Made in Canada for the 2027 playoffs
Office hockey pool, without the spreadsheet
Every spring someone inherits the hockey pool spreadsheet. This replaces it: pick a format, post one link in Teams, Slack or the group chat, and the standings keep themselves. Office Hockey Pool runs playoff bracket pools, pick'em pools, salary cap pools and the classic draft pool, for offices and just as well for beer leagues, bars and families. It's free up to 20 entries, with no ads and no app to install. A department or company-wide pool is one $29 Pool Pass for the whole playoffs.
Playoff bracket pool
Everyone fills out a 15-series bracket before the playoffs start. Points double each round, with a bonus for calling how many games a series goes.
Pick'em pool
Pick the winner of every playoff game, right up to puck drop. One point per correct pick. Easy to join late.
Salary cap pool
Build a roster of forwards, defence and goalies under a cap. Goals and assists score for skaters, wins and shutouts for goalies.
Draft pool
The classic Canadian hockey pool: draft players in a snake draft, live or at the bar, and every point they score counts for your team.
Four ways to run a hockey pool
- Playoff bracket pool: everyone picks all 15 series before the playoffs start. Points double each round, with a bonus for calling how many games a series goes.
- Pick'em pool: pick the winner of every playoff game until puck drop. People can join late and still have a shot.
- Salary cap pool: build a roster of forwards, defence and goalies under a cap. Goals and assists score, and so do goalie wins and shutouts.
- Draft pool: the Canadian classic. A snake draft, live online or around a table, where the commissioner can enter every pick.
Why commissioners switch
- No spreadsheet. Results and player stats come in automatically and standings update after every game.
- No ads, no per-player fees. Free pools stay free up to 20 entries. The Pool Pass is one flat $29 for up to 500 entries, not $3–5 a head.
- Works on any phone. Joining takes an invite link and a 20-second sign-up.
- We never touch the money. We don't collect or pay out entry fees. You can tick off who has paid you on the Manage page.
Which format fits an office
- Most offices: a bracket pool. Picks are done once, before game one, so there's nothing to chase.
- Big or casual groups: a pick'em pool. People who join late can still win.
- Hockey diehards: a draft pool over lunch, or a salary cap pool if nobody can agree on a draft time.
- Not an office? See pools for sports bars and beer leagues.
Keep it workplace-friendly
Many offices run pools for bragging rights, a trophy or a donation to a charity. If yours takes entry fees, collect them yourselves and check your workplace policy and local rules. We never handle pool money, and there are no ads on anyone's screen at work.
How it works
- Start a pool, choose a format and name it.
- Copy the invite link into your office chat, team group or bar's Facebook page.
- People join and make picks until the lock, which by default is the first playoff game.
- Standings, each entry's picks and "max points still possible" update as the playoffs go.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Every format is free up to 20 entries, with no ads. A Pool Pass ($29 CAD, once, per pool) raises the limit to 500 entries and adds custom scoring and CSV export.
Do you handle entry fees or prize money?
No. We run the pool, not the money. Commissioners collect entry fees themselves (if any) and can track who has paid on the Manage page.
Where do results and stats come from?
Scores, series results and player goals, assists, wins and shutouts are loaded from a sports data feed after each game. The commissioner never has to type a score.
Do people need an account?
Yes, a free one (name, email, password) so picks stay theirs. It takes about 20 seconds from the invite link.
Can the person running it not play?
Yes. Untick "I'm playing" when you create the pool.
Is this the official NHL bracket challenge?
No. Office Hockey Pool is independent and not affiliated with the NHL or any team. It is a private pool for your own group.