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16 Teams Battle for the Stanley Cup

Format and Qualification

The Stanley Cup Playoffs is an annual knockout tournament to award the Stanley Cup to the National Hockey League (NHL).

In standings a victory in a shootout counts as one goal for while a shootout loss counts as one goal.

16 teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The format is a set bracket that is largely division-based.

The top three teams in each division will automatically qualify for the playoffs. The remaining two teams in each division will play a wild-card game, with the winners advancing to the playoffs.

The first two rounds of the playoffs will be played in a best-of-seven format. The third round will be played in a best-of-seven format. The Stanley Cup Finals will be played in a best-of-seven format.

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