2020 Stanley Cup playoffs

Pandemic disruption and the Return to Play plan

The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs were fundamentally reshaped by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The NHL regular season was suspended on March 12, 2020, just days before the playoffs were originally scheduled to begin in April. After months of planning, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced on May 26 that the league would resume with a 24-team playoff format to conclude the season. This plan required ratification of extensive health and safety protocols with the NHL Players Association, which was finalized on July 10 alongside an extension to the collective bargaining agreement. The core concept involved holding the playoffs in two neutral-site hub cities where players and essential staff would live in a secure bubble, isolated from the general public. All games were played behind closed doors with no fans in attendance, a first for the Stanley Cup playoffs. This arrangement was designed to minimize the risk of virus transmission and complete the season safely.

The decision to adopt a 24-team field was a significant departure from the standard 16-team format. It was structured to include teams that were in playoff contention when the season paused, addressing the incomplete regular season. Under the Return to Play plan, any player was permitted to opt out of participating without penalty, provided they notified their team by July 13. The league and players agreed that all teams participating in the qualifying round would be officially considered to have made the playoffs, a distinction important for player contracts and records. This unprecedented framework set the stage for a tournament that balanced competitive integrity with public health necessities during a global crisis.

The Canadian hub cities and the bubble

The NHL selected two Canadian cities, Edmonton and Toronto, to serve as hub locations for the playoffs. Edmonton's Rogers Place hosted all Western Conference games through the first two rounds, plus the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final. Toronto's Scotiabank Arena hosted all Eastern Conference games through the first two rounds. This marked the first time the Stanley Cup playoffs were held entirely in Canada since 1925, and the first time the Cup was awarded on Canadian ice since 2011. The league had considered several American cities, but spikes in COVID-19 cases in late June led to the choice of two Canadian hubs where infection rates were more controlled.

Around each venue, the NHL established a secure perimeter, commonly called the bubble. In Edmonton, the bubble encompassed four hotels in the Ice District along with Rogers Place and its practice facilities. In Toronto, the setup was split between the Fairmont Royal York hotel connected to Scotiabank Arena and facilities at Exhibition Place. These zones contained dedicated dining, fitness, and recreation areas for players and staff. Restaurants operated within the secure zones, and players could order from local delivery services via concierge. A strict protocol required individuals to wear masks outside their hotel rooms, with daily COVID-19 testing and symptom checks. The league received an exemption from Canada's 14-day quarantine rule for incoming travellers, provided everyone remained inside the bubble. Anyone leaving without approval faced a mandatory 14-day quarantine or being barred from returning.

To address the visual of empty arenas, the league constructed large stage sets with video screens over the stands in each end zone. In-arena presentations were customized for each designated home team, including their specific goal music and other features. Although fans were not allowed inside, the Oilers Entertainment Group organized an outdoor FanFest near Rogers Place with a drive-in screen and beer garden, adhering to local health guidelines. The playoff schedule was also compressed with more back-to-back games than usual, an attempt to mitigate bubble fatigue for players living away from their families for an extended period.

Unique playoff format and qualification

The 2020 playoff format was uniquely tailored to the circumstances of the paused season. The 24 qualifying teams were the top 12 from each conference by points percentage as of March 12. These teams were then divided into two groups within each conference. The top four seeds in each conference entered a seeding round-robin tournament. They played each other once under regular season overtime and shootout rules to determine the final seeding for the first round, from one to four. Any ties in the round-robin standings were broken by regular season points percentage.

The remaining eight teams in each conference, seeded five through twelve based on points percentage, competed in a best-of-five qualifying round. These series used standard playoff overtime rules. The four winners from each conference's qualifying round advanced to the first round of the traditional 16-team bracket, where they were re-seeded as the fifth through eighth seeds based on their regular season points percentage. All series from the first round onward were best-of-seven, and the bracket was re-seeded after each round. The higher-seeded team in each series was designated the home team for scheduling purposes, with the Stanley Cup Final home ice determined by regular season points percentage. The league declared that both the round-robin and qualifying round games would count towards official playoff records.

Qualifying round and notable outcomes

The qualifying round produced several unexpected results, beginning a postseason full of surprises. The twelfth-seeded Montreal Canadiens, who had the lowest points percentage (.500) of any qualifier, upset the fifth-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in four games. Canadiens goaltender Carey Price posted a shutout in the clinching game. This victory extended the Penguins' streak of postseason appearances to fourteen consecutive seasons, the longest active run at the time. The sixth-seeded Carolina Hurricanes swept the eleventh-seeded New York Rangers in three games, with Andrei Svechnikov recording a hat trick in game two. The seventh-seeded New York Islanders defeated the tenth-seeded Florida Panthers in four games.

In the Western Conference, the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers fell to the twelfth-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in four games. The sixth-seeded Nashville Predators were eliminated by the eleventh-seeded Arizona Coyotes in four games, marking the Coyotes' first playoff appearance since 2012 and, as of 2024, their last before suspending operations. The seventh-seeded Vancouver Canucks defeated the tenth-seeded Minnesota Wild in four games, and the eighth-seeded Calgary Flames beat the ninth-seeded Winnipeg Jets in four games. This meant all four Western Canada based teams (Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg) made the playoffs for the first time since 1986. It was also the only time to date that both the Winnipeg Jets and Arizona Coyotes qualified in the same season.

Playoff progression and records

The first round saw the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers, who won the Eastern Conference round-robin, defeat the Montreal Canadiens in six games. The Tampa Bay Lightning, seeded second, needed five games to eliminate the Columbus Blue Jackets. The third-seeded Washington Capitals fell to the fifth-seeded New York Islanders in five games, and the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins lost to the sixth-seeded Carolina Hurricanes in five games. In the West, the top-seeded Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in five games. The second-seeded Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes in five games. The third-seeded Dallas Stars eliminated the Calgary Flames in six games, and the fourth-seeded St. Louis Blues were upset by the Vancouver Canucks in six games.

The second round featured several compelling series. The Islanders continued their run by defeating the Flyers in seven games. The Lightning beat the Bruins in five games. In the Western Conference, the Stars upset the Avalanche in seven games, while the Golden Knights defeated the Canucks in seven games. Game two of the Canucks-Golden Knights series was the 94th game of the playoffs, surpassing the previous single-year record of 93 set in 2014. The conference finals saw the Lightning defeat the Islanders in six games, and the Stars beat the Golden Knights in five games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

The 2020 playoffs set numerous records for longevity. The Dallas Stars played 27 games, setting a new record for most games in a single postseason, breaking the previous mark of 26. Game six of the Stanley Cup Final was the 130th game of the playoffs, setting the all-time record for most games played in one playoff year. The Tampa Bay Lightning also made history on September 17 when they became the first NHL team to win the clinching game of their first three series in overtime.

The Stanley Cup Final

The Stanley Cup Final was contested between the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Western Conference champion Dallas Stars, with all games played at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The Lightning entered as the higher seed based on regular season points percentage. The series opened with the Stars taking game one by a score of 4-1. The Lightning responded with a 3-2 victory in game two. Dallas regained the series lead with a 5-2 win in game three, but Tampa Bay evened the series with a 5-4 overtime win in game four, a game where the Lightning rallied from a two-goal deficit.

The decisive game five saw the Lightning win 2-1, taking a series lead for the first time. In game six, the Lightning secured the championship with a 2-0 victory. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves for the shutout. The victory gave the Tampa Bay Lightning their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, with captain Steven Stamkos, who played limited minutes due to injury, famously scoring a goal in his only appearance of the playoffs during game three. The Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff most valuable player was awarded to Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman.

Social justice postponement

The playoffs were briefly paused in late August following a player-led protest against racial injustice. After the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, players from several teams decided not to play their scheduled games. This led to a wildcat strike, with all games originally scheduled for August 27 and 28 being postponed. The postponements involved games in both the Eastern and Western Conference second-round series. The players' action was part of a broader wave of athlete protests across North American professional sports that summer. After discussions among players, teams, and the league, the playoffs resumed on August 29. This marked a significant moment of athlete activism within the NHL.

Historical context and significance

The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs hold a distinct place in NHL history due to the extraordinary conditions under which they were played. The tournament was a logistical triumph, completing a full postseason without a single positive COVID-19 test inside the bubble after teams arrived. It featured a record six Canadian teams, the most since 1993, and was the first time all former World Hockey Association teams (Edmonton, Arizona, Carolina, Colorado) qualified for the playoffs since 1999. Conversely, it was the first time since 1996 that all three California based teams (Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose) missed the postseason.

The hub city model demonstrated that large scale sporting events could be conducted safely during a pandemic, influencing plans in other leagues. The use of Canadian cities also provided a significant economic and promotional boost to the NHL in Canada during a time when border restrictions prevented normal cross border competition. The playoffs delivered memorable moments and records despite the lack of fans, proving the resilience of the sport. The success of the health protocols and the competitive integrity of the expanded format provided valuable lessons for the league as it managed the ongoing challenges of the pandemic in subsequent seasons.

Questions about 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs

Why were the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs held in Canada?

The playoffs were held in two Canadian hub cities, Edmonton and Toronto, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NHL needed neutral sites with strict health protocols where players could be isolated in a bubble. Canadian cities were chosen in part because COVID-19 case rates were more controlled there in the summer of 2020 compared to many potential US host cities, which were experiencing spikes. This also marked the first time the entire playoffs were held in Canada since 1925.

How many teams made the 2020 NHL playoffs?

The 2020 playoffs used a unique 24 team format, a temporary expansion from the usual 16 teams. This was done to include more teams that were in playoff contention when the regular season was suspended in March. The top 12 teams from each conference by points percentage qualified. The top four in each conference played a seeding round robin, while the other eight competed in a best of five qualifying round to reach the traditional 16 team bracket.

Which team won the Stanley Cup in 2020?

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020. They defeated the Dallas Stars four games to two in the Stanley Cup Final, which was held in Edmonton. This was the Lightning's second championship in franchise history. Defenceman Victor Hedman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

Why were some playoff games postponed in August 2020?

Games scheduled for August 27 and 28, 2020, were postponed due to a player led wildcat strike. This was a protest against racial injustice and police brutality following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Players from several teams decided not to play, leading the league to postpone all games on those dates. The playoffs resumed after two days of discussions and reflections.

What records were set during the 2020 playoffs?

The 2020 playoffs set several records for length and endurance. The Dallas Stars played 27 games, a new record for most games in a single postseason. The entire playoff tournament featured 130 games, also an all time record. The Tampa Bay Lightning became the first team to win the clinching game of their first three series in overtime. Game two of the second round was the 94th game, breaking the previous single year record of 93.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-20.