Colorado Avalanche secure top seed for 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs
The Colorado Avalanche will face the Los Angeles Kings as the top overall seeds in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Buffalo Sabres return to the postseason after a historic 14-year absence.
The Denver-based franchise clinched the Presidents’ Trophy on 10 April after dominating the regular season.
They are now preparing to host the Kings in the opening round of the Western Conference.
Elsewhere in the West, the Edmonton Oilers will clash with the Anaheim Ducks in a tightly contested Pacific Division matchup.
The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild complete the Central Division pairings.
Buffalo end historic drought
In the Eastern Conference, the Buffalo Sabres have finally ended the longest active playoff drought in North American professional sports.
The Atlantic Division champions amassed 109 points to secure their first postseason berth in over a decade.
The upstate New York outfit will face the Boston Bruins in their opening-round series.
Offensive firepower
The Sabres rely heavily on their elite core of skaters, led by point-per-game forward Tage Thompson.
He is supported by 30-goal scorer Alex Tuch and standout offensive defenceman Rasmus Dahlin.
Between the pipes, the goaltending tandem of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon has provided crucial stability following a shaky start to the campaign.
Experience versus youth
Despite their impressive regular-season form, questions remain over Buffalo’s lack of postseason experience.
The intense, physically demanding nature of playoff hockey rarely affords the open ice their attackers have routinely exploited this season.
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes captured the Metropolitan Division crown, cementing their status as perennial Stanley Cup contenders.
The 16-team tournament also features the newly formed Utah Mammoth, who secured a wild-card spot in the Pacific bracket.
