:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72272668/1488421837.0.jpg "NHL playoffs schedule: When do conference finals start for 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?")
The second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are cruising along with some potential upsets in the making. The round has a ways to go, but within the next week we'll have the four-team field for the Eastern and Western Conference Finals.
The Conference Finals round will start once the second round has come to a close. We could have the first team advancing as soon as Wednesday night. The WC2 Florida Panthers have jumped out to a 3-1 series lead on the No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs and are hosting two of the final four games.
In the other Eastern Conference series, the No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes defeated the No. 2 New Jersey Devils 3-2 in OT in Game 5 to win their second-round series 4-1.
In the Western Conference, the No. 2 Dallas Stars and WC1 Seattle Kraken are tied 2-2. In the other series, the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights and No. 2 Edmonton Oilers are tied 2-2.
The Stars-Kraken series cannot end before Saturday, May 13, so we know the Conference Finals round will not start until after that day at the earliest.