Who I Want to Win in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs

 

Photo Credit: Don Carlson

First round

#A6 Springfield v. #A3 Charlotte- Charlotte

#A5 Hershey v. #A4 Bridgeport- Hershey

#N5 Rochester v. #N4 Toronto- Toronto

#C5 Milwaukee v. #C4 Manitoba- Milwaukee

#P7 San Diego v. #P2 Colorado- Colorado

#P6 San Jose v. #P3 Henderson- San Jose

#P5 Bakersfield v. #P4 Coachella Valley- Coachella Valley

Second round

#A5 Hershey v. #A1 Providence- Hershey

#A3 Charlotte v. #A2 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton- Charlotte

#N4 Toronto v. #N1 Laval- Toronto

#N3 Cleveland v. #N2 Syracuse- Cleveland

#C5 Milwaukee v. #C1 Grand Rapids- Grand Rapids

#C3 Texas v. #C2 Chicago- Chicago

#P6 San Jose v. #P1 Ontario- San Jose

#P4 Coachella Valley v. #P2 Colorado- Coachella Valley

Third round

#A5 Hershey v. #A3 Charlotte- Charlotte

#N4 Toronto v. #N3 Cleveland- Cleveland

#C2 Chicago v. #C1 Grand Rapids- Grand Rapids

#P6 San Jose v. #P4 Coachella Valley- Coachella Valley

Conference finals

#N3 Cleveland v. #A3 Charlotte- Cleveland

#P4 Coachella Valley v. #C1 Grand Rapids- Coachella Valley

Calder Cup Finals

#P4 Coachella Valley v. #C3 Cleveland

Winner: Cleveland Monsters

By the way, this is the most convoluted playoff format I've ever seen, they do in fact use an odd number of teams: