NHL Playoff Standings 2024: Predictions for East, West Seedings

The top of the NHL standings is as close as its been in quite some time with two weeks left in the regular season.

Any one of six teams have a shot to win the Presidents' Trophy entering Thursday's slate of games.

Seven of the 16 playoff spots have been clinched, but none of those squads secured a specific seed yet. The Vancouver Canucks are the only member of that group with a lead larger than five points over their next closest divisional foe.

The tight nature of the playoff race is best exemplified by the Eastern Conference wild-card race, which could take another turn on Thursday depending on the result between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

Eastern Conference

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TORONTO, ON - APRIL 03: Tampa Bay Lightning Winger Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal during the second period of the NHL regular season game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 3, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Atlantic Division

1. Boston - 103 points

2. Florida - 99

3. Toronto - 95

Metropolitan Division

1. New York Rangers - 106

2. Carolina - 101

3. Philadelphia - 83

Wild-Card Race

1. Tampa Bay - 91

2. Washington - 82

3. Detroit - 82

4. New York Islanders - 81

5. Pittsburgh - 79

6. Buffalo - 77

7. New Jersey - 76

The Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes have all clinched playoff berths.

Boston and New York are the front-runners to win their respective divisions and they are the likeliest Presidents' Trophy winners out of the Eastern Conference.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning will be in the playoff field as well. Toronto holds a four-point lead on Tampa Bay for third place in the Atlantic Division after the Lightning's win in Toronto on Wednesday.

Third place in the Atlantic may be the more coveted position right now since that would come with a matchup against the Panthers, who are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.

The wild-card race is difficult to unpack on a nightly basis. The Capitals hold the second wild-card spot, but a win over Pittsburgh on Thursday would jump them over the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan Division.

Philadelphia is on the longest losing streak in the NHL and has played two more games than Washington. All of the other wild-card contenders have at least one game in hand on the Flyers.

A Pittsburgh win over Washington on Thursday would further tighten the wild-card race. The Penguins are contending for a playoff spot despite being a seller at the trade deadline.

The Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders are both in the mix as well, but each team has a difficult finish to the regular season and played .500 hockey over the last 10 games.

Pittsburgh, who plays four of its last seven at home, has a chance to beat Detroit, Washington and the Islanders in the next two weeks to claim a playoff position.

Seed Predictions:

Atlantic: 1. Boston, 2. Florida, 3. Toronto

Metropolitan: 1. New York Rangers, 2. Carolina, 3. Washington

Wild-Card: 1. Tampa Bay, 2. Pittsburgh

Western Conference

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DALLAS, TEXAS - APRIL 03: Sam Steel #18 of the Dallas Stars skates the puck against Evan Bouchard #2 of the Edmonton Oilers during the first period at American Airlines Center on April 03, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

Central Division

1. Dallas - 105

2. Colorado - 100

3. Winnipeg - 96

Pacific Division

1. Vancouver - 102

2. Edmonton - 95

3. Vegas - 92

Wild-Card Race

1. Nashville - 90

2. Los Angeles - 89

3. St. Louis - 84

4. Minnesota - 81

The Western Conference playoff race will be far less dramatic than the East if the Nashville Predators beat the St. Louis Blues on Thursday.

St. Louis upset the Edmonton Oilers at home just two days after it lost to the San Jose Sharks.

Which Blues team shows up in Nashville is a big question and a primary reason not to trust their late surge to a wild-card position.

A Nashville win would create an eight-point gap between the Preds and Blues. The Los Angeles Kings will likely move seven points ahead of St. Louis in that instance since they play the San Jose Sharks on Thursday.

The Kings could actually jump the Preds in the wild-card race because they play five of their last six games at home with one playoff team on that slate. Nashville still has road games at the Rangers, Devils and Penguins.

The Dallas Stars' 5-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday gave them the most points in the West. They could be the best Presidents' Trophy contender now from the West.

Edmonton's second spot in the Pacific Division is the only position that seems under threat.

The Vegas Golden Knights have won six of their last seven games and look like a difficult team for anyone to face in the postseason. Edmonton is on a two-game losing streak and did not look anywhere close to a playoff squad in the defeat against Dallas.

Seed Predictions

Central: 1. Dallas, 2. Colorado, 3. Winnipeg

Pacific: 1. Vancouver, 2. Vegas, 3. Edmonton

Wild-Card: 1. Los Angeles, 2. Nashville