With tonight’s 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, the Philadelphia Flyers have officially clinched a berth in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Our return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs comes down to two things: the grit and determination of our players and the unwavering commitment of our fans, and I couldn’t be prouder,” said Flyers Governor Dan Hilferty. “We began this New Era of Orange with the goal of building this team the right way, and regardless of what happens in the weeks or months ahead, this milestone shows that Keith, Danny, and Coach Tocchet are moving us in the right direction. Now our players and fans get to share in the most thrilling atmosphere in sports, Flyers Playoff Hockey!”
The Flyers enter the playoffs as the third seed in the Metropolitan Division and will face their cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins in the First Round. The National Hockey League’s 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin this weekend with an announcement for the Flyers-Penguins series released in the coming days.
This marks the 41st playoff appearance in franchise history for the Flyers and first trip to the postseason since 2020, when all teams traveled to the NHL playoff bubble in Toronto and Edmonton. This spring marks the first time since 2018 that playoff hockey returns to Philadelphia.
This will be the eighth time in franchise history the Flyers and Penguins have met in the playoffs. All seven meetings with the Penguins have come in the last 37 years. The teams met three times in a five-year span from 2008 to 2012, and the Flyers have won four of the first seven matchups. The Flyers are an even 10-10 at home in the playoffs against the Penguins and hold a slight advantage on the road at 11-10.
