| Champions | St. Louis Blues | Defending Champions | Washington Capitals |
| Runner-up | Boston Bruins | Conn Smythe Trophy | Ryan O’Reilly (Blues) |
The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on April 10, 2019, after the 2018–19 regular season, and concluded on June 12, 2019, with the St. Louis Blues winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history defeating the Boston Bruins four games to three in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Tampa Bay Lightning made the playoffs as the Presidents’ Trophy winners with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. The Pittsburgh Penguins increased their post-season appearance streak to thirteen seasons, the current longest streak. The Carolina Hurricanes made the playoffs for the first time since 2009, ending a nine-year playoff drought.
For the second season in a row, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs were the only Original Six teams to make the playoffs, marking the fifth time in league history (after 2000, 2001, 2007 and 2018) that only two Original Six teams clinched a playoff berth. For the first time since 2004, both Southern California teams, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, missed the playoffs. For the second time in League history (and the second season in a row), both the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens missed the playoffs.
The Blues tied the 1987 Philadelphia Flyers, 2004 Calgary Flames, 2014 Los Angeles Kings, and 2015 Tampa Bay Lightning for playing the most playoff games (26) in a four-round playoff format. The record for most playoff games was subsequently broken by the 2020 Dallas Stars, who played 27 games during the expanded 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings were the only other Stanley Cup champions to play 26 games.
Eastern Conference First Round
(A1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets
The Tampa Bay Lightning earned the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team with 128 points. Columbus finished as the Eastern Conference’s second wild card, earning 98 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Tampa Bay won all three games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 10 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Tampa Bay Lightning | 4-3 |
| Apr. 12 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Tampa Bay Lightning | 5-1 |
| Apr. 14 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Columbus Blue Jackets | 1-3 |
| Apr. 16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Columbus Blue Jackets | 3-7 |
Blue Jackets won series 4-0
(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (A3) Toronto Maple Leafs
The Boston Bruins finished second in the Atlantic Division, earning 107 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs earned 100 points to finish third in the Atlantic Division. This was the sixteenth playoff meeting overall, and second consecutive, between these two teams, with Toronto winning eight of the fifteen previous series. They last met in the previous year’s Eastern Conference First Round, which Boston won in seven games. Boston won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 11 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston Bruins | 4-1 |
| Apr. 13 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston Bruins | 1-4 |
| Apr. 15 | Boston Bruins | Toronto Maple Leafs | 2-3 |
| Apr. 17 | Boston Bruins | Toronto Maple Leafs | 6-4 |
| Apr. 19 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston Bruins | 2-1 |
| Apr. 21 | Boston Bruins | Toronto Maple Leafs | 4-2 |
| Apr. 23 | Toronto Maple Leafs | Boston Bruins | 1-5 |
Bruins won series 4-3
(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes
The Washington Capitals finished first in the Metropolitan Division earning 104 points. Carolina finished as the Eastern Conference’s first wild card earning 99 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Washington won all four games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 11 | Carolina Hurricanes | Washington Capitals | 2-4 |
| Apr. 13 | Carolina Hurricanes | Washington Capitals | 3-4 OT |
| Apr. 15 | Washington Capitals | Carolina Hurricanes | 0-5 |
| Apr. 18 | Washington Capitals | Carolina Hurricanes | 1-2 |
| Apr. 20 | Carolina Hurricanes | Washington Capitals | 0-6 |
| Apr. 22 | Washington Capitals | Carolina Hurricanes | 2-5 |
| Apr. 24 | Carolina Hurricanes | Washington Capitals | 4-3 2OT |
Hurricanes won series 4-3
(M2) New York Islanders vs. (M3) Pittsburgh Penguins
The New York Islanders finished second in the Metropolitan Division with 103 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins earned 100 points to finish third in the Metropolitan Division. This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with New York winning three of the four previous series. They last met in the 2013 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which Pittsburgh won in six games. These teams split their four-game regular season series. This was the first time since the 1988 Patrick Division Semifinals that the Islanders had home-ice advantage in a playoff series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 10 | Pittsburgh Penguins | New York Islanders | 3-4 2OT |
| Apr. 12 | Pittsburgh Penguins | New York Islanders | 3-2 |
| Apr. 14 | New York Islanders | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3-1 |
| Apr. 16 | New York Islanders | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4-3 |
Islanders won series 4-0
Western Conference First Round
(C1) Nashville Predators vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
The Nashville Predators finished first in the Central Division earning 100 points. Dallas finished as the Western Conference’s first wild card earning 93 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Nashville won three of the five games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 10 | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators | 3-2 |
| April 13 | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators | 1-2 OT |
| April 15 | Nashville Predators | Dallas Stars | 3-2 |
| April 17 | Nashville Predators | Dallas Stars | 1-5 |
| April 20 | Dallas Stars | Nashville Predators | 5-3 |
| April 22 | Nashville Predators | Dallas Stars | 1-2 OT |
Stars won series 4-2
(C2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues
The Winnipeg Jets finished second in the Central Division, earning 99 points. The St. Louis Blues also earned 99 points, but they finished third in the Central Division as Winnipeg won the first tie-breaker of combined regulation and overtime wins. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This was also the first playoff meeting between the two cities since 1982. Winnipeg won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 10 | St. Louis Blues | Winnipeg Jets | 2-1 |
| Apr. 12 | St. Louis Blues | Winnipeg Jets | 4-3 |
| Apr. 14 | Winnipeg Jets | St. Louis Blues | 6-3 |
| Apr. 16 | Winnipeg Jets | St. Louis Blues | 2-1 OT |
| Apr. 18 | St. Louis Blues | Winnipeg Jets | 3-2 |
| Apr. 20 | Winnipeg Jets | St. Louis Blues | 2-3 |
Blues won series 4-2
(P1) Calgary Flames vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 11 | Colorado Avalanche | Calgary Flames | 0-4 |
| Apr. 13 | Colorado Avalanche | Calgary Flames | 3-2 OT |
| Apr. 14 | Calgary Flames | Colorado Avalanche | 2-6 |
| Apr. 16 | Calgary Flames | Colorado Avalanche | 2-3 OT |
| Apr. 18 | Colorado Avalanche | Calgary Flames | 5-1 |
Avalanche won series 4-1
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (P3) Vegas Golden Knights
The San Jose Sharks finished second in the Pacific Division earning 101 points. The Vegas Golden Knights earned 93 points to finish third in Pacific Division. This was the second playoff meeting between these teams. They last met in the previous year’s Western Conference Second Round which Vegas won in six games. These teams split their four-game regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 12 | Vegas Golden Knights | San Jose Sharks | 2-5 |
| Aug. 14 | Vegas Golden Knights | San Jose Sharks | 5-3 |
| Aug. 16 | San Jose Sharks | Vegas Golden Knights | 3-6 |
| Aug. 17 | San Jose Sharks | Vegas Golden Knights | 0-5 |
| Aug. 19 | Vegas Golden Knights | San Jose Sharks | 2-5 |
| Aug. 21 | San Jose Sharks | Vegas Golden Knights | 2-1 2OT |
| Aug. 23 | Vegas Golden Knights | San Jose Sharks | 4-5 OT |
Sharks won series 4-3
Eastern Conference Second Round
(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Boston won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 25 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Boston Bruins | 2-3 OT |
| Apr. 27 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Boston Bruins | 3-2 2OT |
| Apr. 30 | Boston Bruins | Columbus Blue Jackets | 1-2 |
| May 2 | Boston Bruins | Columbus Blue Jackets | 4-1 |
| May 4 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Boston Bruins | 3-4 |
| May 6 | Boston Bruins | Columbus Blue Jackets | 3-0 |
Bruins won series 4-2
(M2) New York Islanders vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes
This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. New York won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 26 | Carolina Hurricanes | New York Islanders | 1-0 OT |
| Apr. 28 | Carolina Hurricanes | New York Islanders | 2-1 |
| May 1 | New York Islanders | Carolina Hurricanes | 2-5 |
| May 3 | New York Islanders | Carolina Hurricanes | 2-5 |
Hurricanes won series 4-0
Western Conference Second Round
(C3) St. Louis Blues vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
This was the fourteenth playoff meeting between these two teams with St. Louis winning seven of the thirteen previous series. They last met in the 2016 Western Conference Second Round, which St. Louis won in seven games. Dallas won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 25 | Dallas Stars | St. Louis Blues | 2-3 |
| Apr. 27 | Dallas Stars | St. Louis Blues | 4-2 |
| Apr. 29 | St. Louis Blues | Dallas Stars | 4-3 |
| May 1 | St. Louis Blues | Dallas Stars | 2-4 |
| May 3 | Dallas Stars | St. Louis Blues | 2-1 |
| May 5 | St. Louis Blues | Dallas Stars | 4-1 |
| May 7 | Dallas Stars | St. Louis Blues | 1-2 2OT |
Blues won series 4-3
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with both teams splitting the four previous series. They last met in the 2010 Western Conference Quarterfinals which San Jose won in six games. San Jose won all three games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 26 | Colorado Avalanche | San Jose Sharks | 2-5 |
| Apr. 28 | Colorado Avalanche | San Jose Sharks | 4-3 |
| Apr. 30 | San Jose Sharks | Colorado Avalanche | 4-2 |
| May 2 | San Jose Sharks | Colorado Avalanche | 0-3 |
| May 4 | Colorado Avalanche | San Jose Sharks | 1-2 |
| May 6 | San Jose Sharks | Colorado Avalanche | 3-4 OT |
| May 8 | Colorado Avalanche | San Jose Sharks | 2-3 |
Sharks won series 4-3
Eastern Conference Final
(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with Boston winning three of the four previous series. They last met in the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals which Carolina won in seven games. This was Boston’s eighth appearance in the Conference Finals. They last went to the Conference Finals in 2013, which they won against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a four-game sweep. This was Carolina’s fourth Conference Finals appearance. They last went to the Conference Finals in 2009; they lost in a four-game sweep to Pittsburgh. Boston won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9 | Carolina Hurricanes | Boston Bruins | 2-8 |
| May 12 | Carolina Hurricanes | Boston Bruins | 1-2 |
| May 14 | Boston Bruins | Carolina Hurricanes | 3-5 |
| May 16 | Boston Bruins | Carolina Hurricanes | 4-1 |
Bruins won series 4-0
Western Conference Final
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams with San Jose winning three of the five previous series. This was St. Louis’ fourth Conference Finals appearance and San Jose’s fifth appearance in the Conference Finals. This also marked the thirteenth conference final in the last sixteen seasons that included a California-based team. The teams’ last appearance in the Conference Finals was against each other in 2016, which San Jose won in six games. San Jose won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 | St. Louis Blues | San Jose Sharks | 3-6 |
| May 13 | St. Louis Blues | San Jose Sharks | 4-2 |
| May 15 | San Jose Sharks | St. Louis Blues | 5-4 OT |
| May 17 | San Jose Sharks | St. Louis Blues | 1-2 |
| May 19 | St. Louis Blues | San Jose Sharks | 5-0 |
| May 21 | San Jose Sharks | St. Louis Blues | 1-5 |
Blues won series 4-2
Stanley Cup Final
Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with Boston winning both previous series. They last met in the 1972 Stanley Cup Semifinals which Boston won in a four-game sweep. St. Louis made their fourth appearance in the Finals. They last advanced to the Finals in 1970, which they lost in four games to the Boston Bruins. Boston made their twentieth Finals appearance. They last advanced to the Finals in 2013, which they lost in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks. These teams split the two games in this year’s regular season series.
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Score/Recap |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | St. Louis Blues | Boston Bruins | 2-4 |
| May 29 | St. Louis Blues | Boston Bruins | 3-2 OT |
| June 1 | Boston Bruins | St. Louis Blues | 7-2 |
| June 3 | Boston Bruins | St. Louis Blues | 2-4 |
| June 6 | St. Louis Blues | Boston Bruins | 2-1 |
| June 9 | Boston Bruins | St. Louis Blues | 5-1 |
| June 12 | St. Louis Blues | Boston Bruins | 4-1 |
Blues won the series 4-3 and the Stanley Cup
Conn Smythe Trophy: Ryan O’Reilly
