NHL Playoff Standings 2026, Updated Postseason Picture and Stanley Cup Bracket

Three spots remain up for grabs in the NHL postseason bracket with five days left in the regular season.

The third-place positions in the Metropolitan and Pacific divisions have to be figured out, as well as the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The pair of Western Conference playoff spots are more likely to come down to the final contests of the regular season.

Philadelphia is in control of its own fate to clinch third place in the Metropolitan, and it could do so as early as Monday.

Eastern Conference

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Atlantic Division

1 Buffalo - 106 points

2. Tampa Bay - 104

3. Montreal - 104

Metropolitan Division

1 Carolina - 110

2. Pittsburgh - 98

3. Philadelphia - 94

Wild-Card Race

1 Ottawa - 96

2. Boston - 96

3. Columbus - 92

4. Washington - 91

5. New York Islanders - 91

Columbus, Washington and the New York Islanders are all hunting down Philadelphia for the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The Blue Jackets, Capitals and Islanders can't qualify as wild-card teams. Ottawa and Boston secured their postseason berths as wild-card squads on Saturday.

Sunday is a critical day for the chasing pack in the Metro. Washington is at home to a Pittsburgh squad that rested its veterans on Saturday, Columbus hosts Boston and the Islanders are on home ice against Montreal.

The Islanders have the trickiest of the three games because the Canadiens are still in the mix for a top-two spot in the Atlantic.

Any losses by that trio helps the Flyers' cause. The Flyers can clinch a playoff spot with a win on Monday combined with a Columbus defeat on Sunday.

Buffalo and Tampa Bay have the inside track to the top two spots in the Atlantic. The Sabres should beat Chicago on Monday and they should get a Dallas team resting players on Wednesday. The Lightning face two eliminated sides to conclude the regular season.

The Canadiens seem destined for third in the Atlantic because they face the Islanders and Flyers.

Ottawa should claim the top wild-card spot and avoid Carolina in the first round. The Sens finish with New Jersey and Toronto and they enter Sunday on a four-game winning streak.

Western Conference

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Central Division

1 Colorado - 115

2. Dallas - 108

3. Minnesota - 102

Pacific Division

1 Vegas - 91

2. Edmonton - 90

3. Anaheim - 89

Wild-Card Race

1 Utah - 90

2. Los Angeles - 87

3. Nashville - 86

4. Winnipeg - 82

5. San Jose - 82

Three teams are realistically trying to fight for the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference.

Anaheim is two points ahead of Los Angeles for the third spot in the Pacific, while Nashville is one point back of the Kings in the wild-card race. Winnipeg and San Jose need everything to go right to be involved.

The Ducks and Kings each have three games remaining. The Kings finish on the road in Calgary, Seattle and Vancouver against three already-eliminated squads. The Ducks visit the Predators on Thursday.

Anaheim has one win in its last seven games, so it is possible for it to lose to Vancouver or Minnesota to let the Kings back into the top three in the Pacific.

Nashville must beat San Jose at home on Monday to get to 88 points. It also needs helps from the Ducks and Kings' opponents to make Thursday's game against the Ducks mean something.

At the top of the Pacific, Vegas is in good shape to claim the division now with a one-point edge over Edmonton and a closing stretch at home against Winnipeg and Seattle.

The Oilers, who have lost three of four, get Colorado at home on Monday in a game that the Avalanche could rest their big names. They finish at home with Vancouver on Thursday.