NHL Playoff Picture 2024: Latest Standings and Odds for Stanley Cup

The top teams in the NHL are locked into the playoff field, but a majority of them do not know what their first-round matchups look like.

All of the four divisional races have yet to be decided since each lead is at five points or fewer going into Thursday's games.

The Eastern Conference possesses the most drama in its wild-card race, where four teams are in good shape to qualify.

The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins appear to have the edges over the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers in that competition.

The Western Conference field is almost completely set. The final spot will come down to how much pressure the St. Louis Blues put on the two teams currently in wild-card positions.

Updated Stanley Cup Odds

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 9: Boris Katchouk #14 of the Ottawa Senators defends against Eetu Luostarinen #27 of the Florida Panthers as he passes the puck during first period action at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 9, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Carolina (+650; bet $100 to win $650)

Florida (+700)

Colorado (+700)

Edmonton (+750)

Dallas (+850)

New York Rangers (+900)

Boston (+1000)

Vegas (+1200)

Toronto (+1400)

Vancouver (+1600)

Winnipeg (+2000)

Tampa Bay (+2500)

Los Angeles (+2500)

Nashville (+4000)

New York Islanders (+6000)

Pittsburgh (+9000)

Detroit (+15000)

Washington (+18000)

St. Louis (+40000)

Philadelphia (+50000)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Eastern Conference

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

ELMONT, NEW YORK - APRIL 09: Semyon Varlamov #40 of the New York Islanders keeps his eyes on the puck during the second period against the New York Rangers at UBS Arena on April 09, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Atlantic Division

1. Boston - 107 points

2. Florida - 104

3. Toronto - 101

Metropolitan Division

1. New York Rangers - 110

2. Carolina - 107

3. New York Islanders - 87

Wild-Card Race

1. Tampa Bay - 95

2. Washington - 85

3. Pittsburgh - 84

4. Detroit - 84

5. Philadelphia - 83

6. New Jersey - 79

7. Buffalo - 79

The Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning have all clinched playoff berths.

Boston and New York hold the advantages in their respective division races with three games left to play.

The two division leaders will play major roles in the wild-card hunt over the next seven days. Boston visits Pittsburgh and Washington on Saturday and Monday, while the Rangers host the Flyers and Islanders on Thursday and Saturday.

The Islanders beat the Rangers on Tuesday to gain a bit of separation from the teams competing for the third-place spot in the Metropolitan Division and wild-card race.

The Islanders, Caps, Penguins and Flyers are all Metropolitan teams, while Detroit's only path to the playoffs is through the wild card.

Pittsburgh hosts Detroit on Thursday to start a difficult four-game closing stretch that also includes games against Boston, Nashville and the Islanders.

There is a chance that Wednesday's Penguins-Islanders game confirms the final two East playoff spots.

Washington needs to beat Tampa Bay and Boston at home on Saturday and Monday to keep pace with the teams above it.

Detroit plays three of its last four games on the road, but the final two come against the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal extended the Flyers' losing run to eight games on Tuesday. It seems unlikely at this point that Philadelphia will turn things around and land the last wild-card spot.

Western Conference

Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 9: Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars handles the puck against the Buffalo Sabers at the American Airlines Center on April 9, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

Central Division

1. Dallas - 109

2. Colorado - 104

3. Winnipeg - 102

Pacific Division

1. Vancouver - 104

2. Edmonton - 99

3. Los Angeles - 93

Wild-Card Race

1. Nashville - 95

2. Vegas - 92

3. St. Louis - 87

The Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks are a few wins away from officially clinching their division titles in the West.

Dallas beat the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday to open a five-point gap in the Central Division.

Vancouver leads the Edmonton Oilers by five points, but Edmonton has two games in hand on the Canucks.

Edmonton could make a late push to win the Pacific Division, starting with a Wednesday win over the Vegas Golden Knights, but it may have to earn points without Connor McDavid, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.

Vegas is in a fight with the Los Angeles Kings for the third-place spot in the Pacific, which would likely come with a first-round matchup against Edmonton.

The Golden Knights and Kings each end the season on four-game home stands with a majority of the games against already-eliminated teams.

A result in Edmonton on Wednesday is imperative for Vegas to gain ground on Los Angeles.

Of course, there is an argument that playing the Oilers in the first round is a worse matchup for either side and they would rather slot into the postseason field as the No. 2 wild-card team.

St. Louis is the only team that can catch the Knights or Kings for that position. The Blues need to win their final four games and receive help to even have a chance of making a late push.

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