The 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season has come to an end. Now it’s time for what we all live for, The Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Please find my 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff Bracket listed below:
The Los Angeles Kings have had an up-and-down 2025-2026 campaign. At times, they looked completely out of the playoff picture; however, a soft Pacific Division, some timely trade deadline moves by first-year general manager Ken Holland, and a surging team to close out the year going 6-1-2 made the Wild Card 2 slot possible.
The Colorado Avalanche are heavily favored to win it all this year.
Regarding this year’s first-round matchup against the mighty Colorado Avalanche, any Los Angeles Kings fan would be happy to remind you that they took down the top-seeded Presidents Trophy-winning Vancouver Canucks during their 2012 Cup run in 5 games. The Kings thrive on being perennial underdogs with their defensive first-game style. In order for the Kings to win, they need to score first, shut down Nathan MacKinnon and co. and avoid neutral zone turnovers and penalties at all costs. The Avalanche have lost seven Game 7s in a row dating back to 2002 vs. the Detroit Red Wings.
There is no pressure on the Kings in round 1; the critics expect Nathan MacKinnon and his loaded Avalanche squad to come home with Lord Stanley’s Cup or else.
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Bracket, Schedule & Scores
- ESPN — Bracket, Schedule & Scores Hub
- NHL.com — Official First Round Schedule
- Covers.com — Live Bracket Tracker
- CBS Sports — Full Playoff Picture
Picks & Predictions
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LINKS AND THINGS
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Written on MacBook Pro and iPad Pro using Drafts Pro and Obsidian in Markdown.
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Image Credits: (NHL)
