The Race

Eight teams per conference make it: the top three in each division and two wild cards.

Playoff picture · Wild card race · Divisions

If the playoffs started today · 2026-27

Early: most teams have played 15 of 82 games, so the order moves a lot from week to week.

East

M1CAR Hurricanes12-2-2vsWC2FLA Panthers8-5-2
M2NJ Devils9-5-0vsM3WSH Capitals8-5-0
A1BOS Bruins11-4-1vsWC1TB Lightning8-3-2
A2MTL Canadiens9-3-2vsA3OTT Senators9-6-1

Top three in each division, plus two wild cards. The better division winner plays the second wild card; home ice goes to the team with more points.

Chasing (behind Panthers, the second wild card)
TOR Maple Leafs 18 pts · level on points
BUF Sabres 17 pts · 1 point back, 1 game in hand
DET Red Wings 17 pts · 1 point back

West

P1EDM Oilers11-2-2vsWC2STL Blues7-6-1
P2VGK Golden Knights9-5-2vsP3SEA Kraken8-5-1
C1MIN Wild10-3-3vsWC1DAL Stars8-5-1
C2COL Avalanche9-5-1vsC3UTAH Mammoth9-6-0

Top three in each division, plus two wild cards. The better division winner plays the second wild card; home ice goes to the team with more points.

Chasing (behind Blues, the second wild card)
NSH Predators 15 pts · level on points
SJ Sharks 15 pts · level on points
CGY Flames 14 pts · 1 point back

Wild card race

Standings points: 2 for a win, 1 for an overtime or shootout loss. Ties go to the better points percentage, then more regulation wins (ESPN applies the NHL's rules).

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	BOS Bruins	11-4-1	23	+20	W2
2	MTL Canadiens	9-3-2	20	+6	W5
3	OTT Senators	9-6-1	19	+1	L1

Metropolitan Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	CAR Hurricanes	12-2-2	26	+27	W4
2	NJ Devils	9-5-0	18	+8	W1
3	WSH Capitals	8-5-0	16	+2	L1

Wild card

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
WC1	TB Lightning	8-3-2	18	+5	L1
WC2	FLA Panthers	8-5-2	18	+3	L1
Out
	TOR Maple Leafs	8-6-2	18	+7	W1
	BUF Sabres	7-4-3	17	-6	W3
	DET Red Wings	7-5-3	17	0	W1
	NYI Islanders	7-5-2	16	+1	L1
	NYR Rangers	7-7-1	15	-1	L4
	PIT Penguins	5-7-2	12	-2	L2
	PHI Flyers	4-8-4	12	-19	W1
	CBJ Blue Jackets	5-7-0	10	-10	L2

Western Conference

Central Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	MIN Wild	10-3-3	23	+16	W1
2	COL Avalanche	9-5-1	19	+18	W3
3	UTAH Mammoth	9-6-0	18	+2	L1

Pacific Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	EDM Oilers	11-2-2	24	+20	W3
2	VGK Golden Knights	9-5-2	20	+8	L2
3	SEA Kraken	8-5-1	17	0	L1

Wild card

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
WC1	DAL Stars	8-5-1	17	+7	W1
WC2	STL Blues	7-6-1	15	+2	W2
Out
	NSH Predators	5-4-5	15	-5	W1
	SJ Sharks	7-8-1	15	-12	L2
	CGY Flames	7-8-0	14	-15	W1
	ANA Ducks	6-7-1	13	-4	W1
	WPG Jets	4-8-3	11	-20	L9
	LA Kings	4-7-2	10	-9	L1
	CHI Blackhawks	4-10-1	9	-25	L3
	VAN Canucks	3-12-1	7	-25	L2

Full division tables

Atlantic Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	BOS Bruins	11-4-1	23	+20	W2
2	MTL Canadiens	9-3-2	20	+6	W5
3	OTT Senators	9-6-1	19	+1	L1
4	TB Lightning	8-3-2	18	+5	L1
5	FLA Panthers	8-5-2	18	+3	L1
6	TOR Maple Leafs	8-6-2	18	+7	W1
7	BUF Sabres	7-4-3	17	-6	W3
8	DET Red Wings	7-5-3	17	0	W1

Metropolitan Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	CAR Hurricanes	12-2-2	26	+27	W4
2	NJ Devils	9-5-0	18	+8	W1
3	WSH Capitals	8-5-0	16	+2	L1
4	NYI Islanders	7-5-2	16	+1	L1
5	NYR Rangers	7-7-1	15	-1	L4
6	PIT Penguins	5-7-2	12	-2	L2
7	PHI Flyers	4-8-4	12	-19	W1
8	CBJ Blue Jackets	5-7-0	10	-10	L2

Central Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	MIN Wild	10-3-3	23	+16	W1
2	COL Avalanche	9-5-1	19	+18	W3
3	UTAH Mammoth	9-6-0	18	+2	L1
4	DAL Stars	8-5-1	17	+7	W1
5	STL Blues	7-6-1	15	+2	W2
6	NSH Predators	5-4-5	15	-5	W1
7	WPG Jets	4-8-3	11	-20	L9
8	CHI Blackhawks	4-10-1	9	-25	L3

Pacific Division

	Team	W-L-OT	Pts	Diff	Strk
1	EDM Oilers	11-2-2	24	+20	W3
2	VGK Golden Knights	9-5-2	20	+8	L2
3	SEA Kraken	8-5-1	17	0	L1
4	SJ Sharks	7-8-1	15	-12	L2
5	CGY Flames	7-8-0	14	-15	W1
6	ANA Ducks	6-7-1	13	-4	W1
7	LA Kings	4-7-2	10	-9	L1
8	VAN Canucks	3-12-1	7	-25	L2

Standings from ESPN, checked several times a day (last Nov 3, 7:35 PM ET). Seeds follow each league's tiebreakers as ESPN applies them. This week's games · Team schedules