A historic shift in power for the NHL's playoff landscape

History · Published 7 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs saw a seismic realignment in hockey geography. For the first time in league history, every single U.S.-based Original Six team failed to qualify. Meanwhile, Canadian teams dominated the postseason, marking the most Canadian presence in a 16-team playoff since 2017.

The 2025 postseason was defined by a notable geographic imbalance. Every Eastern Canadian club—including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens—secured a postseason spot, whereas none of the four Original Six franchises from the U.S. did. This resulted in five Canadian-based teams making the postseason, the highest number seen since the league expanded the playoffs in 2020.

Individual team narratives also reached milestones. The Winnipeg Jets captured the Presidents' Trophy with 116 points, becoming the first Canadian-based team to win the award since the 2011–12 Vancouver Canucks. The Toronto Maple Leafs reached the playoffs for a ninth straight year, briefly holding the record for the longest active run until the Boston Bruins ended their own eight-year sequence.

On the ice, the tournament produced several firsts. Leon Draisaitl became the first player in NHL history to score four overtime goals in a single playoff year. Furthermore, the 2025 playoffs marked the first time since 2016 that no series ended in a four-game sweep, highlighting a trend of grueling, multi-game battles across the bracket.

The tournament concluded with the Florida Panthers securing their second franchise title. The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Edmonton Oilers 4–2, representing a second year in a row for them appearing in the championship series. This victory capped a season where no Finals opponent held home-ice advantage in any round prior to the final series.

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