of the west with the Dallas Stars facing the Colorado Avalanche. It’s a matchup rich in top-flight individual performances, but also high in emotion as Mikko Rantanen faces his former team. Meanwhile in the east there will be a ton of focus on Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, but also the three Canadian teams who made the playoffs with Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal all trying to move on.
The Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes have the best Stanley Cup title odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as the puck drops on the postseason tournament. The Hurricanes are favorites just ahead of the Florida Panthers to come out of the Eastern Conference. The Avalanche are favorites just ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights to come out of the Western Conference.
Here are the schedules, TV information, scores, and more for the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. All times listed are Eastern. (*) means if necessary.
NHL.com
Eastern Conference
First round
Ottawa Senators (WC2, 97 points) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (1A, 108 points)
Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2 (TOR leads series 1-0)Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (TOR leads series 2-0)Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (TOR leads series 3-0)Game 4: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) (TOR leads series 3-1)Game 5: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *Game 6: Maple Leafs at Senators, Thursday, May 1, TBD *Game 7: Senators at Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 3, TBD *
Series favorite: Maple Leafs -182Post- Game 1 series favorite: Maple Leafs -450Post- Game 2 series favorite: Maple Leafs -710Post- Game 3 series favorite: Maple Leafs -3500Post- Game 4 series favorite: Maple Leafs -1600
Total games: 5.5 — Over -170, Under +138Post- Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -138, Under +108Post- Game 2 total games: 5.5 — Over +110, Under -134Total games off the board after Game 2
Florida Panthers (3A, 98 points) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2A, 102 points)
Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2 (FLA leads series 1-0)Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 (FLA leads series 2-0)Game 3: Lightning 5, Panthers 1 (FLA leads series 2-1)Game 4: Lightning at Panthers, Monday, April 28, TBDGame 5: Panthers at Lightning, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *Game 6: Lightning at Panthers, Friday, May 2, TBD *Game 7: Panthers at Lightning, Sunday, May 4, TBD *
Series favorite: Panthers -118Post-Game 1 series favorite: Panthers -230Post-Game 2 series favorite: Panthers -650Post-Game 3 series favorite: Panthers -285
Total games: 5.5 — Over -188, Under +152Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -188, Under +152Post-Game 2 total games: 5.5 — Over +106, Under -136Post-Game 3 total games: 6.5 — Over +160, Under -200
Montreal Canadiens (WC2, 91 points) vs. Washington Capitals (1M, 111 points)
Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) (WSH leads series 1-0)Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 (WSH leads series 2-0)Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 (WSH leads series 2-1)Game 4: Capitals at Canadiens, Sunday, April 27, 6:30 p.m.Game 5: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *Game 6: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, May 2, TBD *Game 7: Canadiens/at Capitals, Sunday, May 4, TBD *
Series favorite: Capitals -275Post Game 1 series favorite: Capitals -650Post Game 2 series favorite: Capitals -1300Post Game 3 series favorite: Capitals -450
Total games: 5.5 — Over -148, Under +120Post Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -113, Under -113Post Game 2 total games: 5.5 — Over +152, Under -188Post Game 3 total games: 5.5 — Over -225, Under +180
New Jersey Devils (3M, 91 points) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2M, 99 points)
Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1 (CAR leads series 1-0)Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1 (CAR leads series 2-0)Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) (CAR leads series 2-1)Game 4: Hurricanes 5 Devils 2 (CAR leads series 3-1)Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, May 2, TBD *Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, May 4, TBD *
Series favorite: Hurricanes -280Post-Game 1 series favorite: Hurricanes -950Post-Game 2 series favorite: Hurricanes -3000Post-Game 3 series favorite: Hurricanes -950Post-Game 4 series favorite: Hurricanes -4500
Total games: : 5.5 — Over -152, Under +124Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over +118, Under -144Post-Game 2 total games: 4.5 — Over -164, Under +128Post-Game 3 total games: 5.5 — Over -162, Under +126Total games off the board after Game 4
Western Conference
First round
St. Louis Blues (WC2, 96 points) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1C, 116 points)
Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3 (WPG leads series 1-0)Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1 (WPG leads series 2-0)Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2 (WPG leads series 2-1)Game 4: Blues 5, Jets 1 (Series tied 2-2)Game 5: Blues at Jets, Wednesday, April 30, TBD *Game 6: Jets at Blues, Friday, May 2, TBD *Game 7: Blues at Jets, Sunday, May 4, TBD *
Series favorite: Jets -225Post-Game 1 series favorite: Jets -530Post-Game 2 series favorite: Jets -1450Post-Game 3 series favorite: Jets -410Post-Game 4 series favorite: Jets -185
Total games: 5.5 — Over -152, Under +124Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -115, Under -105Post-Game 2 total games: 4.5 — Over -210, Under +168Post-Game 3 total games: 6.5 — Over +180, Under -225Post-Game 4 total games: 6.5 — Over -122, Under -104
Colorado Avalanche (3C, 102 points) vs. Dallas Stars (2C, 106 points)
Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1 (COL leads series 1-0)Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) (Series tied 1-1)Game 3: Stars 2 Avalanche 1 (DAL leads series 2-1)Game 4: Avalanche 4, Stars 0 (Series tied 2-2)Game 5: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 28, TBD *Game 6: Stars at Avalanche, Thursday, May 1, TBD *Game 7: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, May 3, TBD*
Series favorite: Avalanche -152Post-Game 1 series favorite: Avalanche -430Post-Game 2 series favorite: Avalanche -176Post-Game 3 series favorite: Stars -165Post-Game 4 series favorite: Avalanche -176
Total games: 5.5 — Over -188, Under +152Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -106, Under -114Post-Game 2 total games: 6.5 — Over +156, Under -194Post-Game 3 total games: 6.5 — Over +116, Under -148Total games off the board after Game 4
Minnesota Wild (WC1, 97 points) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (1P, 110 points)
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2 (VGK leads series 1-0)Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 (Series tied 1-1)Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 (MIN leads series 2-1)Game 4: Golden Knights 4, Wild 3 (OT) (Series tied 2-2)Game 5: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *Game 6: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, May 1, TBD *Game 7: Wild at Golden Knights, Saturday, May 3, TBD *
Series favorite: Golden Knights -235Post-Game 1 series favorite: Golden Knights -600Post-Game 2 series favorite: Golden Knights -210Post-Game 3 series favorite: Each team -110Post-Game 4 series favorite: Golden Knights -195
Total games: 5.5 — Over -158, Under +128Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -108, Under -112Post-Game 2 total games: 6.5 — Over +154, Under -200Post-Game 3 total games: 6.5 — Over +114, Under -140Post-Game 4 total games: 6.5 — Over -115, Under -111
Edmonton Oilers (3P, 101 points) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2P, 105 points)
Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 (LA leads series 1-0)Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2 (LA leads series 2-0)Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 (LA leads series 2-1)Game 4: Kings at Oilers, Sunday, April 27, 9:30 p.m.Game 5: Oilers at Kings, Tuesday, April 29, TBD *Game 6: Kings at Oilers, Thursday, May 1, TBD *Game 7: Oilers at Kings, Saturday, May 3, TBD *
Series favorite: Oilers -132Post-Game 1 series favorite: Kings -230Post-Game 2 series favorite: Kings -465Post-Game 3 series favorite: Kings -205
Total games: 5.5 — Over -180, Under +146Post-Game 1 total games: 5.5 — Over -194, Under +150Post-Game 2 total games: 5.5 — Over -118, Under -104Post-Game 3 total games: 6.5 — Over +130, Under -160
