NHL Playoff Picture 2023: Wild, Stars Clinch Postseason Berths; Updated Standings

The postseason picture for the NHL's central division is starting to take shape.

The Minnesota Wild clinched a playoff berth with Monday's 4-3 loss (shootout) against the Vegas Golden Knights, while the Dallas Stars did the same with a 5-1 win vs. the Nashville Predators.

That now means that five teams in the Western Conference and six teams in the Eastern Conference have locked up playoff berths. Below, we'll take a look at the current standings and break down the remaining playoff spots up for grabs.

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Eastern Conference 

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Bruins: 60-12-5, 125 points (clinched Presidents' Trophy)
2. Toronto Maple Leafs: 45-21-10, 100 points (clinched playoffs)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning: 45-26-6, 96 points (clinched playoffs)

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes: 49-18-9, 107 points (clinched playoffs)
2. New Jersey Devils: 48-21-8, 104 points (clinched playoffs)
3. New York Rangers: 45-21-11, 101 points (clinched playoffs)

Wild-Card Race

1. New York Islanders: 39-30-9, 87 points
2. Pittsburgh Penguins: 38-29-10, 86 points
3. Florida Panthers: 39-31-7, 85 points
4. Buffalo Sabres: 37-31-7, 81 points
5. Ottawa Senators: 37-34-6, 80 points
6. Detroit Red Wings: 34-33-9, 77 points
7. Washington Capitals: 34-34-9, 77 points
8. Philadephia Flyers: 29-34-13, 71 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
9. Montréal Canadiens: 30-41-6, 66 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
10. Columbus Blue Jackets: 24-44-8, 56 points (eliminated from playoff contention)

Western Conference 

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars: 42-21-14. 98 points (clinched playoffs)
2. Minnesota Wild: 44-23-10, 98 points (clinched playoffs)
3. Colorado Avalanche: 45-24-6, 96 points
   

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights: 47-23-7, 101 points (clinched playoffs)
2. Los Angeles Kings: 45-22-10, 100 points (clinched playoffs)
3. Edmonton Oilers: 45-23-9, 99 points (clinched playoffs)

Wild-Card Race

1. Seattle Kraken: 42-26-8, 92 points
2. Winnipeg Jets: 43-31-3, 89 points
3. Calgary Flames: 36-26-15, 87 points
4. Nashville Predators: 38-30-8, 84 points
5. St. Louis Blues: 35-35-7, 77 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
6. Vancouver Canucks: 34-35-7, 75 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
7. Arizona Coyotes: 27-38-13, 67 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
8. San Jose Sharks: 22-39-15, 59 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
9. Anaheim Ducks: 23-44-10, 56 points (eliminated from playoff contention)
10. Chicago Blackhawks: 24-46-6, 54 points (eliminated from playoff contention)

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Only the Wild Card spots are up for grabs in the Eastern Conference, and while the Sabres and Senators still have an outside shot, it's basically a three-team race for two spots between the Islanders, Penguins and Panthers.

The three teams won't match up against each other at all down the stretch. Both the Penguins and Panthers have five games remaining, while the Islanders are down to four.

In the Western Conference, the Avalanche have all wrapped up an automatic playoff berth and still have seven games remaining to do so. They'll be the favorites to top the Central Division when all is said and done.

The wild-card spots should be fun, meanwhile, with the Kraken in the driver's seat atop those standings with six games left to play. The Jets find themselves three points back of the Kraken and in control of the second wild-card berth, though they only have five games remaining.

The Flames are two points back of the Jets with five games still to play, while the Predators are five points back with six to go.

Strap in, folks—the wild-card chase in the Western Conference looks primed to go down to the wire.