Latest 2026 NHL Playoff Picture, Stanley Cup Bracket, Odds and Picks

Saturday is the biggest day yet in the NHL playoff races.

The Eastern Conference wild-card race has a logjam of teams stuck on 88 points. One or two results will flip the entire complexion of the race.

The most important game of the day takes place in San Jose, where the Sharks host the Nashville Predators in a battle of Western Conference wild-card contenders.

A handful of other teams in the West are still involved in the wild-card race, but if San Jose can keep up its recent momentum, it could sail away from its competition.

Eastern Conference

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Atlantic Division

1 Tampa Bay - 100 points

2. Buffalo - 100

3. Montreal - 98

Metropolitan Division

1 Carolina - 102

2. Pittsburgh - 92

3. New York Islanders - 89

Wild-Card Race

1 Boston - 94

2. Ottawa - 88

3. Detroit - 88

4. Columbus - 88

5. Philadelphia - 88

6. Washington - 85

The Eastern Conference wild-card race is as close as it can be entering Saturday.

Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus and Philadelphia are all tied on 88 points with Washington still in the mix three points back.

The Senators have the best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to make the playoffs at -150. Columbus is +120, Detroit is +140 and Philadelphia is +210.

The Red Wings should beat the New York Rangers on Saturday, but that's the only easy result on paper on the slate.

The Blue Jackets take on a Winnipeg team still in the Western Conference wild-card race, while the Senators host a Minnesota side looking to get hot ahead of the postseason.

Ottawa and Detroit have one extra contest to play in comparison to the rest of the wild-card field. That might be the advantage that one of those two teams needs to get into the postseason.

The Blue Jackets and Flyers still have a shot at the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division as well. They are both one point adrift of the New York Islanders.

The Islanders play the second leg of a back-to-back in Carolina on Saturday, and they've played one more game than the two franchises behind them. They enter the weekend at +155 to qualify for the postseason.

The good news for the Islanders, though, is they finish with four home games. They are 21-14-2 inside UBS Arena.

Home ice could be Ottawa's edge as well. The Sens need to beat three of Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina to feel comfortable about their playoff spot.

The Lightning face Buffalo on Monday and visit Montreal on Thursday. If they win both of those games, they should capture first in the Atlantic Division.

Picks

Ottawa (WC2) vs. Carolina (Metropolitan 1)

Boston (WC1) vs. Tampa Bay (Atlantic 1)

Montreal vs. Buffalo

New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh

Western Conference

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Central Division

1 Colorado - 108

2. Dallas - 102

3. Minnesota - 96

Pacific Division

1 Edmonton - 87

2. Anaheim - 87

3. Vegas - 84

Wild-Card Race

1 Utah - 84

2. San Jose - 79

3. Nashville - 79

4. Los Angeles - 79

5. St. Louis - 76

6. Winnipeg - 76

7. Seattle - 75

St. Louis' win over Anaheim on Friday kept the Blues in the wild-card hunt and prevented the Ducks from leaping back over the Oilers in the Pacific Division.

The Oilers are at home against Vegas on Saturday, while the Ducks should beat Calgary on home ice.

Anaheim has to beat the Oilers on points because Edmonton has six more regulation wins than the Ducks.

Edmonton is -125 to win the Pacific, while Anaheim sits at +140. Vegas is still alive +1100, but it must beat the Oilers on Saturday to continue to be in the divisional race.

The Blues are three points back of San Jose, Nashville and Los Angeles in the wild-card race.

The Sharks and Predators face off in norther California on Saturday night. The Kings should win at home against Toronto.

St. Louis needs to beat Colorado twice in three days to remain within striking distance. It's a tough task for any team to beat the Avalanche once.

San Jose owns the lowest odds to make the playoffs at +120 among the teams in the hunt for the No. 2 wild-card spot in the West. Los Angeles is +150 and Nashville is +250. St. Louis, Seattle and Winnipeg all have odds above +1000 to qualify for the field.

If San Jose beats Nashville on Saturday, the Sharks should be viewed as the favorite to claim the final spot in the West bracket.

Picks

San Jose (WC2) vs. Colorado (Central 1)

Utah (WC1) vs. Edmonton (Pacific 1)

Minnesota vs. Dallas

Vegas vs. Anaheim