Guy Lafleur said it perfectly: “You do not play for good seasons. You play to win the Stanley Cup. It has to be the objective.” And when you are in the NHL postseason, let’s just say it becomes a game of all or nothing. It’s May 4, 2025. 7 teams have managed to pull away from their opponents to book a place in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
And as soon as the fate of the last team gets decided, the next round will start. So, who’s going to play whom? Let’s find out!
The 4 series of Playoffs Round 2
8 teams. 4 series of 7 to decide 4 teams for the Conference round. Metropolitan Division champion Washington Capitals have managed to defeat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 and have booked a clash with the Carolina Hurricanes, who overcame the New Jersey Devils. The Hurricanes finished 2nd in the Metropolitan Division, meaning it’s a 2nd-round clash of familiar foes.
Defending Champions Florida Panthers won the high-voltage Battle of Florida against Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1st round of the 2024 Playoffs. But they will face another strong challenge. The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the favorites in the tournament. And after professionally negotiating the Ottawa Senators’ challenge, the Auston Matthews-led Leafs will try to knock the Panthers out and establish themselves as the outright favorites. Also, they are both from the Atlantic Division. So, expect fireworks!
The 3rd series has the Pacific Division champion Vegas Golden Knights going up against last year’s finalist Edmonton Oilers, and one of the more successful teams in the NHL. The Knights defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-2 in the series, while the Oilers overcame a 2-game deficit to win the series against the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. A Pacific Division clash, so expect a frosty face-off.
The 4th series hasn’t been decided yet because although Mikko Rantanen helped the Dallas Stars rally to win their 1st round against the Colorado Avalanche, their opponents are still not decided. It will be between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets, who will be playing their 7th game on May 4, 7 p.m. ET at Winnipeg.
So, there you have it. The 4 ties to decide 4 teams for the Conference round. And we also have the times for the ties in case you are interested.
When will the 2nd round start?
The 2nd round goes off on May 5, 8 pm ET. The first game of the round will be in Toronto with the Leafs taking home ice against the Panthers. That means the former will get home ice in the 7th game if the series goes all the way. And there is a high possibility of that. The Capitals and the Hurricanes start their 2nd round campaign on May 6, 7 pm ET, in Washington.
The Dallas Stars still don’t know when they will play their opponents, but they will get to know soon enough. As for the Oilers, they go to Nevada to face the Knights at the T-Mobile Arena. The 1st game is set to go off on May 6, 6:30 p.m. PT, which is 9:30 pm ET on May 6. The date and timings for the first 2 games of 3 series have been announced by the NHL. What we have done is provide the relevant info for you below in a table form for your convenience.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers Series
Game 1
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers
May 5
8 pm ET
Scotiabank Arena
Game 2
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers
May 7
7 p.m. ET
Scotiabank Arena
Game 3
Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
May 9
TBD
Amerant Bank Arena
Game 4
Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
May 11
TBD
Amerant Bank Arena
Game 5
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers
May 14
TBD
Scotiabank Arena
Game 6
Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs
May 16
TBD
Amerant Bank Arena
Game 7
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers
May 18
TBD
Scotiabank Arena
Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Series
Game 1
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
May 6
7 p.m. ET
Capital One Arena
Game 2
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
May 8
7 pm ET
Capital One Arena
Game 3
Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals
May 10
TBD
Lenovo Center
Game 4
Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals
May 12
TBD
Lenovo Center
Game 5
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
May 15
TBD
Capital One Arena
Game 6
Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals
May 17
TBD
Lenovo Center
Game 7
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
May 19
TBD
Capital One Arena
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers Series
Game 1
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
May 6
6:30 p.m. PT, 9:30 pm ET
T-Mobile Arena
Game 2
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
May 8
6:30 p.m. PT, 9:30 pm ET
T-Mobile Arena
Game 3
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
May 10
TBD
Rogers Place
Game 4
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
May 12
TBD
Rogers Place
Game 5
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
May 14
TBD
T-Mobile Arena
Game 6
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
May 16
TBD
Rogers Place
Game 7
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
May 18
TBD
T-Mobile Arena
Hope that helps you in case you are planning to go to the game. And if you are not, and want to catch the game at home, here are the broadcast details.
Where can you watch the upcoming NHL games?
The 1st game of the Leafs-Panthers game will be telecast on ESPN in the U.S., while Canadian fans can see the game on Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports. The 2nd game will be available on ESPN and TVA Sports, although more networks may later announce broadcast details. So, keep your eyes on anything new coming out.
In addition to television broadcasts, the Panthers’ playoff games will also be broadcast on the radio. You can hear the games across the Florida Panthers Radio Network on AM 560 Sports WQAM. Fans can even access the games on FloridaPanthers.com, the NHL Mobile App, the free Audacy App, SiriusXM satellite radio, and channel 931 on the SiriusXM Mobile App. So, if you are a Panthers fan who can’t go to the game, you are well covered.
The Washington Capitals game will be televised on ESPN in the U.S. The Canadian broadcast information hasn’t been released yet. As for the 3rd series, the Knights-Oilers series will be available for the U.S. fans on ESPN or TBS, and on Sportsnet or TVA for the Canadian viewers. Besides that, all the games of the series will be broadcast on the VGK Radio Network, presented by Lee’s Discount Liquor.
Not only that, FOX Sports Las Vegas (98.9 FM, 1340 AM) will also cover the Knights-Oilers series. And if you want to catch the game in Spanish commentary, tune in to Deportes Vegas (1460 AM). Again, no information is available for the Dallas Stars series, and we have to wait a while. But the NHL will soon announce all the details, and then, you can start planning accordingly.
So, how are you planning to support your team? Let us know in the comments.
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