The race to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is really heating up. There’s just a handful of games left for each team to play as everyone is vying for a chance to win the cup and the seeding in each conference could be very interesting this year.
So far, the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals are the only teams to have clinched a playoff spot. The Jets now hold a slim one-point advantage over the Capitals in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
But many teams are also right in the thick of a division race. Just look at the Atlantic Division where the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lighting and reigning champion Florida Panthers are all within a few points of each other and a coveted matchup in the opening round.
The playoff picture will likely change on a daily basis, so CBS Sports will have you covered with our NHL playoff race tracker. It will be updated daily to show where each potential playoff team sits in the standings as the postseason draws near.
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, and regulation plus overtime wins are the second tiebreaker. Shootout wins are not counted in regulation plus overtime wins. X denotes clinched playoff berth.
Eastern Conference playoff picture
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 46-25-4 | 96 points
Points percentage: .640
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 45
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 | 44-27-4 | 92 points
Points percentage: .613
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan Division
1. Washington Capitals | 48-18-9 | 105 points-X
Points percentage: .700
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes | 46-24-4 | 96 points-X
Points percentage: .649
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
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
New York Rangers | 36-32-7 | 79 points
Points percentage: .527
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 35
Columbus Blue Jackets | 34-30-9 | 77 points
Points percentage: .527
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 28
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 | 46-26-4 | 96 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. Minnesota Wild | 41-28-7 | 89 points
Points percentage: .586
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets
WC2. 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
Calgary Flames | 35-27-12 | 82 points
Points percentage: .554
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
Vancouver Canucks | 34-28-13 | 81 points
Points percentage: .540
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
As the 2025 NHL regular season comes to a close, hockey fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the start of the playoffs. With only a few games left to play, teams are jockeying for position in the standings in hopes of securing a spot in the postseason.
As of now, several teams have already clinched a playoff berth, including perennial powerhouses like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Colorado Avalanche. These teams have been dominant throughout the regular season and are poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Other teams, such as the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, and Vegas Golden Knights, are still fighting for their playoff lives and will need to win crucial games in order to secure a spot in the postseason.
The playoff schedule is set to begin on April 10th, with the first round matchups being determined by the final standings. The top seed in each conference will face off against the lowest seed, while the second and third seeds will also square off in a best-of-seven series.
Some projected matchups for the first round include a potential showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference, as well as a highly anticipated matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference.
Fans can expect intense and exciting hockey as the best teams in the league battle it out for a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup. With star players like Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon leading their respective teams, the playoffs are sure to be full of highlight-reel goals and jaw-dropping saves.
So mark your calendars and get ready for some thrilling playoff hockey as the 2025 NHL postseason promises to be one for the ages. Stay tuned for updates on the standings, schedule, and matchups as the race for the Stanley Cup heats up.
