Stanley Cup Playoffs 2016: NHL Bracket, Format and Updated Predictions

Elation will fill the final week of the NHL regular season for two of the following three teams: the Philadelphia Flyers, the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins.

However, the team that gets left out of the Eastern Conference playoffs will be left with nothing but regret.

As play gets underway Tuesday, the Flyers are holding down the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and they are set up to play the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

The Red Wings are sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division, and they would face the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning if they hold that spot.

The Boston Bruins, who were in first place in the Atlantic Division in mid-March, are now on the outside of the playoffs looking in as a result of an awful late-season slump.

But all is not over for the Bruins. They are a point behind the Red Wings, and they have three home games remaining on their schedule.

One of those games is against the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night, a team that has been eliminated from postseason consideration. If the Bruins can get the best of the Hurricanes, they will move one point ahead of the Red Wings.

The Red Wings also have three games remaining, but they are against three difficult and challenging opponents. They host the Flyers Wednesday night, travel to Boston Thursday night and play a road game against the New York Rangers Saturday afternoon to close their schedule.

If the Red Wings lose to Philadelphia and Boston in those two back-to-back games, they will be eliminated from the race for third place if Boston beats Carolina.

However, if Detroit beats Philadelphia and can get the best of the Bruins, they can clinch third place by winning at Madison Square Garden. If the Bruins lose to Carolina, the Red Wings can clinch that spot by Thursday night.

The Flyers have four games remaining on their schedule. After playing at Detroit, they have home games with Toronto (Thursday) and Pittsburgh (Saturday) before closing the season Sunday on the road against the New York Islanders.

That final game could have significant implications for the Bruins or Red Wings. One of those two teams will have clinched third place and an Atlantic Division playoff spot when they conclude Saturday's activity.

However, if the team that falls short of that automatic playoff qualifier is tied or one point ahead of Philadelphia at that point, the Flyers could take away the second wild-card spot with a win on Sunday.

Team	Points	ROW	Games Remaining	Prediction
Tampa Bay	95	42	at NYR, at NJ, at Mon.	In playoffs
N.Y. Islanders	95	38	at Wash, at NYR, vs. Buff., vs. Phil.	In playoffs
Detroit	91	38	vs. Phil., at Bos., at NYR	In playoffs
Boston	90	37	vs. Carolina, vs. Detroit, vs. Ottawa	Miss playoffs
Philadelphia	91	36	at Detroit, vs. Tor., vs. Pitt., at NYI	In playoffs

The Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning have not clinched playoff spots yet, either, but both have 95 points. If either of those teams reaches 97 points, it will punch its postseason ticket. That's because the Bruins can only reach 96 points if they win their three remaining games and would not be able to pass either team.

The Islanders have four games to get there, while the Lightning have three road games remaining.

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

The Western Conference has basically been down to one undecided position for weeks, and that race is all but over. The Minnesota Wild will clinch the No. 2 wild-card spot with a win in one of its last two games or a regulation loss by Colorado in any of its final three games. 

For Colorado to claim the final spot, the Avs would need to sweep their final three games (with at least one victory coming in a non-shootout game), and the Wild would have to lose their final two games in regulation.

The Avs close the season with road games against Nashville and Dallas and a home game against Anaheim. The Wild host the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames in their last two games.

The Wild will find a way to beat San Jose or Calgary, and that will give them the playoff spot. However, even if they don't, Colorado will not sweep the Predators, Stars and Ducks.