The 2025 NHL Playoffs Stanley Cup Final is over: the Florida Panthers took down the Edmonton Oilers in a rematch of the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Final to win the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive time.
Florida took the Stanley Cup home last year, but just by the skin of their teeth after Edmonton surged to an historic comeback from a three-game hole to bring the series to a Game 7 showdown. Edmonton was so close they could taste the customary beverage they’d have sipped from the Cup if they’d won.
This time, the Panthers were downright stifling. Edmonton had some moments and took three of the six games to overtime, but they just didn’t look like a team that was going to bring it back to Game 7 for a second season for most of the series, and there was no epic comeback in the cards.
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When Did the NHL Playoffs Start?
The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs began on Saturday, April 19, 2025, following the end of the 2024-25 NHL regular season on Thursday, April 17, 2025. They ended on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 with a Game 6 title-clinching win by the Florida Panthers.
Who Won the 2025 Stanley Cup Final?
The Florida Panthers won the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, their second straight win.
2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final Results
Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers
Florida wins the Stanley Cup, 4-2
Game 1: Panthers (3), Oilers (4) (OT)
Game 2: Panthers (5), Oilers (4) (2OT) – Friday, June 6, 8 p.m. ET – TNT, truTV, Max
Game 3: Oilers (1), Panthers (6)
Game 4: Oilers (5), Panthers (4) (OT)
Game 5: Panthers (5), Oilers (2)
Game 6: Oilers (1), Panthers (5)
* if necessary
2025 NHL Playoff Conference Finals Results
Eastern Conference Final
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers
Florida wins 4-1
Game 1: Panthers (5), Hurricanes (2)
Game 2: Panthers (5), Hurricanes (0)
Game 3: Hurricanes (2), Panthers (6)
Game 4: Hurricanes (3), Panthers (0)
Game 5: Panthers (5), Hurricanes (3)
Western Conference Final
Dallas Stars vs. Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton wins 4-1
Game 1: Oilers (3), Stars (6)
Game 2: Oilers (3), Stars (0)
Game 3: Stars (1), Oilers (6)
Game 4: Stars (1), Oilers (4)
Game 5: Oilers at Stars – Thursday, May 29, 8 p.m. ET; ESPN
Game 6: Stars at Oilers – Saturday, May 31, 8 p.m. ET; ABC
Game 7: Oilers at Stars – Monday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET; ESPN
*if necessary
2025 NHL Playoff Round Results
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Carolina Hurricanes (2M) vs. Washington Capitals (1M)
Carolina wins 4-1
Game 1: Hurricanes (2), Capitals (1) (OT)
Game 2: Hurricanes (1), Capitals (3)
Game 3: Capitals (0), Hurricanes (4)
Game 4: Capitals (2), Hurricanes (5)
Game 5: Hurricanes (3), Capitals (1)
Florida Panthers (3A) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (1A)
Florida wins 4-3
Game 1: Panthers (4), Maple Leafs (5)
Game 2: Panthers (3), Maple Leafs (4)
Game 3: Maple Leafs (4), Panthers (5) (OT)
Game 4: Maple Leafs (0), Panthers (2)
Game 5: Panthers (6), Maple Leafs (1)
Game 6: Maple Leafs (2), Panthers (0)
Game 7: Panthers (6), Maple Leafs (1)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Dallas Stars (3C) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1C)
Dallas wins 4-2
Game 1: Stars (3), Jets (2)
Game 2: Stars (0), Jets (4)
Game 3: Jets (2), Stars (5)
Game 4: Jets (1), Stars (3)
Game 5: Stars (0), Jets (4)
Game 6: Jets (1), Stars (2)
*if necessary
Edmonton Oilers (3P) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (1P)
Edmonton wins 4-1
Game 1: Oilers (4), Golden Knights (2)
Game 2: Oilers (5), Golden Knights (4) (OT)
Game 3: Golden Knights (4), Oilers (3)
Game 4: Golden Knights (0), Oilers (3)
Game 5: Oilers (1), Golden Knights (0) (OT)
2025 NHL Playoffs Round 1 Results
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Ottawa Senators (WC1) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (1A)
Toronto won series 4-2 in six games.
Game 1:Maple Leafs (6), Senators (2)
Game 2:Maple Leafs (3), Senators (2) (OT)
Game 3: Maple Leafs (3), Senators (2) (OT)
Game 4: Maple Leafs (3), Senators (4) (OT)
Game 5: Senators (4), Maple Leafs (0)
Game 6: Maple Leafs (4), Senators (2)
Florida Panthers (3A) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (2A)
Florida won series 4-1 in five games.
Game 1: Panthers (6),Lightning (2)
Game 2: Panthers (2), Lightning (0)
Game 3: Lightning (5), Panthers (1)
Game 4: Lightning (2), Panthers (4)
Game 5: Panthers (6), Lightning (3)
Montreal Canadiens (WC2) vs. Washington Capitals (1M)
Washington won series 4-1 in five games.
Game 1: Capitals (3), Canadiens (2) (OT)
Game 2: Canadiens (1), Capitals (3)
Game 3: Capitals (3), Canadiens (6)
Game 4: Capitals (5), Canadiens (2)
Game 5: Canadiens (1), Capitals (4)
New Jersey Devils (3M) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (2M)
Carolina won series 4-1 in five games.
Game 1: Hurricanes (4), Devils (1)
Game 2: Hurricanes (3), Devils (1)
Game 3: Hurricanes (2), Devils (3) (2OT)
Game 4: Hurricanes (5), Devils (2) (2OT)
Game 5: Devils (4), Hurricanes (5)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
St. Louis Blues (WC2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (1C)
Winnipeg won the series 4-3
Game 1: Jets (5), Blues (3)
Game 2: Jets (2), Blues (1)
Game 3: Jets (2), Blues (7)
Game 4: Jets (1), Blues (5)
Game 5: Blues (3), Jets (5)
Game 6: Jets (2), Blues (5)
Game 7: Blues (3), Jets (4)
* If necessary
Colorado Avalanche (3C) vs. Dallas Stars (2C)
Dallas won the series 4-3
Game 1: Avalanche (5), Stars (1)
Game 2: Stars (4), Avalanche (3) (OT)
Game 3: Stars (2), Avalanche (1) (OT)
Game 4: Stars (0), Avalanche (4)
Game 5: Avalanche (2), Stars (6)
Game 6: Stars (4), Avalanche (7)
Game 7: Avalanche (2), Stars (4)
* If necessary
Minnesota Wild (WC1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (1P)
Vegas won series 4-2 in six games.
Game 1: Golden Knights (4), Wild (2)
Game 2: Wild (5), Golden Knights (2)
Game 3: Golden Knights (2), Wild (5)
Game 4: Golden Knights (4), Wild (3) (OT)
Game 5: Wild (2), Golden Knights (3)
Game 6: Golden Knights (3), Wild (2)
Edmonton Oilers (3P) vs. Los Angeles Kings (2P)
Oilers won series 4-2 in six games.
Game 1: Kings (6), Oilers (5)
Game 2: Oilers (5) at Kings (6)
Game 3: Kings (4), Oilers (7)
Game 4: Kings (3), Oilers (4) (OT)
Game 5: Oilers (3), Kings (1)
Game 6: Kings (4), Oilers (6)
2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Full Bracket
The 2025 NHL Playoffs bracket is locked in. Here are each of the matchups we’ll see this post-season. Bolded text indicates series winner.
First Round
Eastern Conference:
Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic 1) vs. Ottawa Senators (Wild Card 1)
Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic 2) vs. Florida Panthers (Atlantic 3, Defending Champion)
Washington Capitals (Metropolitan 1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (Wild Card 2)
Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan 2) vs. New Jersey Devils (Metropolitan 3)
Western Conference:
Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific 1) vs. Minnesota Wild (Wild Card 1)
LA Kings (Pacific 2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 3)
Winnipeg Jets (Central 1 President’s Trophy Winner) vs. St. Louis Blues (Wild Card 2)
Dallas Stars (Central 2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (Central 3)
Second Round
Eastern Conference:
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers
Western Conference:
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets
Conference Final
Eastern Conference: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers
Western Conference: Dallas Stars vs. Edmonton Oilers
Stanley Cup Final
Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers
How do the NHL Playoffs Work?
The Stanley Cup playoffs span three elimination rounds of four to seven games each between qualifying teams, culminating in the Stanley Cup Final between the Western and Eastern Conference champions.
The winner of the Stanley Cup Final earns the honor of hoisting the coveted and massive Stanley Cup.
Seeding & Bracket
In total, 16 teams will make it to the playoffs. The top three teams from each of the Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific divisions automatically qualify, and the four other playoff spots are awarded to the next two highest-ranking teams by regular season record in each conference, no matter which division they’re drawn from. Those teams are known as “wild cards.”
Playoff teams are then seeded based on their regular season point totals. Teams earn the following points during the regular season:
- 2 points for a regulation win
- 1 point for an overtime loss/tie
- 0 points for a regulation loss
If there’s a tie, there’s a series of tiebreaking statistics that are examined to determine which has the right to the higher seed.
If that still doesn’t break the tie, the two teams are pitted against each other in a game, and the winner gets home-ice advantage.
Series
The rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs are played as best-of-seven series between the two teams. The higher seeded team gets home-ice advantage for the first two games, then visits their opponent for the next two. After that, they alternate locations if more games are necessary with the higher seed hosting games 5 and 7.
In the first round, the top seeded team from each conference plays the lowest seeded wild card team in their conference, and the other wild card team plays the winner of the other division in the conference. The second- and third-seeded teams in each division play each other.
First-round winners move on to play the other divisional winners in their conference, and the winners of those series go to the Conference Finals. Then, conference champions play each other for the Cup.
Overtime Rules
In the regular season, games that end after three periods in a tie go into three-on-three overtime. If no winner emerges from the overtime round, a shootout is held to determine the winner.
The same can’t be said for the NHL playoffs: if a game goes to overtime, additional 20-minute periods are added until one team scores. This means playoffs games could get very, very long. The longest playoff game ever occurred in 1934 between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens, going to six overtimes. Yep: the overtime for that game was longer than the regulation play itself.
In recent years, a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Columbus Blue Jackets went to five overtimes in 2020, and a game between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers in 2023 went to four overtimes.
History of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
The Stanley Cup is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, who was the Governor General of Canada at the time it was commissioned in 1892. Preston gave it to Canada’s top-ranked amateur ice hockey team. The trophy was passed to the team with the best record at the end of each season.
In subsequent years, the Cup was passed between the emergent National Hockey League and its rivals in the Western Canada Hockey until 1926, when the NHL took sole possession of the trophy.
Today, the Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize for a professional hockey player. Teams who win the cup have their member’s names engraved on the bands that run around it, which are periodically removed and enshrined to make room for new engravings. It’s the oldest sports trophy in North American sports.
Stanley Cup Winners by Year (2000 – Present)
Wondering the last time your team took home the Cup? Here are the Stanley Cup winners from 2000 to today.
2025: Florida Panthers
2024: Florida Panthers
2023: Vegas Golden Knights
2022: Colorado Avalanche
2021: Tampa Bay Lightning
2020: Tampa Bay Lightning
2019: St. Louis Blues
2018: Washington Capitals
2017: Pittsburgh Penguins
2016: Pittsburgh Penguins
2015: Chicago Blackhawks
2014: Los Angeles Kings
2013: Chicago Blackhawks
2012: Los Angeles Kings
2011: Boston Bruins
2010: Chicago Blackhawks
2009: Pittsburgh Penguins
2008: Detroit Red Wings
2007: Anaheim Ducks
2006: Carolina Hurricanes
2005: No season played
2004: Tampa Bay Lightning
2003: New Jersey Devils
2002: Detroit Red Wings
2001: Colorado Avalanche
2000: New Jersey Devils
Most Stanley Cup Wins & Appearances by Team
- Montreal Canadiens – 24 wins in 33 appearances
- Toronto Maple Leafs – 13 wins in 21 appearances
- Detroit Red Wings – 11 wins in 24 appearances
- Boston Bruins – 6 wins in 20 appearances
- Chicago Blackhawks – 6 wins in 13 appearances
What is the President’s Trophy?
The President’s Trophy is the trophy awarded to the team that finishes the regular season with the highest total points. Last year, the New York Rangers won the President’s Trophy. This year, they failed to make the playoffs.
Has the President’s Trophy Winner Ever Won the Stanley Cup?
Only eight teams have won the President’s Trophy and gone on to dominate the playoffs, too: the 1986-87 Edmonton Oilers led by NHL legend Wayne Gretzky were the first, followed by the 88-89 Calgary Flames, the 93-94 New York Rangers, the 98-99 Dallas Stars, 00-01 Colorado Avalanche, the 01-02 Detroit Red Wings, the 07-08 Detroit Red Wings and 12-13 Chicago Blackhawks.
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