NHL · Hockey

OLC Bracketology

Stanley Cup Playoff Field (16 Teams) Updated Oct 10, 2026, 2:48 AM PT

NHL Bracketology

Seeded off today’s real standings -- "if the playoffs started right now."

Playoff Field

Eastern Conference Field

Seed	Team	Points	OLC Rating
ATL 1	Tampa Bay Lightning	6	57.81
ATL 2	Florida Panthers	6	54.70
ATL 3	Boston Bruins	6	52.41
MET 1	New York Rangers	8	49.67
MET 2	Carolina Hurricanes	7	58.08
MET 3	Washington Capitals	6	56.95
WC1	Ottawa Senators	6	52.67
WC2	Toronto Maple Leafs	5	46.84

ATL 1

Tampa Bay Lightning57.81

Points 6

ATL 2

Florida Panthers54.70

Points 6

ATL 3

Boston Bruins52.41

Points 6

MET 1

New York Rangers49.67

Points 8

MET 2

Carolina Hurricanes58.08

Points 7

MET 3

Washington Capitals56.95

Points 6

WC1

Ottawa Senators52.67

Points 6

WC2

Toronto Maple Leafs46.84

Points 5

Western Conference Field

Seed	Team	Points	OLC Rating
CEN 1	Winnipeg Jets	7	47.07
CEN 2	Colorado Avalanche	6	60.35
CEN 3	Utah Mammoth	6	54.02
PAC 1	Vegas Golden Knights	8	56.49
PAC 2	Edmonton Oilers	7	55.46
PAC 3	Anaheim Ducks	6	53.85
WC1	San Jose Sharks	6	51.18
WC2	Seattle Kraken	6	46.59

CEN 1

Winnipeg Jets47.07

Points 7

CEN 2

Colorado Avalanche60.35

Points 6

CEN 3

Utah Mammoth54.02

Points 6

PAC 1

Vegas Golden Knights56.49

Points 8

PAC 2

Edmonton Oilers55.46

Points 7

PAC 3

Anaheim Ducks53.85

Points 6

WC1

San Jose Sharks51.18

Points 6

WC2

Seattle Kraken46.59

Points 6

First Round — Eastern Conference

Best-of-7 Series · Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 & 7

Eastern Series A -- Better Division Leader vs. Weaker Wild Card

MET 1

New York RangersOLC 49.67

WC2

Toronto Maple LeafsOLC 46.84

Home Ice: New York Rangers

Games at New York Rangers

42%

58%

Lean

Games at Toronto Maple Leafs

48%

52%

Lean

Projected Series ResultNew York Rangers wins 4-3, 7 games

Eastern Series B -- Other Division Leader vs. Stronger Wild Card

ATL 1

Tampa Bay LightningOLC 57.81

WC1

Ottawa SenatorsOLC 52.67

Home Ice: Tampa Bay Lightning

Games at Tampa Bay Lightning

40%

60%

Likely

Games at Ottawa Senators

50%

Toss-Up

Projected Series ResultTampa Bay Lightning wins 4-0 sweep

Eastern Series C -- Atlantic #2 vs. #3

ATL 2

Florida PanthersOLC 54.70

ATL 3

Boston BruinsOLC 52.41

Home Ice: Florida Panthers

Games at Florida Panthers

42%

58%

Lean

Games at Boston Bruins

47%

53%

Lean

Projected Series ResultFlorida Panthers wins 4-3, 7 games

Eastern Series D -- Metropolitan #2 vs. #3

MET 2

Carolina HurricanesOLC 58.08

MET 3

Washington CapitalsOLC 56.95

Home Ice: Carolina Hurricanes

Games at Carolina Hurricanes

44%

56%

Lean

Games at Washington Capitals

46%

54%

Lean

Projected Series ResultCarolina Hurricanes wins 4-3, 7 games

First Round — Western Conference

Best-of-7 Series · Higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5 & 7

Western Series A -- Better Division Leader vs. Weaker Wild Card

PAC 1

Vegas Golden KnightsOLC 56.49

WC2

Seattle KrakenOLC 46.59

Home Ice: Vegas Golden Knights

Games at Vegas Golden Knights

35%

65%

Likely

Games at Seattle Kraken

55%

45%

Lean

Projected Series ResultVegas Golden Knights wins 4-0 sweep

Western Series B -- Other Division Leader vs. Stronger Wild Card

CEN 1

Winnipeg JetsOLC 47.07

WC1

San Jose SharksOLC 51.18

Home Ice: Winnipeg Jets

Games at Winnipeg Jets

49%

51%

Toss-Up

Games at San Jose Sharks

41%

59%

Lean

Projected Series ResultWinnipeg Jets wins 4-3, 7 games

Western Series C -- Central #2 vs. #3

CEN 2

Colorado AvalancheOLC 60.35

CEN 3

Utah MammothOLC 54.02

Home Ice: Colorado Avalanche

Games at Colorado Avalanche

38%

62%

Likely

Games at Utah Mammoth

51%

49%

Toss-Up

Projected Series ResultColorado Avalanche wins 4-0 sweep

Western Series D -- Pacific #2 vs. #3

PAC 2

Edmonton OilersOLC 55.46

PAC 3

Anaheim DucksOLC 53.85

Home Ice: Edmonton Oilers

Games at Edmonton Oilers

43%

57%

Lean

Games at Anaheim Ducks

46%

54%

Lean

Projected Series ResultEdmonton Oilers wins 4-3, 7 games

Second Round — Eastern Conference

Projected Series · Division bracket paths do not reseed

Eastern Division Final -- Better Leader's Bracket Half

MET 1

New York RangersOLC 49.67

MET 2

Carolina HurricanesOLC 58.08

Home Ice: New York Rangers

Games at New York Rangers

54%

46%

Lean

Games at Carolina Hurricanes

36%

64%

Likely

Projected Series ResultCarolina Hurricanes wins 4-0 sweep

Eastern Division Final -- Other Leader's Bracket Half

ATL 1

Tampa Bay LightningOLC 57.81

ATL 2

Florida PanthersOLC 54.70

Home Ice: Tampa Bay Lightning

Games at Tampa Bay Lightning

42%

58%

Lean

Games at Florida Panthers

48%

52%

Toss-Up

Projected Series ResultTampa Bay Lightning wins 4-3, 7 games

Second Round — Western Conference

Projected Series · Division bracket paths do not reseed

Western Division Final -- Better Leader's Bracket Half

PAC 1

Vegas Golden KnightsOLC 56.49

PAC 2

Edmonton OilersOLC 55.46

Home Ice: Vegas Golden Knights

Games at Vegas Golden Knights

44%

56%

Lean

Games at Edmonton Oilers

46%

54%

Lean

Projected Series ResultVegas Golden Knights wins 4-3, 7 games

Western Division Final -- Other Leader's Bracket Half

CEN 1

Winnipeg JetsOLC 47.07

CEN 2

Colorado AvalancheOLC 60.35

Home Ice: Winnipeg Jets

Games at Winnipeg Jets

59%

41%

Lean

Games at Colorado Avalanche

32%

68%

Likely

Projected Series ResultColorado Avalanche wins 4-0 sweep

Eastern Conference Final

MET 2

Carolina HurricanesOLC 58.08

ATL 1

Tampa Bay LightningOLC 57.81

Home Ice: Carolina Hurricanes

Games at Carolina Hurricanes

45%

55%

Lean

Games at Tampa Bay Lightning

45%

55%

Lean

Projected Series ResultCarolina Hurricanes wins 4-3, 7 games

Western Conference Final

PAC 1

Vegas Golden KnightsOLC 56.49

CEN 2

Colorado AvalancheOLC 60.35

Home Ice: Vegas Golden Knights

Games at Vegas Golden Knights

49%

51%

Toss-Up

Games at Colorado Avalanche

41%

59%

Lean

Projected Series ResultVegas Golden Knights wins 4-3, 7 games

Stanley Cup Final — Current

Stanley Cup Final

MET 2

Carolina HurricanesOLC 58.08

PAC 1

Vegas Golden KnightsOLC 56.49

Home Ice: Vegas Golden Knights

Games at Vegas Golden Knights

46%

54%

Lean

Games at Carolina Hurricanes

43%

57%

Lean

Projected Series ResultVegas Golden Knights wins 4-3, 7 games

OLC Projected Stanley Cup Champion

Vegas Golden Knights

How OLC NHL Playoff Projections Work. OLC projects the remaining regular season to build the 16-team field (top 3 in each division, plus two wild-card teams per conference), determines home ice for every series, calculates a separate win probability for games at each team’s own rink, and applies the NHL’s 2-2-1-1-1 best-of-seven format to project each series’ winner and length. Projected winners advance through the fixed division bracket path — Round 2 does not reseed — until the Eastern and Western champions meet in the Stanley Cup Final.