Updated NHL Playoff Bracket After Second Round: Breaking Down Conference Finals

The NHL's Conference Finals will continue on Wednesday.

Panthers forward Brad Marchand (63) battles for the puck against Scott Morrow. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

After some of the more intense first two rounds the NHL playoffs have seen, we're officially onto the Conference Finals this week.

Tensions were extremely high as things kicked off in the East on Tuesday night, and with the West final beginning on Wednesday, tempers will likely keep flaring as hockey's incredible postseason continues on.

Here's a look at an updated NHL Playoff bracket, via NBA.com:

Updated NHL Playoff Bracket

Updated NHL playoffs bracket / via NHL.com

Dallas Stars vs. Edmonton Oilers in the West. Florida Panthers vs. Carolina Panthers in the East.

Of the four teams remaining, two—Florida (2024) and Carolina (2006) have won Stanley Cups this century. The other two, meanwhile, are in 25+ year droughts, with Dallas' last title coming in 1999 and Edmonton's in 1990.

Here's a brief preview of each matchup:

Eastern Conference Finals: Carolina Hurricanes (2) vs. Florida Panthers (3)

Hurricanes vs. Panthers Game 1. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Eastern Conference Finals has already begun, with the Panthers winning Game 1 by a convincing 5-2 margin to take a 1-0 series lead. Over the course of their third consecutive trip to the ECF, Florida took down the Ottawa Senators in Round 1 before a barn-burning seven-game series win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As for their opponent in the Hurricanes, they're back in the conference finals for the sixth time since the turn of the century—having beaten the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals in the process.

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals is set for Thursday night, with puck drop from Sunshine, Fla.'s Lenovo Center.

Western Conference Finals: Dallas Stars (2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (3)

Oilers vs. Stars from March. / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

The Stars—led by NHL playoffs point leader Mikko Rantanen—enter the conference finals coming off a thrilling overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round matchup. They're now onto their third consecutive trip to the WCF.

The Oilers, meanwhile, are onto their third conference finals in the last four years—with the NHL's best player in Connor McDavid yearning for a Stanley Cup trophy win to round out his uber-impressive resume thus far. Edmonton took down the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights on their way back to the WCF.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is set for Wednesday night, with puck drop from Dallas's American Airlines Center is set for 8:00 p.m. EST.

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