Likely NHL playoff bracket
The most likely first-round series from 50,000 simulated seasons: CAR vs BUF, NJD vs WSH and more, with each side's chance to win.
Eastern Conference
| Series | Seeds | Chance they meet | Higher seed wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes vs Buffalo Sabres | Metropolitan 1st vs Wild card 2 | 8.2% | 81% |
| New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals | Metropolitan 2nd vs Metropolitan 3rd | 15.2% | 60% |
| Tampa Bay Lightning vs Ottawa Senators | Atlantic 1st vs Wild card 1 | 10.3% | 51% |
| Montréal Canadiens vs Boston Bruins | Atlantic 2nd vs Atlantic 3rd | 9.8% | 50% |
Western Conference
| Series | Seeds | Chance they meet | Higher seed wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues | Central 1st vs Wild card 2 | 11.6% | 63% |
| Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche | Central 2nd vs Central 3rd | 19.1% | 49% |
| Edmonton Oilers vs Utah Mammoth | Pacific 1st vs Wild card 1 | 8.3% | 61% |
| Vegas Golden Knights vs Anaheim Ducks | Pacific 2nd vs Pacific 3rd | 17.2% | 63% |