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When Do The NHL Playoffs Start For The Penguins? Pittsburgh’s First-Round Timeline and Likely Opponent
TL;DR
The Pittsburgh Penguins are confirmed to be in the NHL playoffs, with their first-round timeline set. The main uncertainty now is their likely opponent for the opening round.
Sidney Crosby
When Do The NHL Playoffs Start For The Penguins? Pittsburgh’s First-Round Timeline and Likely Opponent originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Penguins have already done the hard part. Pittsburgh is back in the playoffs, and there is no mystery left about its seed.
The only real question now is who will be coming to town for Round 1.
Pittsburgh clinched its playoff berth with a win over New Jersey on April 9, and the Penguins will finish second in the Metropolitan Division, which means they will open the first round with home-ice advantage.
When do the NHL playoffs start for the Penguins?
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 18. The NHL has already confirmed that date, but Pittsburgh’s exact Game 1 time is still TBD. The league will announce the full Round 1 schedule once the standings are final and opponents are set.
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For Penguins fans, that means the safest expectation is simple — playoff hockey starts next weekend, and Pittsburgh’s series should open on April 18 or April 19, depending on the final TV schedule. Since the Pens are locked into second place in the Metro, they already know they will begin at home.
Who will the Penguins play in the first round?
This is where the bracket gets fun.
Because Pittsburgh is locked into second in the Metropolitan Division, the Pens will face the team that finishes third in the Metro. “If playoffs started Sunday,” projection has the Pens matched with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Right now, the Flyers are still the team to watch first. Philadelphia sits in third place in the Metro at 94 points, while the Islanders and Capitals are each at 91, and the Blue Jackets are at 92. So the Flyers are the current front-runner to meet Pittsburgh, but that spot is still very much alive.
That means Penguins fans have a pretty clear shortlist:
- Most likely right now: Flyers
- Still possible: Islanders, Capitals or Blue Jackets
If it ends up being Philadelphia, that is an instant rivalry series with plenty of edge. If it is the Islanders, there is recent bad blood there too. If Washington sneaks in and grabs that Metro 3 slot, then suddenly you have Crosby vs. Ovechkin in a playoff setting again, which would be absolute chaos in the best way. The Blue Jackets are a long-shot path, but they are still mathematically in the mix.
What dates should Penguins fans circle?
Pittsburgh still has regular-season business left before the bracket is final. The Penguins have two games left: finishing the home-and-home against Washington and then a road game at St. Louis.
The key dates:
- Sunday, April 12: Penguins at Capitals
- Tuesday, April 14: Penguins at Blues
- Saturday, April 18: Stanley Cup Playoffs begin
So the Pittsburgh version of the playoff countdown is pretty clean. The Pens already know they are hosting Round 1. They already know they are getting the Metro’s No. 3 team. Now it is just a matter of finding out whether that opponent is the Flyers, Islanders, Capitals or Blue Jackets — with Philadelphia holding the inside track for the moment.
Q&A
When do the NHL playoffs start for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023?
The NHL playoffs for the Pittsburgh Penguins are set to begin in April 2023, although the exact date will depend on their first-round opponent.
Who are the likely opponents for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs?
The likely opponents for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs have not been confirmed yet, as it depends on the final standings.
What seed are the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL playoffs?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have secured their playoff spot, but the specific seed they hold will determine their matchup in the first round.
How did the Pittsburgh Penguins qualify for the NHL playoffs?
The Pittsburgh Penguins qualified for the NHL playoffs by successfully competing in the regular season and securing enough points to clinch a playoff berth.
