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Early Look at NHL Playoff Picture 2026 and Stanley Cup Bracket Odds
Saturday is a massive day for the Eastern and Western Conference wild-card races.
One result in either direction could change the entire complexion of the standings.
Four teams in the East are within two points of each other for the two wild-card positions. Most of those teams are still in the mix for the third-place spots in their own divisions as well.
Over in the West, the Utah-Los Angeles showdown in the West is what matters most for the standings.
The result of that contest will determine how competitive the West wild-card race gets over the final 10 games of the regular season.
Stanley Cup Odds
1 of 3
Colorado (+290; bet $100 to win $290)
Tampa Bay (+420)
Carolina (+550)
Dallas (+1000)
Vegas (+1300)
Edmonton (+1700)
Buffalo (+1900)
Minnesota (+1900)
Ottawa (+2200)
Anaheim (+3500)
Columbus (+3500)
Utah (+3500)
Montreal (+3500)
Eastern Conference
2 of 3
Atlantic Division
1 Buffalo - 96 points
2. Tampa Bay - 94
3. Montreal - 90
Metropolitan Division
1 Carolina - 96
2. Pittsburgh - 88
3. Columbus - 87
Wild-Card Race
1 Boston - 88
2. New York Islanders - 87
3. Ottawa - 86
4. Detroit - 86
5. Philadelphia - 82
6. Washington - 81
Every game is a massive one in the context of the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
Detroit put four teams within two points of each other with its Friday win over Buffalo.
The Red Wings don't get any rest, though, as they face a desperate Philadelphia team at home on Saturday.
The Flyers are essentially in must-win territory on Saturday night. They won't be eliminated with a loss, but a larger gap to Detroit and Ottawa is not ideal at this point of the season.
Ottawa is on the road at Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon, so there is at least an opportunity to gain ground from both Detroit and Philadelphia's perspectives.
The New York Islanders are at home against Florida, while Boston plays host to Minnesota.
The Islanders have the better matchup on paper. They still have a chance to overtake both Pittsburgh and Columbus for a top-three spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Pittsburgh hosts Dallas, while Columbus hosts San Jose on Saturday. The Penguins could stumble against a Stanley Cup contender. The Blue Jackets will be expected to claim the full two points in regulation.
Buffalo, Tampa Bay and Carolina are all safe in their respective spots. Montreal is two points ahead of Boston for the No. 3 spot in the Atlantic.
The Canadiens are on the road at red-hot Nashville on Saturday, so if Boston beats Minnesota, there's a chance the two squads are level after Saturday.
Western Conference
3 of 3
Central Division
1 Colorado - 106
2. Dallas - 97
3. Minnesota - 94
Pacific Division
1 Anaheim - 86
2. Edmonton - 81
3. Vegas - 79
Wild-Card Race
1 Utah - 80
2. Nashville - 77
3. Los Angeles - 76
4. Seattle - 74
5. Winnipeg - 72
6. San Jose - 71
7. St. Louis - 71
Saturday's biggest game in the Western Conference takes place in Los Angeles, as the Kings take on the Mammoth.
Utah has the potential to open up a six-point advantage on the Kings with a victory.
A Kings win makes the wild-card situation in the West wild-card race even more complicated over the final 10 games of the regular season.
Nashville could use a win at home over Montreal to avoid the Kings jumping it on Saturday night.
Seattle, Winnipeg, San Jose and St. Louis are all hanging by a thread beneath the Kings.
The Kraken, Jets and Sharks all face tough matchups on the road on Saturday. The Blues are at home against Toronto. They need a win in that game to have a shot at climbing back into the wild-card race.
Edmonton and Anaheim have a huge game in the Pacific Division race. The Ducks will stay in first regardless of the result. They enter Saturday with a five-point lead.
An Edmonton win does make the Pacific race a bit more exciting over the next few weeks.
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