The NHL championship series will begin next Tuesday or the following Thursday, with the starting date contingent on how quickly the Eastern Conference Final is decided.
If the Carolina Hurricanes close out the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 on Friday, the Stanley Cup Final will open the following Tuesday. Should the Canadiens force a Game 6, the series opener shifts to Thursday.
The Vegas Golden Knights already secured their finals berth by sweeping the Colorado Avalanche in four games on Tuesday. They remain idle while awaiting their opponent from the East.
Carolina's layoff reached 11 days—an NHL record—before kicking off its conference final against Montreal. The Hurricanes advanced by dispatching both the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators in consecutive sweeps during theopening two rounds.
The league has set a June 21 deadline for the championship series to conclude, with the NHL Draft's first round scheduled for June 26.
If Montreal defeats Carolina on Friday, Game 6 would be held Sunday in Montreal, with a decisive Game 7, if needed, following on Tuesday.