Calder Cup playoffs schedule 2025: Bracket, times, TV channels, live streams, scores for AHL hockey postseason

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The quest for the Calder Cup is underway.

The 2025 American Hockey League playoffs feature 23 teams hoping to take home the trophy, the Hershey Bears have claimed the last two seasons, defeating the Coachella Firebirds in the Calder Cup Finals each time.

While it's tough to bet against a three-peat from the Capitals affiliate, the Laval Rocket were the class of the AHL during the regular season with 101 points to Hershey's 96. Will the two powerhouses clash in the Eastern Conference Finals? Stay tuned.

The AHL playoffs will unfold over the span of about two months before the 2025 Calder Cup champion is crowned. 

Here's a full game schedule and everything you need to know to tune in to all the postseason action. 

How to watch Calder Cup playoffs 2025: TV channel, live stream

The Calder Cup playoffs will not air on traditional TV channels. Instead, viewers can watch every game of the AHL postseason via AHLTV on FloHockey, which gives subscribers access to live streams, event replays and FloSports Originals.

Calder Cup playoffs schedule, scores 2025

Atlantic Division

First Round (Best-of-3)

No. 3 Providence Bruins vs. No. 6 Springfield Thunderbirds

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Wed., April 23Game 1 at Providence7:05 p.m.
Fri., April 25Game 2 at Springfield7:05 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 3 at Providence*3:05 p.m.

No. 4 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. No. 5 Lehigh Valley Phantoms

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Wed., April 23Game 1 at W-B/Scranton7:05 p.m.
Fri., April 25Game 2 at Lehigh Valley7:05 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 3 at W-B/Scranton*6:05 p.m.

Division Semifinals (Best-of-5)

No. 1 Hershey Bears vs. Lower-seeded first round winner

  • Series schedule TBD

No. 2 Charlotte Checkers vs. Higher-seeded first round winner

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
TBDGame 1 at TBDTBD
TBDGame 2 at TBDTBD
Wed., May 7Game 3 at Charlotte7 p.m.
Fri., May 9Game 4 at Charlotte*7 p.m.
Sun., May 11Game 5 at Charlotte*3 p.m.

North Division

First Round (Best-of-3)

No. 4 Toronto Marlies vs. No. 5 Cleveland Monsters

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Thu., April 24Game 1 at Cleveland7 p.m.
Sat., April 26Game 2 at Toronto4 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 3 at Toronto*4 p.m.

Division Semifinals (Best-of-5)

No. 1 Laval Rocket vs. Toronto-Cleveland winner

  • Series schedule TBD

No. 2 Rochester Americans vs. No. 3 Syracuse Crunch

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Fri., April 25Game 1 at Rochester7:05 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 2 at Rochester3:05 p.m.
Thu., May 1Game 3 at Syracuse7 p.m.
Sat., May 3Game 4 at Syracuse*7 p.m.
Fri., May 9Game 5 at Rochester*7:05 p.m.

Central Division

First Round (Best-of-3)

No. 4 Chicago Wolves vs. No. 5 Rockford IceHogs

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Wed., April 23Game 1 at Chicago8 p.m.
Fri., April 25Game 2 at Rockford8 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 3 at Rockford^*5 p.m.

^ Chicago designated as home team

Division Semifinals (Best-of-5)

No. 1 Milwaukee Admirals vs. Chicago-Rockford winner

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Thu., May 1Game 1 at Milwaukee8 p.m.
Sat., May 3Game 2 at Milwaukee7 p.m.
TBDGame 3 at CHI/RFDTBD
TBDGame 4 at CHI/RFD*TBD
TBDGame 5 at Milwaukee*TBD

No. 2 Texas Stars vs. No. 3 Grand Rapids Griffins

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Tue., April 29Game 1 at Grand Rapids7 p.m.
Mon., May 5Game 2 at Grand Rapids7 p.m.
Fri., May 9Game 3 at Texas8 p.m.
Sat., May 10Game 4 at Texas*8 p.m.
Mon., May 12Game 5 at Texas*8 p.m.

Pacific Division

First Round (Best-of-3)

No. 2 Abbotsford Canucks vs. No. 7 Tucson Roadrunners

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Wed., April 23Game 1 at Abbotsford10 p.m.
Thu., April 24Game 2 at Abbotsford10 p.m.
Sat., April 26Game 3 at Abbotsford^*10 p.m.

^ Tucson designated as home team

No. 3 Ontario Reign vs. No. 6 San Jose Barracudas

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Thu., April 24Game 1 at Los Angeles10 p.m.
Sat., April 26Game 2 at Los Angeles^9 p.m.
Mon., April 28Game 3 at Ontario*10 p.m.

^ San Jose designated as home team

No. 4 Coachella Valley Firebirds vs. No. 5 Calgary Wranglers

DateGameTime (ET)/Result
Tue., April 22Game 1: Coachella Valley 4, Calgary 3 (3 OT)
Sat., April 26Game 2 at Coachella Valley^9 p.m.
Sun., April 27Game 3 at Coachella Valley*8 p.m.

^ Calgary designated as home team

Division Semifinals (Best-of-5)

No. 1 Colorado Eagles vs. Lowest-seeded first round winner

  • Series schedule TBD

Highest-seeded first round winner vs. Middle-seeded first round winner

  • Series schedule TBD

Calder Cup playoffs bracket, format

The top seed from each of the AHL's four divisions receives a bye into the division semifinals. This year, that means Hershey, Laval, Milwaukee and Colorado await opponents from first-round series. 

The top five (of seven) teams from the North and Central divisions make the playoffs, along with the top six teams (of eight) from the Atlantic and top seven (of 10) from the Pacific. Those unbalanced numbers make for a complicated bracket, with two best-of-3 first-round series in the Atlantic, one each in the North and Central, and three in the Pacific, to get to the 16-team, best-of-5 division semifinals. 

The eight winners from that round advance to the best-of-5 division finals and the final four move on to the best-of-7 conference finals before the two teams that emerge face off in a best-of-7 set for the Calder Cup. 

2025 AHL playoff teams and NHL affiliates 

Here are the 23 AHL teams that qualified for this year's Calder Cup playoffs, along with their NHL affiliates.

AHL teamNHL affiliate
Abbotsford CanucksVancouver Canucks
Calgary WranglersCalgary Flames
Charlotte CheckersFlorida Panthers
Chicago WolvesCarolina Hurricanes
Cleveland MonstersColumbus Blue Jackets
Coachella Valley FirebirdsSeattle Kraken
Colorado EaglesColorado Avalanche
Grand Rapids GriffinsDetroit Red Wings
Hershey BearsWashington Capitals
Laval RocketMontreal Canadiens
Lehigh Valley PhantomsPhiladelphia Flyers
Milwaukee AdmiralsNashville Predators
Ontario ReignLos Angeles Kings
Providence BruinsBoston Bruins
Rochester AmericansBuffalo Sabres
Rockford IceHogsChicago Blackhawks
San Jose BarracudaSan Jose Sharks
Springfield ThunderbirdsSt. Louis Blues
Syracuse CrunchTampa Bay Lightning
Texas StarsDallas Stars
Toronto MarliesToronto Maple Leafs
Tucson RoadrunnersUtah Hockey Club
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PenguinsPittsburgh Penguins

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