The 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2011–12 season. It began on April 11, 2012, after the conclusion of the regular season, and ended on June 11, with the Los Angeles Kings defeating the New Jersey Devils in six games in the Stanley Cup Final to win their first Stanley Cup championship. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, having recorded a 1.41 goals against average, was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoffs' most valuable player.
The Vancouver Canucks made the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners for the second consecutive year with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. The Detroit Red Wings increased their postseason appearance streak to twenty-one seasons, the longest active streak at the time. The Florida Panthers returned to the postseason to end a record-breaking 10-season drought from the playoffs that began with the 2000 Stanley Cup playoffs. This was also the first time that the Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs during their active playoff appearance drought; they surpassed Edmonton and Florida's shared record for longest playoff appearance drought in league history by missing the playoffs in 2022. The Sabres' record playoff drought would reach 14 seasons before ending in 2026. This was the first year since 1996 and only the second time since 1974 in which no Canadian-based teams advanced past the first round. It marked the first time since 2004 in which none of the previous year's conference finalists (Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, and San Jose Sharks) advanced past the opening round. This was the only playoffs where the Phoenix Coyotes advanced beyond the round of 16 teams.
After clinching a postseason spot in their 81st game of the regular season, the Kings became the first eighth-seeded team to win the Stanley Cup in NHL history (and the second eighth seed to reach the Cup Final after the 2005–06 Edmonton Oilers). They also became the first team in NHL history to have a 3-0 lead in all four playoff rounds. Their postseason began with an elimination of the Vancouver Canucks, who became the third Presidents' Trophy-winning team in the last four seasons to be eliminated in the opening round. Los Angeles went on to become the second team to eliminate the first, second, and third seeds from the playoffs in the same postseason after the 2003–04 Calgary Flames (and the first team to do so in that order). In addition, the Kings became the first team to make the Finals undefeated on the road (with their 8–0 record). As the sixth seed in their conference, the Devils were the lowest-seeded team to have home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Final, breaking a record they set when they won the Cup as a fourth seed in 2000.
Playoff seeds The top eight teams in each conference qualified for the playoffs. The top three seeds in each conference were awarded to the division winners; while the five remaining spots were awarded to the highest finishers in their respective conferences.
The following teams qualified for the playoffs:
Eastern Conference New York Rangers, Atlantic Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions – 109 points Boston Bruins, Northeast Division champions – 102 points Florida Panthers, Southeast Division champions – 94 points Pittsburgh Penguins – 108 points Philadelphia Flyers – 103 points New Jersey Devils – 102 points Washington Capitals – 92 points (38 ) Ottawa Senators – 92 points (35 )
Western Conference Vancouver Canucks, Northwest Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 111 points St. Louis Blues, Central Division champions – 109 points Phoenix Coyotes, Pacific Division champions – 97 points Nashville Predators – 104 points Detroit Red Wings – 102 points Chicago Blackhawks – 101 points San Jose Sharks – 96 points Los Angeles Kings – 95 points
Playoff bracket In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team played at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top eight teams in each conference made the playoffs, with the three division winners seeded 1–3 based on regular season record, and the five remaining teams seeded 4–8.
The NHL used "re-seeding" instead of a fixed bracket playoff system. During the first three rounds, the highest remaining seed in each conference was matched against the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest remaining seed played the second-lowest remaining seed, and so forth. The higher-seeded team was awarded home ice advantage. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where home ice advantage was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.
Conference quarterfinals The conference quarterfinals featured an NHL-record 16 overtime games.
One of the other major headlines during the conference quarterfinals were the number of suspensions and fines handed by the league. However, several players, coaches and writers complained about the lack of consistency that Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's Vice President of Player Safety and Hockey Operations, was handing out these fines and suspensions. (for each specific fine or suspension, see each series summary below)
Eastern Conference quarterfinals
(1) New York Rangers vs. (8) Ottawa Senators The New York Rangers entered the playoffs as the first overall seed in the Eastern Conference with 109 points. The Ottawa Senators earned 92 points during the regular season, losing the tiebreaker to Washington in regulation + overtime wins (38 to 35) to finish eighth overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the first playoff series between these two teams. Ottawa won three of the games in the season's four-game regular season series.
The first few games of the series were overshadowed by rough play and suspensions on both sides. In the first game, Rangers' checking center Brian Boyle punched defenceman Erik Karlsson but was not penalized. Senators' head coach Paul MacLean responded by adding enforcers Zenon Konopka and Matt Carkner for game two. Konopka harried Boyle as he conducted a live TV interview during the pre-game warm-ups, earning himself and his club fines. Carkner attacked Boyle at the beginning of the game and continued punching after Boyle fell to the ice. Boyle never dropped his gloves and Carkner was given a five-minute major and game misconduct. The Rangers' Brandon Dubinsky was also ejected as the third man in on the altercation; he threw a Gatorade cooler as he exited. Carkner received a one-game suspension for fighting an unwilling player. In an unrelated incident in that same game, New York's rookie skater Carl Hagelin elbowed Ottawa's captain Daniel Alfredsson in the head. Hagelin was given a five-minute major penalty and Alfredsson left the game and did not return. Hagelin was suspended for three games prompting a question of consistency by the New York Rangers. Alfredsson missed three games due to a concussion from the incident.
New York had a 4–2 victory in game one, but Ottawa's Chris Neil scored 1:17 into overtime of game two to tie the series at 1–1. In game three, Boyle scored the lone goal in the Rangers' 1–0 win. The Senators then overcame a two-goal deficit in game four to even the series yet again with Kyle Turris' goal 2:42 into overtime. Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson stopped all 41 shots in a 2–0 victory on the road in game five, giving the Senators their first lead in the series. New York scored three goals in the second period in their 3–2 victory in game six and then held on to a 2–1 win in game seven to take the series.
(2) Boston Bruins vs. (7) Washington Capitals The Boston Bruins, the defending 2011 Stanley Cup champions, entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference by winning the Northeast Division with 102 points. The Washington Capitals earned 92 points during the regular season, winning the tiebreaker over Ottawa in regulation + overtime wins (38 to 35) to finish seventh overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the third playoff series between these two teams, with each team having won one of the previous playoff series. The most recent series between these teams was the 1998 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, which was won by Washington in six games. Washington won three of the games in this year's four-game regular season series.
This was the first ever playoff series in NHL history in which all seven games were decided by only one goal. In addition, four of these games were decided in overtime. Rookie Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, who started in place of injured regulars Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, allowed only two goals in the first two games, matching his Bruins counterpart Tim Thomas. Thomas recorded a shutout in Boston's 1–0 overtime victory in game one. In game two, the Capitals battled back with a double overtime thriller when forward Nicklas Backstrom scored early in the second overtime period. The Bruins' 4–3 win in game three was followed by Backstrom getting suspended for one game after his post-game cross-check on Bruins forward Rich Peverley. Even without Backstrom, the Capitals evened the series with a 2–1 victory in game four. Washington's Troy Brouwer then scored the winning goal on a power play with 1:27 left in regulation of game five. Boston, facing elimination, went to Washington and managed to extend the series with Tyler Seguin's goal in overtime of game six. Game seven started with Washington forward Matt Hendricks deflecting the puck past Thomas. The Bruins answered with a shot that snuck behind Holtby and Tyler Seguin finding the puck and putting it in, but Washington's Joel Ward scored in overtime to give Washington a 2–1 victory in game seven and eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins. With Washington's victory in the series, Holtby became just the third rookie goaltender in NHL history to defeat the reigning Stanley Cup champions.
(3) Florida Panthers vs. (6) New Jersey Devils The Florida Panthers entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference by winning the Southeast Division with 94 points. The New Jersey Devils earned 102 points during the regular season to finish sixth overall in the Eastern Conference. This was the second playoff series between these two teams, with New Jersey having swept the 2000 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, the last time the Panthers qualified for the playoffs. The teams split this year's four-game regular season series.