The National Hockey League (NHL) is one of the most popular professional sports leagues in North America. Every year, teams from across the United States and Canada compete for a chance to win the coveted Stanley Cup.
One of the most exciting aspects of the NHL season is the playoffs, where the top teams from each conference face off in a series of elimination rounds.
While many fans are familiar with the concept of the NHL playoffs, there is often confusion about how many teams make it to the postseason.
In total, 16 teams qualify for the playoffs each year, with eight teams from each conference earning a spot. Within each conference, the top three teams from each division automatically qualify, while the remaining two spots are awarded to the teams with the next highest point totals.
Understanding how many teams make the NHL playoffs is important for both fans and players alike. For fans, knowing which teams are in the running for the Stanley Cup can help build excitement and anticipation for the postseason.
For players, making the playoffs is often seen as the ultimate goal, and teams will often make roster moves or strategic decisions throughout the regular season to ensure they have the best chance of qualifying.
The NHL Playoff Format
Current NHL Playoff Format
The current playoff format in the NHL has been in place since the 2013-2014 season. In total, 16 teams make the postseason, with eight teams from each conference. Both conferences are made up of two divisions each (Eastern Conference has the Metropolitan and Atlantic Divisions; Western Conference has the Central and Pacific Divisions).
For each conference, the top three teams from each division qualify for the playoffs, and the remaining two spots are filled by wild card teams. The wild card teams are the two teams with the highest point totals in each conference that did not qualify as one of the top three teams in their division.
The playoff bracket is set up so that the top team in each division faces off against the wild card team with the lowest point total, and the second and third place teams in each division face off against each other. The winners of those matchups then face off against each other in the second round, with the winners of those matchups facing off in the conference finals. The winners of the conference finals then compete in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Previous NHL Playoff Formats
Before the current playoff format, the NHL had several different formats for the postseason. From 1994-2013, the league used a format where the top eight teams from each conference qualified for the playoffs, regardless of division. The teams were then seeded based on their point totals, with the top seed facing the eighth seed, the second seed facing the seventh seed, and so on.
From 1982-1993, the NHL used a format where the top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. The teams were then seeded based on their point totals within their division, with the top seed facing the fourth seed, and the second seed facing the third seed. The winners of those matchups then faced off against each other in the division finals, with the winners of those matchups facing off in the conference finals. The winners of the conference finals then competed in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Before 1982, the NHL had several different playoff formats, including a format where only four teams qualified for the playoffs and a format where 12 teams qualified for the playoffs.
Number of Teams in the NHL Playoffs
Number of Teams in Current Playoff Format
The current NHL playoff format includes 16 teams. Eight teams from each conference qualify with a guaranteed minimum of three teams from each division. Both conferences reserve the last two playoff spots for the wild card teams.
Teams are ranked based on their winning record reflected by the total team points earned. The top team in each division is guaranteed to play one of the wild card teams in the first round of the playoffs, while the second and third place teams in each division play each other in the first round. The winners of each divisional series then face off in the second round, followed by the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Finals.
Number of Teams in Previous Playoff Formats
The NHL has had various playoff formats throughout its history. From 1974 to 1979, only 12 of the 18 teams in the league made the playoffs.
From 1980 to 1981, the number of teams increased to 16, with four teams from each division qualifying. From 1982 to 1992, the playoff format was expanded to include 16 teams, with the top four teams from each division qualifying.
From 1993 to 2013, the league had a 16-team playoff format, with eight teams from each conference qualifying. In this format, the first-place team in each division played the eighth-place team, the second-place team played the seventh-place team, the third-place team played the sixth-place team, and the fourth-place team played the fifth-place team. The winners of each series then faced off in the second round, followed by the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Finals.
In summary, the number of teams in the NHL playoffs has varied throughout the league’s history, with the current format including 16 teams, eight from each conference.
The previous format also included 16 teams, but with a different seeding and matchup system.
How Teams Qualify for the NHL Playoffs
Divisional Playoff Format Qualification
The NHL playoffs consist of 16 teams, with eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference.
The top three teams from each division in each conference qualify for the playoffs. This means that a guaranteed minimum of three teams from each division make it to the postseason.
The division winners are seeded first through third in each conference based on their regular-season point totals.
Wild Card Playoff Format Qualification
The remaining two playoff spots in each conference are reserved for the wild card teams.
The wild card teams are the two teams with the highest point totals in each conference that did not qualify for the playoffs as one of the top three teams in their division.
The wild card teams are seeded fourth and fifth in each conference based on their regular-season point totals.
James is a big time NBA Golden State follower, who makes sure to catch games when he's in the area. He likes to follow International Soccer, with an interest in small town soccer club, Blackburn Rovers located in the North on the UK.