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The first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs has come and gone with the 16-team field being cut in half. In Round 1, we had two sweeps and one series that went to Game 7.
Join The Hockey Writers for our coverage of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and check back in for previews of the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule & Bracket
- 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Schedule (updated as games are scheduled)
- 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket
- 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Hub
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Articles
- 4 Former Oilers in Round 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
- 6 Former Flames Still Competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
- NHL Playoffs First-Round Takeaways: Tkachuk, Oilers & Much More
Eastern Conference
Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens (Preview Show)
- 3 Canadiens Lessons From Sabres Series
- 3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 3-2 Game 7 Loss to the Canadiens
- Canadiens Beat Sabres to Win First-Ever Road Game 7 in Overtime
- Sabres Should Consider Benching Alex Tuch for Game 7
- 3 Statistics That Explain the Canadiens’ Playoff Success
- Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov Finding His Game at the Right Time in 2026 Playoffs
- Canadiens Have Reason to Stay Optimistic for Game 7 vs. Sabres
- Alexandre Texier Is Proving the Canadiens Right in the Playoffs
- Canadiens Are Seeing the Real Zachary Bolduc in the Playoffs
- 3 Keys to Sabres Forcing Game 7 Against Canadiens
- Canadiens’ Top Line Must Break the Even-Strength Deadlock
- Sabres’ Helenius Stands Out in Game 4 Win
- 3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 3-2 Game 4 Win Over the Canadiens
- Sabres Do Not Need To Panic Going Into Game 4
- Canadiens’ Hutson Is Cementing His Place Among NHL’s Elite Defencemen
- Canadiens’ Hybrid Attack Is Source of Success
- Jakub Dobes Has Been the Foundation of the Canadiens’ Playoff Run
- Newhook Gives Canadiens New Life Against Sabres
- Canadiens’ Xhekaj Makes Presence Felt Against Sabres
- 3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 5-1 Game 2 Loss to the Canadiens
- Kirby Dach Is Finally Showing What the Canadiens Saw in Him
- Canadiens’ Depth Becoming Their Biggest Weapon
- 3 Takeaways From the Sabres’ 4-2 Game 1 Win Over the Canadiens
- 3 Sabres Who Need to Step Up in the Second Round vs the Canadiens
- Canadiens Need Suzuki, Caufield, and Slafkovsky to Deliver in Round 2
- Canadiens’ X-Factors to an Upset Series Victory Over the Sabres
- 3 Critical Sabres Needed to Beat the Canadiens
- 3 Keys for the Sabres to Defeat the Canadiens in the 2nd Round
- Canadiens’ First-Round Victory Signals Their Official Arrival
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Philadelphia Flyers (Preview Show)
- Hurricanes’ Taylor Hall Returning to Hart Trophy Form
- Hurricanes Continue Historical 8-0 Playoff Run With Round 2 Sweep
- Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Stars of Round 2
- 3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 3-2 Win Over the Flyers to Complete Sweep
- 3 Takeaways From Flyers’ Season-Ending Game 4 Loss vs. Hurricanes
- Hurricanes Displaying the Lessons Learned in Panthers-Inflicted Wounds
- 3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 4-1 Win to Take 3-0 Stranglehold Lead
- 3 Takeaways From Flyers’ Telling Game 3 Loss vs. Hurricanes
- Sebastian Aho’s Slow Start Is Biggest Hurdle to Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup Ambition
- Hurricanes’ K’Andre Miller Is Playing His Best Hockey at the Right Time
- Hurricanes Postgame Bites: Brind’Amour & Players After 3-2 Overtime Win
- 3 Takeaways From Flyers’ Game 2 OT Loss to Hurricanes
- Hurricanes’ Brandon Bussi on First Season & Support in Raleigh
- Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen Is Setting Records & Making Conn Smythe Case
- 3 Takeaways From Flyers’ Decisive Game 1 Loss to Hurricanes
- 3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 3-0 Shutout Game 1 Win Over Flyers
- 4 Keys to Flyers Success in 2nd-Round Series vs. Hurricanes
- Hurricanes Playoff Preview: First Playoff Matchup Against Flyers in Round 2
Western Conference
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild (Preview Show)
- What Went Wrong for the Wild Versus the Avalanche?
- 3 Takeaways From the Avalanche’s 4-3 Game 5 Win Over the Wild
- 3 Takeaways From the Wild’s 4-3 Overtime Loss in Game 5 to the Avalanche
- Avalanche May Have Unlocked Another Variable for Stanley Cup Success
- Minnesota Wild Gameday Playoff Preview Game 5. vs the Avalanche
- 3 Takeaways From the Avalanche’s 5-2 Game 4 Win Over the Wild
- 3 Takeaways From the Wild’s 5-2 Loss to the Avalanche in Game 4
- Minnesota Wild Gameday Playoff Preview Game 4. vs the Avalanche
- 3 Takeaways From the Wild’s 5-1 Win Over the Avalanche in Game 3
- Avalanche’s Persistent Forecheck Proving Troublesome for Quinn Hughes
- 3 Takeaways From the Avalanche’s 5-2 Game 2 Win Over the Wild
- 3 Takeaways From the Wild’s 5-2 Loss to the Avalanche in Game 2
- Minnesota Wild Gameday Playoff Preview Game 2 vs. the Avalanche
- 3 Takeaways From the Wild’s 9-6 Loss to the Avalanche in Game 1
- 3 X-Factors in the Wild-Avalanche Series
- 3 Avalanche Who Could Decide the Series Against the Wild
- Minnesota Wild Gameday Playoff Preview: Game 1 vs. the Avalanche
- 3 Important Matchups in Avalanche’s Series vs. the Wild
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks (Preview Show)
- 3 Reasons the Golden Knights Eliminated the Ducks
- 2 Things Can Be True About Marner’s Playoff History
- Golden Knights’ Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 6 at Ducks
- 3 Takeaways From Ducks’ Crushing Game 5 Overtime Loss to Golden Knights
- Takeaways From the Golden Knights’ 3-2 Overtime Win Against the Ducks in Game 5
- Golden Knights Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 5 vs. Ducks
- Marner’s Hat Trick Has Maple Leafs Fans Reliving Painful Truth
- Golden Knights’ Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 4 at Ducks
- Takeaways From the Golden Knights’ 6-2 Win Against the Ducks
- Golden Knights’ Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 3 at Ducks
- Takeaways From Golden Knights’ 3-1 Game 2 Loss to the Ducks
- How a Player With Nearly Zero Hits All Season Is Excelling in the Playoffs
- Golden Knights Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 2 vs. Ducks
- Ducks News and Notes: Playoffs Round 2
- 3 Takeaways From Ducks’ 3-1 Loss to the Golden Knights
- 3 Takeaways From Golden Knights’ 3-1 Game 1 Win Over Ducks
- Golden Knights’ Playoff Gameday Preview: Game 1 vs. Ducks
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Predictions
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