:
Note: All times listed are in EDT (UTC–4). Potential games are listed in italics if necessary. Eastern Conference first round (A1) Buffalo Sabres vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins The Buffalo Sabres finished first in the Atlantic Division with 109 points. The Boston Bruins earned 100 points to finish as the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams with Boston winning six of the eight previous series. They last met in the
2010 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, which Boston won in six games. The Sabres qualified for the playoffs for the first time since
2011. Boston won three of the four games in the regular season series. The Sabres defeated the Bruins in six games.
Tage Thompson scored two of the four Sabres goals in the third period of game one, coming back from a two-goal deficit to defeat Boston 4–3. In game two,
Viktor Arvidsson scored twice for Boston as the Bruins emerged victorious with a 4–2 victory.
Alex Lyon made 24 saves in game three, backstopping the Sabres to a 3–1 victory. In game four, Lyon stopped 23 shots as six different players scored for the Sabres, defeating the Bruins 6–1 to take a 3–1 series lead.
David Pastrňák kept the Bruins' season alive in game five, scoring the overtime goal to force a sixth game in a 2–1 affair. In game six, Lyon made 25 saves and Tage Thompson assisted twice for the Sabres, sending Buffalo to the second round for the first time since
2007 with a 4–1 triumph.
(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Montreal Canadiens The Tampa Bay Lightning finished second in the Atlantic Division with 106 points. The Montreal Canadiens also earned 106 points to finish third in the Atlantic Division as Tampa Bay won the first tie-breaker of regulation wins. This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with Tampa Bay winning three of the four previous series. They last met in the
2021 Stanley Cup Final, which Tampa Bay won in five games. These teams split their four-game regular season series. The Canadiens defeated the Lightning in seven games, with each game-winning goal scored in the third period or overtime. In addition, each game was decided by one goal, the first time in a seven-game series since
2015 and the third overall. In game one,
Juraj Slafkovský's hat trick goal in overtime gave the Canadiens a 4–3 victory. Game two also required overtime in which
J. J. Moser scored for Tampa Bay to tie the series 1–1 with a 3–2 victory. In game three,
Lane Hutson scored the overtime winner for the Canadiens, giving Montreal a 3–2 victory.
Brandon Hagel scored twice in game four, tying the series 2–2 for the Lightning with a 3–2 victory. In game five,
Jakub Dobeš made 38 saves for the Canadiens in a 3–2 victory, taking a 3–2 series lead in the process. The Lightning forced a seventh game as
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped all 30 shots he faced and
Gage Goncalves scored in overtime in a 1–0 victory. In game seven,
Kaiden Guhle assisted twice and Dobeš made 28 saves to send Montreal to the second round with a 2–1 victory. The Canadiens set an NHL record for the fewest shots on goal in a playoff win, registering only nine shots.
(M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Ottawa Senators The Carolina Hurricanes finished first in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference earning 113 points. The Ottawa Senators earned 99 points to finish as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Carolina won two of the three games in the regular season series. The Hurricanes defeated the Senators in a four-game sweep. In game one,
Frederik Andersen stopped all 22 shots he faced, backstopping the Hurricanes to a 2–0 shutout. Game two required overtime, wherein
Mark Jankowski originally scored in the first overtime for the Hurricanes. However, the goal was overturned for being offside.
Jordan Martinook was then given a penalty shot following the overturn, becoming the fifth player to be given a penalty shot in overtime. He did not score on the penalty shot, but did score in the second overtime. The Hurricanes took a 3–0 series lead after game three with
Taylor Hall assisting twice in Carolina's 2–1 victory. In game four,
Sebastian Aho scored twice and
Logan Stankoven scored in his fourth consecutive game to send the Hurricanes to the second round for the sixth straight season with a 4–2 victory.
(M2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (M3) Philadelphia Flyers The Pittsburgh Penguins finished second in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points. The Philadelphia Flyers also earned 98 points to finish third in the Metropolitan Division as Pittsburgh won the first tie-breaker of regulation wins. This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two
intrastate rivals, with Philadelphia winning four of the seven previous series. They last met in the
2018 Eastern Conference first round, which Pittsburgh won in six games. The Flyers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since
2020. These teams split their four-game regular season series. The Flyers defeated the Penguins in six games.
Porter Martone scored the game-winning goal with 2:37 left in game one to give Philadelphia a 3–2 victory. In game two,
Daniel Vladař stopped all 27 shots he faced against the Penguins, helping Philadelphia win 3–0. In game three,
Trevor Zegras provided a goal and an assist in the Flyers' 5–2 victory, giving Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Pittsburgh avoided elimination in game four as both
Sidney Crosby and
Rickard Rakell provided a goal and an assist in a 4–2 Penguins victory. The Penguins continued to avoid elimination in game five as Crosby scored and assisted in Pittsburgh's 3–2 triumph. Game six remained scoreless into overtime, where
Cam York scored for Philadelphia, advancing the Flyers to the second round.
Western Conference first round (C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Los Angeles Kings The Colorado Avalanche earned the
Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best regular season team with 121 points. The Los Angeles Kings earned 90 points to finish as the second wild card in the Western Conference. This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams with Colorado winning both previous series. They last met in the
2002 Western Conference quarterfinals, which Colorado won in seven games. Colorado won all three games in the regular season series. The Avalanche defeated the Kings in a four-game sweep.
Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves in game one as the Avalanche defeated the Kings 2–1.
Nicolas Roy scored the overtime-winning goal for the Avalanche in game two, defeating the Kings 2–1. In game three,
Artturi Lehkonen provided a goal and assist for the Avalanche, taking a 3–0 series lead with a 4–2 victory. In game four,
Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and provided an assist in a 5–1 victory, advancing the Avalanche to the second round.
(C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Minnesota Wild The Dallas Stars finished second in the Central Division with 112 points. The Minnesota Wild earned 104 points to finish third in the Central. This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams with Dallas winning both previous series. They last met in the
2023 Western Conference first round, which Dallas won in six games. These teams split their four games in the regular season. The Wild defeated the Stars in six games.
Joel Eriksson Ek and
Matt Boldy both scored twice and provided an assist in Minnesota's 6–1 rout of game one. In game two,
Wyatt Johnston scored twice for the Stars, who tied the series 1–1 with a 4–2 victory. Game three required double overtime, where Johnston scored for the Stars in a 4–3 victory. Game four also required overtime; this time Boldy scored for the Wild, tying the series with a 3–2 triumph.
Kirill Kaprizov scored and provided two assists for the Wild in game five, giving the Wild a 3–2 series lead with a 4–2 win.
Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy both scored two goals for the Wild in game six, advancing Minnesota with a 5–2 victory to the second round for the first time since
2015.
(P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth The Vegas Golden Knights finished first in the Pacific Division with 95 points. The Utah Mammoth earned 92 points to finish as the first wild card in the Western Conference. This is the first playoff meeting between these two teams and the first playoff series for the Mammoth. Utah won two of the three games in the regular season series. The Golden Knights defeated the Mammoth in six games. In game one,
Carter Hart made 31 saves for the Golden Knights, who defeated the Mammoth 4–2.
Kailer Yamamoto provided two assists in Utah's 3–2 victory in game two, tying the series 1–1 and giving the Mammoth their first playoff victory. In game three,
Lawson Crouse scored twice giving Utah their first home playoff victory with a 4–2 triumph. In game four,
Jack Eichel's goal for Vegas was overturned in overtime due to an offside call. However, the Golden Knights tied the series 2–2 on
Shea Theodore's overtime goal, earned in a 5–4 victory. Game five also required overtime, which favored Vegas as
Brett Howden scored shorthanded to give the Golden Knights a 3–2 series lead with a 5–4 win. In game six,
Mitch Marner scored twice for Vegas as the Golden Knights defeated the Mammoth 5–1 to advance to the second round.
(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Anaheim Ducks The Edmonton Oilers finished second in the Pacific Division with 93 points. The Anaheim Ducks earned 92 points to finish third in the Pacific. This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams with both teams splitting the two previous series. They last met in the
2017 Western Conference second round, which Anaheim won in seven games. The Ducks qualified for the playoffs for the first time since
2018. Edmonton won two of the three games in the regular season series. The Ducks defeated the Oilers in six games.
Kasperi Kapanen spoiled the Ducks' comeback in game one, scoring with 1:54 left in the game to make it 4–3 for the Oilers. In game two,
Jackson LaCombe provided three assists for the Ducks, defeating the Oilers 6–4.
Mikael Granlund scored a goal and assisted thrice in game three, giving the Ducks a 7–4 victory. In game four, the Ducks came back from a two-goal deficit to force overtime. In overtime,
Ryan Poehling initially scored the winning goal, but a controversial call on the goal required video review to confirm whether the puck had crossed the goal line. After the video review, Poehling's goal stood and the Ducks took a 3–1 series lead with a 4–3 victory. The Oilers avoided in elimination in game five as
Leon Draisaitl scored twice in a 4–1 affair.
Troy Terry and
Chris Kreider provided a goal and two assists in game six, giving Anaheim a 5–2 victory and its first playoff series win since
2017. ==Second round==