NHL Playoff Picture 2026, Updated Bracket, Standings After Bruins, Senators Clinch Spots

The Boston Bruins are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After missing out on the playoffs last season, the Bruins punched their postseason return ticket after the Detroit Red Wings blew a late lead to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

The Devils' win also meant the Ottawa Senators clinched a playoff spot for a second consecutive season.

Here's a look at the NHL standings and projected playoff bracket now that Boston has secured their spot in the first round.

---

Eastern Conference (x- clinched, e- eliminated)

Atlantic

1. x- Buffalo Sabres
2. x- Montreal Canadiens
3. x- Tampa Bay Lightning

Metropolitan

1. x- Carolina Hurricanes
2. x- Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Philadelphia Flyers

Wild Card

1. x- Ottawa Senators
2. x- Boston Bruins

Outside Playoff Bubble

1. Washington Capitals
2. e- Detroit Red Wings
3. New York Islanders
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
5. e- New Jersey Devils
6. e- Florida Panthers
7. e- Toronto Maple Leafs
8. e- New York Rangers

Western Conference (x- clinched, e- eliminated)

Central

1. x- Colorado Avalanche
2. x- Dallas Stars
3. x- Minnesota Wild

Pacific

1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Vegas Golden Knights
3. Anaheim Ducks

Wild Card

1. x- Utah Mammoth
2. Los Angeles Kings

Outside Playoff Bubble

1. Nashville Predators
2. Winnipeg Jets
3. San Jose Sharks
4. e- St. Louis Blues
5. e- Seattle Kraken
6. e- Calgary Flames
7. e- Chicago Blackhawks
8. e- Vancouver Canucks

---

Projected Bracket

East

• WC1 Ottawa Senators at D1 Buffalo Sabres

• D3 Tampa Bay Lightning at D2 Montreal Canadiens

• WC2 Boston Bruins at D1 Carolina Hurricanes

• D3 Philadelphia Flyers at D2 Pittsburgh Penguins

West

• WC2 Los Angeles Kings at D1 Colorado Avalanche
• D3 Minnesota Wild at D2 Dallas Stars
• WC1 Utah Mammoth at D1 Edmonton Oilers
• D3 Anaheim Ducks at D2 Vegas Golden Knights

---

The Boston Bruins emerged victorious from a contentious battle for one of the Eastern Conference Wild Card spot thanks to both their established stars and a few key trade acquisitions.

David Pastrnak has been once more dominant in his 12th season with the Bruins while putting himself on pace for his fourth straight 100-point campaign.

He's skating on the Bruins' top line alongside center Fraser Minten, who like second-liners Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson is a relatively recent trade addition who's made a different in Boston's top six.

That offensive success is taking place in front of a resurgent season from star netminder Jeremy Swayman, who is once more succeeding while taking on one of the heaviest workloads in the NHL.

Boston's defense has struggled with shot suppression throughout the season, although the blue line has improved at limiting opponents' scoring chances down the stretch.

The Bruins may need another strong stretch from Swayman in order to make it past the first round and a potential matchup with the Buffalo Sabres, who since Jan. 1 have been one of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL.

There are no members of the Bruins' 2011 championship team remaining following Brad Marchand's trade to the Florida Panthers. Pastrnak will now get the chance to try and lead his team on a deep run for the first time since he helped Boston reach the 2019 Final.

The Senators earned a ticket back to the playoffs after beating out other Wild Card candidates with a 6-3-1 stretch.

Key to that success has been goaltender Linus Ullmark, who has struggled at points throughout the season but has allowed six total goals against during his recent three-game win streak.

Ullmark will now backstop the Senators into a postseason that marks the first time since 2013 this team has made back-to-back playoff appearances.

Ottawa hasn't gone on a deep run since 2017, when Erik Karlsson and the Sens went to the Eastern Conference Final and came within one overtime goal of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

After leading his team down this resurgent final stretch with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his last 10 games, captain Brady Tkachuk will now hope to lead the Senators past the first round for the first time in nine years.