NHL

NHL’s Second-Season Opens Saturday, 16 Teams Pursue Postseason Stanley Cup Trophy

This weekend’s start of the Stanley Cup playoffs marks the 109th consecutive year of National Hockey League teams participating in the tournament.
NHL’s Second-Season Opens Saturday, 16 Teams Pursue Postseason Stanley Cup Trophy
The Florida Panthers raise the Stanley Cup following the win over the Edmonton Oilers during Game Six of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., on June 17, 2025. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Donald Laible
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This weekend, beginning on Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina, 16 NHL teams began their chase for the Stanley Cup—the ultimate prize in the sport.

Back in September, 32 NHL teams opened training camps and skated exhibition games, all the while hoping to qualify for a shot at taking home Lord Stanley’s Cup, come spring. When the regular season concluded on Thursday—a 1,312-game slate for 2025–2026—less than 48 hours later, the first postseason games will be underway.

Donald Laible
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.