The NHL regular season is nearing its end on April 17, and the playoff races are intensifying for division leaders and wild card positions.
In this crucial final month, every point is vital as teams compete for playoff seeding. Fans will be closely monitoring the standings in the next three weeks leading up to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Currently, the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, and Washington Capitals have secured playoff berths. The Jets are slightly ahead of the Capitals by one point in the Presidents` Trophy competition.
The playoff landscape is dynamic and changes daily, so we at CBS Sports are providing you with an NHL playoff race tracker. It will be updated daily to reflect the playoff standings as the postseason approaches.
NHL Playoff Seeding Explained
- The top three teams from each division automatically qualify for the playoffs.
- Each conference has two wild card spots available.
- The top division winner in each conference will compete against the second wild card team, while the other division winner will face the first wild card team.
- The second and third-place teams within each division will play against each other in the first round.
*Regulation wins are the primary tiebreaker, followed by regulation and overtime wins as the secondary tiebreaker. Shootout wins are not included in the regulation and overtime wins count. X indicates a clinched playoff spot.
Eastern Conference Playoff Picture
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 45-25-4 | 94 points
Points percentage: .635
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Ottawa Senators
2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 44-25-5 | 93 points
Points percentage: .628
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 42
Current first-round matchup: Florida Panthers
3. Florida Panthers | 44-26-4 | 92 points
Points percentage: .622
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1. Washington Capitals | 48-17-9 | 105 points-X
Points percentage: .709
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes | 45-24-4 | 94 points
Points percentage: .644
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 45
Current first-round matchup: New Jersey Devils
3. New Jersey Devils | 40-29-7 | 87 points
Points percentage: .572
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
Wild Card
WC1. Ottawa Senators | 39-29-6 | 84 points
Points percentage: .568
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs
WC2. Montreal Canadiens | 35-30-9 | 79 points
Points percentage: .534
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: Washington Capitals
Columbus Blue Jackets | 34-30-9 | 77 points
Points percentage: .527
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 28
New York Rangers | 35-32-7 | 77 points
Points percentage: .520
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 34
Detroit Red Wings | 34-33-7 | 75 points
Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
New York Islanders | 32-32-10 | 74 points
Points percentage: .500
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Western Conference Playoff Picture
Central Division
1. Winnipeg Jets | 51-20-4 | 106 points-X
Points percentage: .707
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 50
Current first-round matchup: Minnesota Wild
2. Dallas Stars | 49-21-4 | 102 points-X
Points percentage: .689
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
3. Colorado Avalanche | 45-26-4 | 94 points
Points percentage: .627
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 45-21-8 | 98 points-X
Points percentage: .662
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: St. Louis Blues
2. Los Angeles Kings | 42-23-9 | 93 points
Points percentage: .628
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers
3. Edmonton Oilers | 43-26-5 | 91 points
Points percentage: .615
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings
Wild Card
WC1. St. Louis Blues | 41-28-7 | 89 points
Points percentage: .586
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus overtime wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
WC2. Minnesota Wild | 41-28-6 | 88 points
Points percentage: .587
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets
Calgary Flames | 35-27-12 | 82 points
Points percentage: .554
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
Vancouver Canucks | 34-27-13 | 81 points
Points percentage: .547
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
Utah Hockey Club | 34-29-12 | 80 points
Points percentage: .533
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
