NHL Playoff Picture 2025: Jets Clinch 1st Bracket Spot in West; Updated Standings

The Winnipeg Jets are the second team to clinch a berth in the 2025 NHL playoffs thanks to their 3-2 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Winnipeg is also the first Western Conference club to secure a spot in the postseason. The Capitals are the only other team that is locked up a playoff berth at this point.

Here are the updated playoff standings with just over three weeks remaining in the regular season.

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Winnipeg Jets: 49-19-4 (102 points; clinched playoff berth)
2. Dallas Stars: 45-21-4 (94 points)
3. Colorado Avalanche: 44-25-3 (91 points)
4. Minnesota Wild: 40-27-5 (85 points)
5. St. Louis Blues: 38-28-7 (83 points)
6. Utah Hockey Club: 32-28-11 (75 points)
7. Nashville Predators: 27-36-8 (62 points)
8. Chicago Blackhawks: 21-41-9 (51 points; eliminated)

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights: 43-20-8 (94 points)
2. Los Angeles Kings: 40-21-9 (89 points)
3. Edmonton Oilers: 41-24-5 (87 points)
4. Calgary Flames: 34-25-11 (79 points)
5. Vancouver Canucks: 33-26-12 (78 points)
6. Anaheim Ducks: 30-32-8 (68 points)
7. Seattle Kraken: 30-36-6 (66 points)
8. San Jose Sharks: 19-42-9 (47 points; eliminated)

Wild Card

1. Minnesota Wild: 40-27-5 (85 points)
2. St. Louis Blues: 38-28-7 (83 points)
3. Calgary Flames: 34-25-11 (79 points)
4. Vancouver Canucks: 33-26-12 (78 points)
5. Utah Hockey Club: 32-28-11 (75 points)
6. Anaheim Ducks: 30-32-8 (68 points)
7. Seattle Kraken: 30-36-6 (66 points)
8. Nashville Predators: 27-36-8 (62 points)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: 43-25-3 (89 points)
2. Florida Panthers: 43-25-3 (89 points)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning: 41-25-5 (87 points)
4. Ottawa Senators: 37-28-5 (79 points)
5. Montreal Canadiens: 33-28-9 (75 points)
6. Detroit Red Wings: 30-33-9 (72 points)
7. Boston Bruins: 30-33-9 (72 points)
8. Buffalo Sabres: 29-35-6 (64 points)

Metropolitan

1. Washington Capitals: 47-15-9 (103 points; clinched playoff berth)
2. Carolina Hurricanes: 43-24-4 (90 points)
3. New Jersey Devils: 37-28-7 (81 points)
4. New York Islanders: 32-28-10 (74 points)
5. New York Rangers: 34-32-6 (74 points)
6. Columbus Blue Jackets: 32-29-9 (73 points)
7. Pittsburgh Penguins: 29-33-11 (69 points)
8. Philadelphia Flyers: 28-36-9 (65 points)

Wild Card

1. Ottawa Senators: 37-28-5 (79 points)
2. Montreal Canadiens: 33-28-9 (75 points)
3. New York Islanders: 32-28-10 (74 points)
4. New York Rangers: 34-32-6 (74 points)
5. Columbus Blue Jackets: 32-29-9 (73 points)
6. Detroit Red Wings: 30-33-9 (72 points)
7. Boston Bruins: 30-33-9 (72 points)
8. Pittsburgh Penguins: 29-33-11 (69 points)
9. Philadelphia Flyers: 28-36-9 (65 points)

Standings via NHL.com. Top two wild card teams make playoffs in both conferences.

Alex Ovechkin moved closer to Wayne Gretzky's record for most career goals in the game. He tied the score at two with four minutes remaining in the third period, giving him 889 goals in his legendary career.

Nikolaj Ehlers sent the Jets to the playoffs with the winner less than 90 seconds into the overtime period.

The Capitals-Jets matchup could end up serving as a preview of the Stanley Cup Final. They are currently the top seed in their respective conference and locked in a close race for the Presidents' Trophy.

Of course, that could also end up being a bad omen for whichever team comes out on top in that race. The last club to win the Presidents' Trophy that won the Stanley Cup Final was the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.

No Presidents' Trophy winner has reached the conference finals since the New York Rangers in 2014-15.

Beyond the Jets and Capitals, the race for the Atlantic Division title is setting up to be a thriller. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning are all within two points of each other.

Florida has dominated the head-to-head matchups against its division rivals with a 5-1 record. The Panthers and Maple Leafs have two more games against each other.

The wild card races in both leagues have plenty of drama remaining. There are six teams within six points of each other in the Western Conference, though the Ottawa Senators in the top wild-card position have some wiggle room with a five-point edge over the New York Rangers and New York Islanders.

Both New York teams did win the regular-season series against Ottawa, so the Senators can't rely on head-to-head tiebreakers.

Things are slightly less competitive in the East wild-card race, but the St. Louis Blues are making a strong push for the top spot. They have won seven straight games to get within two points of the Minnesota Wild.

The Calgary Flames are trying their best to keep pace with the Blues, having won four straight games. St. Louis swept the three-game series in the regular season if it comes down to a tiebreaker.

April 17 is the final day of the NHL regular season. The puck will drop on the postseason two days later on April 19.