2002 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League began on April 17, 2002.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes on June 13, 2002, four games to one, to win their tenth championship in their history. Carolina was in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in their 23-year history, which includes their tenure as the Hartford Whalers. Red Wings defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs. It was the ninth championship for Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman, who announced his retirement after the deciding game of the series. The Phoenix Coyotes played their last playoff games at America West Arena and missed the playoffs until 2010, when they played in Glendale.

The 16 teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. A record 25 shutouts were recorded in the 2002 playoffs and, for the first time since 1991, not a single team was swept in a playoff series. This is the last time that all three Eastern Canada teams made the playoffs together and got past the first round. For the first time since entering the NHL, both teams from the province of Alberta, the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers missed the playoffs in the same season.