NHL Playoff Picture 2026-27

The 2026-27 NHL playoff picture if the season ended today: the top three in each of the four divisions qualify, plus the two best remaining teams in each conference as wild cards. Teams are ranked by points (two for a win, one for an overtime or shootout loss). East wild cards: Ottawa Senators (2 points) and New York Islanders (2 points). West wild cards: Anaheim Ducks (2 points) and Seattle Kraken (2 points).

TableCards

Updated Oct 4 · 4:06 AM EDT

East Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: New York Islanders (1-1)

1Pittsburgh PenguinsMetropolitan · Conf 2-0 · W2Metropolitan winner2-0+82Boston BruinsAtlantic · Conf 1-0 · L1Atlantic winner2-1+13New York RangersMetropolitan · Conf 2-1 · W2Metropolitan 2nd2-1+34Carolina HurricanesMetropolitan · Conf 1-2 · W1Metropolitan 3rd1-1-1-35Montréal CanadiensAtlantic · Conf 1-1 · L1Atlantic 2nd1-0-106Florida PanthersAtlantic · Conf 1-0 · L1Atlantic 3rd1-0-107Ottawa SenatorsAtlantic · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card 11-0+18New York IslandersMetropolitan · Conf 1-1 · W1Wild card 21-1+5–Buffalo SabresAtlantic · Conf 0-1 · W1Tied for last spot1-1-2–Tampa Bay LightningAtlantic · Conf 1-1 · W1Tied for last spot1-1-2–Washington CapitalsMetropolitan · Conf 1-1 · L1Tied for last spot1-1+1–Columbus Blue JacketsMetropolitan · Conf 1-0 · L1Tied for last spot1-10–New Jersey DevilsMetropolitan · Conf 1-1 · L1Tied for last spot1-1-5–Toronto Maple LeafsAtlantic · Conf 1-2 · L1Tied for last spot1-2-1–Philadelphia FlyersMetropolitan · Conf 0-3 · L3Tied for last spot0-1-2-9–Detroit Red WingsAtlantic · Conf 0-1 · L12 points back0-1-2

Seed	Team	W-L-OTL	PTS	Div	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Pittsburgh PenguinsMetropolitan	2-0	4	1-0	2-0	+8	W2	82	Metropolitan winner
2	Boston BruinsAtlantic	2-1	4	0-0	1-0	+1	L1	81	Atlantic winner
3	New York RangersMetropolitan	2-1	4	0-0	2-1	+3	W2	81	Metropolitan 2nd
4	Carolina HurricanesMetropolitan	1-1-1	3	1-1	1-2	-3	W1	81	Metropolitan 3rd
5	Montréal CanadiensAtlantic	1-0-1	3	1-0	1-1	0	L1	82	Atlantic 2nd
6	Florida PanthersAtlantic	1-0-1	3	0-0	1-0	0	L1	82	Atlantic 3rd
7	Ottawa SenatorsAtlantic	1-0	2	1-0	1-0	+1	W1	83	Wild card 1
8	New York IslandersMetropolitan	1-1	2	1-0	1-1	+5	W1	82	Wild card 2
	Buffalo SabresAtlantic	1-1	2	0-0	0-1	-2	W1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Tampa Bay LightningAtlantic	1-1	2	0-0	1-1	-2	W1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Washington CapitalsMetropolitan	1-1	2	1-0	1-1	+1	L1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Columbus Blue JacketsMetropolitan	1-1	2	0-0	1-0	0	L1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	New Jersey DevilsMetropolitan	1-1	2	1-1	1-1	-5	L1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Toronto Maple LeafsAtlantic	1-2	2	0-2	1-2	-1	L1	81	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Philadelphia FlyersMetropolitan	0-1-2	2	0-3	0-3	-9	L3	81	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Detroit Red WingsAtlantic	0-1	0	0-0	0-1	-2	L1	83	In the hunt · 2 points back

East clinch watch

Points still needed to finish above the first team out (Buffalo Sabres): points gained and points the chaser drops both count.

Magic number (points)163Penguins 2-0

Magic number (points)163Bruins 2-1

Magic number (points)163Rangers 2-1

Magic number (points)164Hurricanes 1-1-1

Magic number (points)164Canadiens 1-0-1

Magic number (points)164Panthers 1-0-1

East bubble

Sabres1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftLightning1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftCapitals1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftBlue Jackets1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftDevils1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftMaple Leafs1-2 · tied for last spot · 81 leftFlyers0-1-2 · tied for last spot · 81 leftRed Wings0-1 · 2 points back · 83 left

West Playoff Picture

If the season ended today · last spot: Seattle Kraken (1-1)

1Edmonton OilersPacific · Conf 2-1 · W2Pacific winner2-0-1+32Colorado AvalancheCentral · Conf 2-0 · W2Central winner2-0+93San Jose SharksPacific · Conf 1-0 · W2Pacific 2nd2-0+24Vancouver CanucksPacific · Conf 2-1 · W1Pacific 3rd2-1+25Utah MammothCentral · Conf 1-0 · W2Central 2nd2-0+96Minnesota WildCentral · Conf 1-0 · W2Central 3rd2-0+57Anaheim DucksPacific · Conf 1-0 · W1Wild card 11-0+18Seattle KrakenPacific · Conf 1-1 · L1Wild card 21-1+3–Vegas Golden KnightsPacific · Conf 1-1 · L1Tied for last spot1-1+2–St. Louis BluesCentral · Conf 1-1 · L1Tied for last spot1-1-1–Nashville PredatorsCentral · Conf 1-1 · W1Tied for last spot1-1-1–Winnipeg JetsCentral · Conf 0-0 · L11 point back0-0-1-1–Los Angeles KingsPacific · Conf 0-2 · L21 point back0-1-1-5–Dallas StarsCentral · Conf 0-2 · L22 points back0-2-5–Calgary FlamesPacific · Conf 0-2 · L22 points back0-2-8–Chicago BlackhawksCentral · Conf 0-2 · L32 points back0-3-10

Seed	Team	W-L-OTL	PTS	Div	Conf	Diff	Strk	Left	Status
1	Edmonton OilersPacific	2-0-1	5	2-1	2-1	+3	W2	81	Pacific winner
2	Colorado AvalancheCentral	2-0	4	1-0	2-0	+9	W2	82	Central winner
3	San Jose SharksPacific	2-0	4	1-0	1-0	+2	W2	82	Pacific 2nd
4	Vancouver CanucksPacific	2-1	4	2-1	2-1	+2	W1	81	Pacific 3rd
5	Utah MammothCentral	2-0	4	1-0	1-0	+9	W2	82	Central 2nd
6	Minnesota WildCentral	2-0	4	1-0	1-0	+5	W2	82	Central 3rd
7	Anaheim DucksPacific	1-0	2	1-0	1-0	+1	W1	83	Wild card 1
8	Seattle KrakenPacific	1-1	2	1-1	1-1	+3	L1	82	Wild card 2
	Vegas Golden KnightsPacific	1-1	2	0-1	1-1	+2	L1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	St. Louis BluesCentral	1-1	2	1-1	1-1	-1	L1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Nashville PredatorsCentral	1-1	2	1-1	1-1	-1	W1	82	In the hunt · tied for last spot
	Winnipeg JetsCentral	0-0-1	1	0-0	0-0	-1	L1	83	In the hunt · 1 point back
	Los Angeles KingsPacific	0-1-1	1	0-1	0-2	-5	L2	82	In the hunt · 1 point back
	Dallas StarsCentral	0-2	0	0-2	0-2	-5	L2	82	In the hunt · 2 points back
	Calgary FlamesPacific	0-2	0	0-2	0-2	-8	L2	82	In the hunt · 2 points back
	Chicago BlackhawksCentral	0-3	0	0-1	0-2	-10	L3	81	In the hunt · 2 points back

West clinch watch

Points still needed to finish above the first team out (Vegas Golden Knights): points gained and points the chaser drops both count.

Magic number (points)162Oilers 2-0-1

Magic number (points)163Avalanche 2-0

Magic number (points)163Sharks 2-0

Magic number (points)163Canucks 2-1

Magic number (points)163Mammoth 2-0

Magic number (points)163Wild 2-0

West bubble

Golden Knights1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftBlues1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftPredators1-1 · tied for last spot · 82 leftJets0-0-1 · 1 point back · 83 leftKings0-1-1 · 1 point back · 82 leftStars0-2 · 2 points back · 82 leftFlames0-2 · 2 points back · 82 leftBlackhawks0-3 · 2 points back · 81 left

Division Races

AtlanticSenators 1-0vsPanthers 1-0-1Tiebreaker lead

MetropolitanPenguins 2-0vsRangers 2-1Tiebreaker lead

CentralAvalanche 2-0vsMammoth 2-0Tiebreaker lead

PacificSharks 2-0vsDucks 1-02 points lead

Seeds 1-2 division winners · 3-6 division 2nd and 3rd · 7-8 wild cards · Ranked by points (2 per win, 1 per overtime or shootout loss) · Clinch/eliminated flags use games remaining, not the full tiebreaker list.

How the NHL Playoff Picture Is Calculated

The top three teams in each division qualify, plus the two best remaining teams in each conference as wild cards. Teams are ranked by points: two for a win, one for an overtime or shootout loss. A team is marked clinched when no result can drop it out of the top 8, and eliminated when it can no longer catch the last spot. Magic numbers count the wins and rival losses still needed. Tiebreakers follow the league order.

The NHL playoff picture is recalculated after every game from the full standings, so seeds, magic numbers and points back are always current. Check the tiebreaker rules for how close races are settled, and the projected bracket to see what today’s seeds would produce.