The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are almost here, but there are still plenty of questions about which teams will qualify and which matchups we will see in the postseason. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have already clinched playoff spots, but other teams have a lot more work to do over the final dozen games.
In both conferences, the wild card races are incredibly tight. The Columbus Blue Jackets hold onto the final spot, but four teams are separated by just four points. The race for the Atlantic Division crown is also coming down to the wire with the Tampa Bay Lightning jumping the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.
Out West, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have taken possession of the second-place spot in the Pacific Division, but they’re chasing down the Anaheim Ducks, which sit in first place. The reeling Vegas Golden Knights still hold down third place, but the Los Angeles Kings are just four points behind them.
The Western Conference wild card race has recently shifted in a big way. The Nashville Predators have sputtered after a strong push, and just five points separate the four teams vying for that final playoff position.
Be sure to take a look at the full schedule with just a few weeks left to play.
Reminder: Here’s how the NHL playoff seeding works
- The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs.
- Each conference has two wild card spots.
- The top division winner in each conference will play the second wild card team, and the other division winner will play the first wild card team.
- The second and third-place teams in each division will match up with one another in the first round.
- Regulation wins are the first tiebreaker.
- Regulation plus OT wins are the second tiebreaker
(X) denotes clinched playoff berth; (Y) denotes clinched division; (Z) denotes clinched conference; (P) denotes clinched Presidents’ Trophy
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 46-21-6 | 98 points
Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus OT wins: 42
Current first-round matchup:
2. Buffalo Sabres | 45-21-8 | 98 points
Points percentage: .662
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus OT wins: 40
Current first-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
3. Montreal Canadiens | 41-21-10 | 92 points
Points percentage: .639
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Buffalo Sabres
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes | 46-21-6 | 98 points
Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus OT wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Columbus Blue Jackets
2. New York Islanders | 42-27-5 | 89 points
Points percentage: .601
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Pittsburgh Penguins | 36-21-16 | 88 points
Points percentage: .603
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: New York Islanders
Wild Card
WC1. Boston Bruins | 42-24-8 | 92 points
Points percentage: .622
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
WC2. Columbus Blue Jackets | 38-24-12 | 88 points
Points percentage: .595
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus OT wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
In the hunt
Ottawa Senators | 38-25-10 | 86 points
Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus OT wins: 35
Detroit Red Wings | 39-26-8 | 86 points
Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus OT wins: 37
Philadelphia Flyers | 37-24-12 | 84 points
Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 23
Regulation plus OT wins: 28
Washington Capitals | 37-28-9 | 83 points
Points percentage: .561
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus OT wins: 35
Western Conference
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche | 48-14-10 | 106 points (X)
Points percentage: .736
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus OT wins: 45
Current first-round matchup: Nashville Predators
2. Dallas Stars | 44-18-12 | 100 points (X)
Points percentage: .676
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus OT wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Minnesota Wild
3. Minnesota Wild | 41-21-12 | 94 points
Points percentage: .635
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus OT wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Anaheim Ducks | 41-28-4 | 86 points
Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus OT wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: Utah Mammoth
2. Edmonton Oilers | 37-28-9 | 83 points
Points percentage: .561
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus OT wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
3. Vegas Golden Knights | 32-26-16 | 80 points
Points percentage: .541
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus OT wins: 31
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers
Wild Card
WC1. Utah Mammoth | 38-30-6 | 82 points
Points percentage: .548
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Anaheim Ducks
WC2. Nashville Predators | 34-31-9 | 77 points
Points percentage: .520
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 30
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
In the hunt
Los Angeles Kings | 29-26-18 | 76 points
Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 19
Regulation plus OT wins: 25
Seattle Kraken | 32-29-11 | 75 points
Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 31
Winnipeg Jets | 31-30-12 | 74 points
Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 29
San Jose Sharks | 33-31-7 | 73 points
Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 21
Regulation plus OT wins: 31
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