Updated 2025 NHL Playoff Picture, Standings as Golden Knights Clinch Bracket Spot

All the Vegas Golden Knights do is make the playoffs.

Vegas clinched a postseason spot Tuesday thanks to the Calgary Flames' regulation loss to the Utah Hockey Club. That means the franchise will be headed to the playoffs for the seventh time in its eight-year history.

While the Golden Knights lost in the first round last season, they took home the Stanley Cup during the 2022-23 campaign and reached the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season in 2017-18.

They can now turn their attention to yet another run at a championship after clinching their playoff spot.

Here is a look at where Vegas stands in the updated playoff picture:

Western Conference

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights: 45-20-8 (98 points; clinched playoff berth)
2. Los Angeles Kings: 41-23-9 (91 points)
3. Edmonton Oilers: 42-26-5 (89 points)
4. Calgary Flames: 35-27-12 (82 points)
5. Vancouver Canucks: 34-27-13 (81 points)
6. Anaheim Ducks: 32-33-8 (72 points)
7. Seattle Kraken: 31-38-6 (68 points; eliminated)
8. San Jose Sharks: 20-44-9 (49 points; eliminated)

Central Division

1. Winnipeg Jets: 51-19-4 (106 points; clinched playoff berth)
2. Dallas Stars: 49-21-4 (102 points; clinched playoff berth)
3. Colorado Avalanche: 45-26-4 (94 points)
4. St. Louis Blues: 41-28-7 (89 points)
5. Minnesota Wild: 41-28-6 (88 points)
6. Utah Hockey Club: 34-29-12 (80 points)
7. Nashville Predators: 27-40-8 (62 points; eliminated)
8. Chicago Blackhawks: 21-44-9 (51 points; eliminated)

Wild Card

1. St. Louis Blues: 41-28-7 (89 points)
2. Minnesota Wild: 41-28-6 (88 points)
3. Calgary Flames: 35-27-12 (82 points)
4. Vancouver Canucks: 34-27-13 (81 points)
5. Utah Hockey Club: 34-29-12 (80 points)
6. Anaheim Ducks: 32-33-8 (72 points)
7. Seattle Kraken: 31-38-6 (68 points; eliminated)
8. Nashville Predators: 27-40-8 (62 points; eliminated)
9. Chicago Blackhawks: 21-44-9 (51 points; eliminated)
10. San Jose Sharks: 20-44-9 (49 points; eliminated)

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: 45-25-4 (94 points)
2. Tampa Bay Lightning: 44-25-5 (93 points)
3. Florida Panthers: 44-26-4 (92 points)
4. Ottawa Senators: 39-29-6 (84 points)
5. Montreal Canadiens: 35-30-9 (79 points)
6. Detroit Red Wings: 34-33-7 (75 points)
7. Buffalo Sabres: 32-36-6 (70 points)
8. Boston Bruins: 30-36-9 (69 points)

Metropolitan

1. Washington Capitals: 48-17-9 (105 points; clinched playoff berth)
2. Carolina Hurricanes: 45-24-4 (94 points)
3. New Jersey Devils: 40-29-7 (87 points)
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: 34-30-9 (77 points)
5. New York Rangers: 35-32-7 (77 points)
6. New York Islanders: 32-32-10 (74 points)
7. Pittsburgh Penguins: 30-34-11 (71 points)
8. Philadelphia Flyers: 31-36-9 (71 points)

Wild Card

1. Ottawa Senators: 39-29-6 (84 points)
2. Montreal Canadiens: 35-30-9 (79 points)
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: 34-30-9 (77 points)
4. New York Rangers: 35-32-7 (77 points)
5. Detroit Red Wings: 34-33-7 (75 points)
6. New York Islanders: 32-32-10 (74 points)
7. Pittsburgh Penguins: 30-34-11 (71 points)
8. Philadelphia Flyers: 31-36-9 (71 points)
9. Buffalo Sabres: 32-36-6 (70 points)
10. Boston Bruins: 30-36-9 (69 points)

Vegas fans have plenty of reasons for optimism beyond just the official clinching that occurred Tuesday. The team is playing some of its best hockey of the season just in time for the playoffs, as it entered Tuesday's contest against the Edmonton Oilers having won six straight.

The hot streak has further solidified its spot atop the Pacific Division and the initial home-ice advantage that would come with it.

The Golden Knights have plenty of offensive firepower that should help them compete with anyone they face in the postseason. They are fourth in the league in goals per game at 3.41 and are also largely unstoppable with a man advantage thanks to all those goal scorers.

In fact, they lead the NHL with a power-play percentage of 30.8 and are well positioned to take advantage of special-teams situations come playoff time.

It comes as no surprise Jack Eichel has spearheaded much of the offensive efforts for Vegas this season. He leads the teams in points (93) and assists (66), but it is far from a one-man show with players such as Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev and Mark Stone, among others, getting in on the offensive action.

Hertl's status with a shoulder injury may be the biggest question mark for the Golden Knights heading into the playoffs.

Vegas also has an excellent goaltender combination in Adin Hill and Ilya Samsonov that it can rely on when the offense isn't leading the way and figures to be one of the most difficult matchups for any Western Conference team in the postseason.