NHL Playoff Picture 2026, Updated Bracket, Standings After Flyers, Ducks, Kings Clinch Final Spots

The playoff picture is nearly set after the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings clinched the final spots on Monday.

With the Eastern and Western playoff teams now set, here's a look at the updated standings as the end of the regular season nears:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-8, 108 points) — Clinched playoff berth

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (50-25-6, 106 points) — Clinched playoff berth

3. Montreal Canadiens (48-23-10, 106 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes (52-22-7, 111 points) — Clinched best record in Eastern Conference

2. Pittsburgh Penguins (41-24-16, 98 points) — Clinched playoff berth

3. Philadelphia Flyers (42-27-12, 96 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Wild Card

1. Boston Bruins (44-27-10, 98 points) — Clinched playoff berth

2. Ottawa Senators (43-27-11, 97 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

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

Detroit Red Wings (41-30-10, 92 points)

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

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

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

Florida Panthers (38-39-4, 82 points)

Toronto Maple Leafs (32-35-14, 78 points)

New York Rangers (33-39-9, 75 points)

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Colorado Avalanche (52-16-11, 115 points) — Clinched Presidents' Trophy

2. Dallas Stars (49-20-12, 110 points) — Clinched playoff berth

3. Minnesota Wild (45-24-12, 102 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights (37-26-17, 91 points) — Clinched playoff berth

2. Edmonton Oilers (40-30-10, 90 points) — Clinched playoff berth

3. Anaheim Ducks (42-32-6, 90 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Wild Card

1. Utah Mammoth (42-32-6, 90 points) — Clinched playoff berth

2. Los Angeles Kings (35-26-19, 89 points) — Clinched playoff berth

Eliminated from Playoff Contention

Nashville Predators (38-33-10, 86 points)

San Jose Sharks (38-34-8, 84 points)

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

St. Louis Blues (35-33-12, 82 points)

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

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

Chicago Blackhawks (28-38-14, 70 points)

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

The Flyers have put together a solid season and will end the year with their most wins in more than a decade. Whether they can keep things going in the postseason and win their first playoff series since 2020 remains to be seen.

As it stands right now, Philadelphia would have a tough matchup against its in-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the first round. The two squads have split the series at two games apiece this year, so fans could be in for an exciting start to the postseason.

Philadelphia's improvement this year can largely be credited to its defense, which ranks 10th in goals against average. Considering the Flyers rank in the bottom half of the NHL in both goals for average and points, they'll need their defense to continue to be air-tight in the playoffs.

The Kings have their work cut out for them if the bracket stands, as they'll go up against the NHL's best team, the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche, much like their namesake, have crushed everyone in their path this season, securing their best record since 2022, when they reached the Stanley Cup Final.

The Ducks are surely just happy to be back in the postseason for the first time since 2018, but that doesn't mean they're not going to try to pull off an upset over the Edmonton Oilers, if that is who they end up facing.

Anaheim's defense has been among the league's worst this year, though, so the Ducks will need a big showing from the offense in the postseason.