Three teams are on the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers will square off in a Western Conference Final rematch in the 2025 NHL playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes, meanwhile, are in the Eastern Conference Final, awaiting the winner of the Florida Panthers–Toronto Maple Leafs second-round series.
The Oilers, last year’s Stanley Cup runners-up, are eyeing a return trip to the Cup Final in search of the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Connor McDavid and Co. dropped their first two games of this postseason, but have only suffered one loss since.
Edmonton, the Pacific Division’s No. 3 seed, overcame a 2-0 first-round series deficit against the No. 2 Los Angeles Kings with four straight comeback wins before taking down the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights in five games. McDavid and co-star Leon Draisaitl have combined for eight goals and 25 assists across 11 playoff contests.
The Stars are playing in their third straight conference final and fourth since 2020. But Dallas has been eliminated from this round the last two postseasons, most recently falling to Edmonton in six games in 2024.
Dallas, the Central Division’s No. 2 seed, first outlasted the No. 3 Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game thriller and then bounced the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets in six games. Trade deadline acquisition Mikko Rantanen has racked up a playoff-high 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) as he attempts to help deliver the Stars their first title since 1999 and second overall.
Over in the East, the Hurricanes are making their second conference final appearance in three years. Carolina, the Metro Division’s No. 2 seed, needed just five games to bounce both the No. 3 New Jersey Devils and the East-leading Washington Capitals. Frederik Andersen has been stellar between the pipes for Carolina, boasting a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in nine playoff starts.
Now, the Hurricanes need to get past either the defending champion Panthers or the Maple Leafs in order to reach their first Cup Final since the franchise’s lone championship triumph in 2006. The Panthers and Leafs will battle in a decisive Game 7 in Toronto on Sunday.
So, when will the conference finals start and who has home-ice advantage? Here’s what to know:
When do the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Finals start?
The conference final round begins with the East matchup on Tuesday, May 20, followed by Game 1 of Oilers-Stars on Wednesday, May 21.
What are the NHL Eastern, Western Conference Final matchups?
- Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. winner of Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs
- Western Conference Final: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars
Who has home-ice advantage in the Eastern, Western Conference Finals?
The team with the superior regular-season record gets home-ice advantage in the conference final round. The Stars finished ahead of the Oilers in the standings, meaning the West Final will start in Dallas.
The Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage if they face the Panthers, but will start the conference final on the road should they see the Leafs.
What is the Oilers vs. Stars Western Conference Final schedule?
- Game 1: Oilers at Stars — Wednesday, May 21, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 2: Oilers at Stars — Friday, May 23, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Stars at Oilers — Sunday, May 25, 3 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 4: Stars at Oilers — Tuesday, May 27, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 5 (if necessary): Oilers at Stars — Thursday, May 29, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 6 (if necessary): Stars at Oilers — Saturday, May 31, 8 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 7 (if necessary): Oilers at Stars — Monday, June 2, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN
What is the NHL Eastern Conference Final schedule?
This is what the East Final schedule will look like should the Maple Leafs advance:
- Game 1: Hurricanes at Maple Leafs — Tuesday, May 20, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 2: Hurricanes at Maple Leafs — Thursday, May 22, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 3: Maple Leafs at Hurricanes — Saturday, May 24, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 4: Maple Leafs at Hurricanes — Monday, May 26, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 5 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Maple Leafs — Wednesday, May 28, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 6 (if necessary): Maple Leafs at Hurricanes — Friday, May 30, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 7 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Maple Leafs — Sunday, June 1, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
And here’s what the schedule will be if the Panthers advance:
- Game 1: Panthers at Hurricanes — Tuesday, May 20, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 2: Panthers at Hurricanes — Thursday, May 22, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 3: Hurricanes at Panthers — Saturday, May 24, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 4: Hurricanes at Panthers — Monday, May 26, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 5 (if necessary): Panthers at Hurricanes — Wednesday, May 28, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 6 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Panthers — Friday, May 30, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
- Game 7 (if necessary): Panthers at Hurricanes — Sunday, June 1, 8 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV
