eight teams are in stanley cup playoffs.
how many teams are in stanley cup playoffs?
eight
bullet::::- rick dipietro studio analyst (2006 & 2008 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- tom fitzgerald studio analyst (2006 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- mike knuble studio analyst (2006 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- ken hitchcock studio analyst (2007 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- peter laviolette studio analyst (2007 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- ted nolan studio analyst (2007 stanley cup playoffs, 2009)





















































bullet::::- aaron ward studio analyst (2007 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- doug weight studio analyst (2007 stanley cup playoffs)





















































bullet::::- manny legacé studio analyst (2008 stanley cup playoffs)





















































section::::personalities.:breakdown of studio team.





















































section::::personalities.:breakdown of studio team.:2005–06.





















































section::::personalities.:breakdown of studio team.:2005–06.:regular season.
nhl live
with the merger of the pcha and wchl in 1925 and the merged league's collapse in 1926, the nhl took de facto control of the stanley cup. while the cup would not be formally deeded to the league until 1947, from 1926 onward the nhl playoffs and the stanley cup playoffs are considered synonymous. the nhl was subsequently divided into the canadian and american divisions for the 1927–28 season. for 1927, six teams qualified for the playoffs, three from each division, with the division semifinals and finals being a two-game total goals affair, and the stanley cup finals becoming a best-of-five series. in 1928, the playoff format was changed so that the two teams with identical division ranking would face each other (i.e. the division winners played each other, the second place teams play each other, and likewise for the third place teams). the first place series was a best-of-five affair, with the winner proceeding to the best-of-three stanley cup finals, while the others were a two-game total goals series. the winner of the second and third place series played each other in a best-of-three series, with the winner earning the other berth to the stanley cup finals. this format had a slight modification the following year, where the semifinal series became a two-game total goals affair and the stanley cup finals became a best-of-five series. the two-game total goals format was abolished in 1937, with those series being changed to best-of-three affairs.
stanley cup playoffs