Is this a fantasy hockey player draft?
No. This contest is a playoff bracket built from team series winners. You do not draft individual skaters or goalies.
NHL Playoff Pool: Stanley Cup Bracket & Scoring
Run an NHL playoff bracket pool
Run an NHL playoff bracket pool. Choose series winners through the Stanley Cup Final, with optional seed and series-length bonuses.
First 5 member entries free per contest, then $1 per additional member who submits picks. Paid by the commissioner.
Stanley Cup playoff bracket
Optional win-in bonus
Final-series goals tiebreaker
The format
Build a bracket through the Stanley Cup Final
Choose which team advances from each series and keep going until you have a Stanley Cup champion. Submit the full bracket before picks lock, then follow your selections through the playoffs.
- Choose the NHL Playoffs contest.
- Check whether seed and win-in bonuses are enabled.
- Complete the bracket and any tiebreak prediction before picks lock.
At a glance
What your entry includes
- Series winner selections
- Stanley Cup champion
- Optional series lengths
- Total goals in the Final when enabled
Choose winners and, optionally, series lengths
Each correct series winner earns the points assigned to that round. If the win-in bonus is enabled, choose how many games your selected team will need. The bonus requires the correct winner and game count.
See what a seed bonus changes
A league can award a bonus using the selected winner’s seed plus the round number, or the seed multiplied by the round number. It can also leave seed scoring off.
Check these values before deciding how many upsets to pick. A team’s path through your bracket matters as much as your choice of champion.
Count goals across the whole Final
When enabled, predict the combined goals scored by both teams across the entire Stanley Cup Final series. The closest prediction breaks a scoring tie.
That is different from the NBA pool’s decisive-game score. Make sure your group knows it is predicting the total for the series, including every game played.
Plan your pool
Compare the formats, prepare an invitation, or read the guides before getting your group together.
FAQ
Questions before you start
Can I set up this contest now?
The league creation page lists the events currently available to add. Choose from that list; a format described here may not be open for setup or picks yet. Check the contest page for its schedule before inviting your group.
What does it cost to run a pool?
The first 5 member entries in each contest are free. The commissioner pays $1 for each additional member who submits picks. Members who join the league but do not submit picks are not counted. The free entries reset for each contest.
Ready to run the league
Start the pool, invite the group
Choose from the events available for setup, name your league, and invite your group. Review the scoring and schedule together before making picks.