NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2026 Standings, Current Bracket Matchups and Postseason Picture

Three spots remain open in the NHL Playoffs, with all but one of the Eastern Conference teams determined and two Western Conference squads to be filled.

The Colorado Avalanche have secured the Presidents' Cup as the winningest team in the sport this season, but questions abound about their ability to advance past the first round.

The Carolina Hurricanes have tallied the most points in the Eastern Conference, but there are five or six teams that could realistically emerge from that side of the bracket and compete for a Stanley Cup.

Who are those teams, what do the current standings look like, and which Western Conference squad is limping into the postseason?

Find out with this current look at the NHL Playoff standings.

Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

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Atlantic Division

1. x-Buffalo Sabres (49-23-8, 106 points)

2. x-Montreal Canadiens (48-23-10, 106 points)

3. x-Tampa Bay Lightning (49-25-6, 104 points)

Metropolitan Division

1. y-Carolina Hurricanes (52-22-6, 110 points)

2. x-Pittsburgh Penguins (41-24-16, 98 points)

3. Philadelphia Flyers (41-27-12, 94 points)

Wild Card

1. x-Boston Bruins (44-27-10, 98 points)

2. x-Ottawa Senators (43-27-11, 97 points)

3. Washington Capitals (42-30-9, 93 points)

4. Columbus Blue Jackets (40-29-12, 92 points)

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

Detroit Red Wings (41-30-9, 91 points)

New York Islanders (43-33-5, 91 points)

New Jersey Devils (42-36-3, 87 points)

Florida Panthers (38-38-4, 80 points)

Toronto Maple Leafs (32-34-14, 78 points)

New York Rangers (33-38-9, 75 points)

Western Conference Standings

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Central Division

1. p-Colorado Avalanche (52-16-11, 115 points)

2. x-Dallas Stars (48-20-12, 108 points)

3. x-Minnesota Wild (45-23-12, 102 points)

Pacific Division

1. x-Vegas Golden Knights (37-26-17, 91 points)

2. x-Edmonton Oilers (40-30-10, 90 points)

3. Anaheim Ducks (42-32-6, 90 points)

Wild Card

1. x-Utah Mammoth (42-32-6, 90 points)

2. Los Angeles Kings (34-26-19, 87 points)

3. Nashville Predators (38-32-10, 86 points)

4. Winnipeg Jets (35-32-12, 82 points)

5. San Jose Sharks (37-34-8, 82 points)

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

St. Louis Blues (34-33-12, 80 points)

Seattle Kraken (34-34-11, 79 points)

Calgary Flames (33-38-9, 75 points)

Chicago Blackhawks (28-28-14, 70 points)

Vancouver Canucks (24-48-8, 56 points)

Anaheim Limping Toward Playoffs

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The Anaheim Ducks have gone 3-5-2, including an overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, but retained the inside track toward a playoff spot. This, despite being just three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who have a win in hand.

Anaheim failed to clinch its playoff spot Sunday but can do so Monday if the Nashville Predators knock off the San Jose Sharks. If the Predators, also in the hunt for a playoff spot, fail, the Ducks will have to wait until a showdown with the Minnesota Wild, per Dan Arritt of NHL.com.

The Ducks have demonstrated a very real struggle to rise to the occasion down the stretch and do what it needs to clinch the postseason without the late-season drama. Some of that can be attributed to inconsistent offense and defense, glaring weaknesses for a team that will have to overcome the likes of Colorado and Dallas if they want to represent the Western Conference.

A new defensive system has left the team near the bottom of the league in overall defense, while the inconsistent play of their forwards has been underwhelming, to say the least.

Their point differential of -15 is indicative of those defensive woes.

While they may confirm their spot in the playoffs by the end of Tuesday, the stumbling Ducks (1-5-2 in their last eight) do not look long for the Stanley Cup hunt, a potential easy-out for Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.