2026 Canes Stanley Cup playoffs preview

Keep an eye on this article for all updates about the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2026 postseason and the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Carolina Hurricanes fans cheer at the Lenovo Center.

The Canes are going for silver — the Stanley Cup, that is.

Photo by Josh Lavallee / Carolina Hurricanes

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After a 2OT win against the Ottawa Senators, the Canes are 2-0 in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and are two wins away from advancing to the next round. Fun fact for your water cooler chats: The Canes are the first NHL team to achieve a 2-0 lead in their first best-of-seven series for six straight postseasons. We’re not new to this.

Next up: two road games in Canada’s capital to potentially secure the series. Watch the Canes in Ottawa on Thursday, April 23, and Saturday, April 25 — Game 5 is scheduled for next Thursday, April 30 back in the 919.

If they win, the Canes’ next opponent will be the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, and the Flyers are leading the series ahead of tonight’s game.

April 8 update

In their last home game of the regular season, the Canes earned the Metropolitan Division title in a 6-5 overtime win over the Boston Bruins, and earlier last week, the team clinched its spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. As the Hurricanes finish up their season with a four-game road trip, we’re anticipating a fun postseason.

This is the eighth season in a row the Canes are going to the playoffs, and tickets for first round home games go on sale today at 12 p.m. Our opponent is still undecided — we’re competing with three other teams for the No. 1 spot in the East, but with a solid postseason record under Rod Brind’Amour, we’re not worried.

Psst... Always dreamed of sounding the iconic siren? Now through April 17, the siren will be popping up throughout the Triangle with giveaways, playoff tickets, the Canes Crew, and Stormy.

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