Two teams have clinched a spot in the NHL’s conference finals, and the Vegas Golden Knights could join the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes if they win on Thursday, March 14.
That’s enough for the NHL to put out potential starting dates for the conference finals, even though the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens were tied 2-2 before Game 5 on Thursday night.
Regardless of the results of that series, the Western Conference finals will start on May 20 at Denver’s Ball Arena against the Golden Knights-Anaheim Ducks winner.
If the Sabres or Canadiens wrap up their series in six games, the Eastern Conference finals will start on May 19. If the teams go to seven games, it will start on May 21. The Hurricanes will host the first two games at Lenovo Center.
Here are the scenarios for the conference finals:
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here’s who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dan Muse
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres’ Lindy Ruff
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin
Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman
Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar.
Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews1 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here’s who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here’s who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
2 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper
3 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Dan Muse
4 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres’ Lindy Ruff
5 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin
6 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman
7 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy
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NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
9 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar.
10 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
11 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
12 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
13 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
14 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
15 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
16 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
17 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
18 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
19 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
20 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
21 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
22 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
23 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
24 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
25 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
26 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
27 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
28 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
29 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
30 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
31 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
32 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
33 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
34 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
35 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
36 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
37 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
38 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
39 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
40 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
41 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
42 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
43 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
44 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
45 / 45
NHL awards finalists: Who's up for 2025-26 regular season awards?
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
Western Conference final
All times p.m. ET. x-if necessary
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May 20: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
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May 22: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
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May 24: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, 8, ESPN
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May 26: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, TBD, ESPN
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x-May 28: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
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x-May 30: Colorado at Vegas/Anaheim, 8, ABC
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x-June 1: Vegas/Anaheim at Colorado, 8, ESPN
Eastern Conference final
Times TBD
If Buffalo-Montreal series ends in six games
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May 19: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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May 21: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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May 23: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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May 25: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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x-May 27: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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x-May 29: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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x-May 31: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
If Buffalo-Montreal series ends in seven games
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May 21: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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May 23: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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May 25: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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May 27: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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x-May 29: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
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x-May 31: Carolina at Buffalo/Montreal, TNT, truTV
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x-June 2: Buffalo/Montreal at Carolina, TNT, truTV
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When do NHL conference finals start? Eastern, Western schedule, dates
