When do NHL conference finals begin? League sets East, West scenarios
TL;DR
The NHL conference finals are set to begin on May 19 for the Eastern Conference and May 20 for the Western Conference. The start dates depend on the outcomes of the ongoing playoff series.
Key points
- NHL conference finals start May 19 for East, May 20 for West
- Eastern finals start date depends on series length
- Vegas Golden Knights could clinch a spot soon
- Western finals at Denver's Ball Arena
- Eastern finals hosted at Lenovo Center
Two teams have clinched a spot in the NHL's conference finals, and the Vegas Golden Knights could join the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes if they win on Thursday, March 14.
That's enough for the NHL to put out potential starting dates for the conference finals, even though the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens were tied 2-2 before Game 5 on Thursday night.
Regardless of the results of that series, the Western Conference finals will start on May 20 at Denver's Ball Arena against the Golden Knights-Anaheim Ducks winner.
If the Sabres or Canadiens wrap up their series in six games, the Eastern Conference finals will start on May 19. If the teams go to seven games, it will start on May 21. The Hurricanes will host the first two games at Lenovo Center.
Here are the scenarios for the conference finals:
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin
Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman
Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar.
Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar.
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
29 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
30 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
31 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
35 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
36 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
37 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
41 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
Western Conference final
*All times p.m. ET. **x-*if necessary
- May 20: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
- May 22: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
- May 24: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, 8, ESPN
- May 26: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, TBD, ESPN
- **x-**May 28: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
- **x-**May 30: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, 8, ABC
- **x-**June 1: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
Eastern Conference final
Times TBD
If Buffalo-Montreal series ends in six games
- May 19: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- May 21: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- May 23: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- May 25: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- **x-**May 27: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- **x-**May 29: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- **x-**May 31: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
If Buffalo-Montreal series ends in seven games
- May 21: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- May 23: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- May 25: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- May 27: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- **x-**May 29: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
- **x-**May 31: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
- **x-**June 2: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When do NHL conference finals start? Eastern, Western schedule, dates
Q&A
When do the NHL Eastern Conference finals start?
The Eastern Conference finals will start on May 19 if the series concludes in six games, or May 21 if it goes to seven games.
What is the start date for the NHL Western Conference finals?
The Western Conference finals are scheduled to begin on May 20.
Which teams have already clinched spots in the NHL conference finals?
Two teams have clinched spots, and the Vegas Golden Knights could join them if they win their upcoming game.
Where will the NHL conference finals be held?
The Western Conference finals will be held at Denver's Ball Arena, while the Eastern Conference finals will take place at Lenovo Center.
