The NHL regular season is wrapping up with the campaign set to conclude on April 17. As a result, that means that playoff races are really heating up atop the divisions and for the wild card spots.
During the final month of the campaign, every point will loom large as teams contend for playoff seeding. Fans are going to be keeping a close eye on the standings over the next three weeks leading up to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Currently, the Washington Capitals are only NHL team that has clinched a playoff spot, while also possessing the most points (102) across the league.
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.
Eastern Conference playoff picture
Atlantic Division
1. Florida Panthers | 43-25-3 | 89 points
Points percentage: .627
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Ottawa Senators
2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 42-25-3 | 87 points
Points percentage: .621
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Tampa Bay Lightning | 40-25-5 | 85 points
Points percentage: .607
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division
1. Washington Capitals | 47-15-8 | 102 points
Points percentage: .729
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes | 43-23-4 | 90 points
Points percentage: .643
Regulation wins: 44
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first-round matchup: New Jersey Devils
3. New Jersey Devils | 37-28-7 | 81 points
Points percentage: .563
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
Wild Card
WC1. Ottawa Senators | 37-27-5 | 79 points
Points percentage: .572
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Florida Panthers
WC2. Montreal Canadiens | 33-27-9 | 75 points
Points percentage: .543
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
Current first-round matchup: Washington Capitals
New York Islanders | 32-28-10 | 74 points
Points percentage: .529
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
New York Rangers | 34-31-6 | 74 points
Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Columbus Blue Jackets | 32-29-9 | 73 points
Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 23
Regulation plus overtime wins: 27
Detroit Red Wings | 33-31-6 | 72 points
Points percentage: .514
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Boston Bruins | 30-33-9 | 69 points
Points percentage: .479
Regulation wins: 23
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Pittsburgh Penguins | 29-32-11 | 69 points
Points percentage: .479
Regulation wins: 20
Regulation plus overtime wins: 28
Western Conference playoff picture
Central Division
1. Winnipeg Jets | 48-19-4 | 100 points
Points percentage: .704
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: St. Louis Blues
2. Dallas Stars | 45-21-4 | 94 points
Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
3. Colorado Avalanche | 43-25-3 | 89 points
Points percentage: .627
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 42-20-8 | 92 points
Points percentage: .657
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Minnesota Wild
2. Los Angeles Kings | 39-29-9 | 87 points
Points percentage: .630
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers
3. Edmonton Oilers | 41-24-5 | 87 points
Points percentage: .621
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings
Wild Card
WC1. Minnesota Wild | 40-26-5 | 85 points
Points percentage: .599
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
WC2. St. Louis Blues | 37-28-7 | 81 points
Points percentage: .563
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets
Vancouver Canucks | 33-26-12 | 78 points
Points percentage: .549
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Calgary Flames | 33-25-11 | 77 points
Points percentage: .558
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Utah Hockey Club | 32-28-11 | 75 points
Points percentage: .528
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
As the 2025 NHL season continues to unfold, fans are eagerly keeping an eye on the playoff race in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. With one spot already secured in each conference, the competition is heating up as teams battle for a chance to compete for the coveted Stanley Cup.
In the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning have clinched a playoff spot early on in the season. The defending champions have been dominant once again, boasting a strong roster led by superstars like Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy. With their spot secured, the Lightning will now focus on securing home-ice advantage and positioning themselves for a deep playoff run.
Behind the Lightning, several teams are jockeying for position in the standings. The Toronto Maple Leafs, led by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, have been playing solid hockey and are currently holding onto the top spot in the Atlantic Division. The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers are not far behind, with both teams looking to make a push for the top seed.
In the Metropolitan Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals are locked in a tight battle for first place. Led by Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, these two perennial contenders are once again proving to be forces to be reckoned with. The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are also in the mix, making for an exciting race down the stretch.
Over in the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche have secured their spot in the playoffs. With a high-powered offense led by Nathan MacKinnon and a solid defense anchored by Cale Makar, the Avalanche are looking like serious contenders for the Stanley Cup this year. Securing home-ice advantage will be crucial for Colorado as they look to make a deep playoff run.
In the Central Division, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues are battling it out for the top spot. The Wild have been one of the surprise teams of the season, with rookie sensation Marco Rossi making a big impact. The Blues, led by Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Binnington, are looking to defend their division title and make another run at the Stanley Cup.
Out in the Pacific Division, the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are leading the way. The Golden Knights have been one of the most consistent teams in the league, with a balanced roster that can score goals and play solid defense. The Oilers, led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, have one of the most dynamic duos in the league and are looking to make some noise in the playoffs.
As we head into the final stretch of the regular season, every game becomes crucial for teams looking to secure a playoff spot. With only one spot secured in each conference so far, the race is wide open and anything can happen. Fans can expect plenty of excitement and drama as teams battle it out for a chance to compete for hockey’s ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup.
