2026 Calder Cup playoffs
American Hockey League postseason tournament
The 2026 Calder Cup playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Hockey League (AHL) to determine the winner of the Calder Cup, which is awarded to the AHL playoff champions from the 2025–26 AHL season.
All teams except the bottom two teams of the Atlantic, North, and Central divisions, as well as the bottom three teams of the Pacific division qualified for the playoffs. Each division has a best-of-three series in the first round to determine the top 16 teams for the division semifinals, with various teams receiving byes based on regular season performance.
The 16 teams that remain—four from each division—will play a best-of-five series in the division semifinals, with the playoffs continuing with another best-of-five series for the division finals and a best-of-seven series for the conference finals and Calder Cup finals.
On June 19, 2026, the Toronto Marlies won their second Calder Cup after defeating the Chicago Wolves in five games.
Playoff format
The AHL will continue to use the same playoff format used since 2022. The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division. First-round match-ups will be best-of-three series; the two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the first-round winners re-seeded in each division. The division finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-of-seven conference finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup finals series.
Bracket
Source:
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(A3) Charlotte Checkers vs.
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