Stanley Cup Playoffs 2019: NHL Bracket, Format and Updated Predictions

The NHL's regular season has just five days to go, but none of the top positions in the Central Division have been decided yet.

The Winnipeg Jets lead the division by two points over the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators, and any one of those teams could finish first, second or third, as all three teams have three games left to play.

The Jets have the lead in the tie-breaking regulation and overtime wins (ROW) category, and that means that either St. Louis or Nashville would have to gain three points in the standings on the Jets to pass them. While unlikely, the Jets have two of their three games remaining against teams inside the playoff structure, while neither the Blues nor the Predators are playing any team that is likely to be in the playoffs.

The Metropolitan Division is headed by the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, and they have a three-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Caps have a tough game remaining against the playoff-hungry Montreal Canadiens and another against the New York Islanders, while the Penguins have two games against the Detroit Red Wings and close with the New York Rangers. A 3-0 finish by the Penguins seems logical, while the Caps could lose either of those games. In that scenario, Pittsburgh would win the division.

The Toronto Maple Leafs clinched their spot in the postseason with a 2-1 victory over the Islanders Monday night, and they will face the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs.

"We've played that team a lot in the last two years," said Toronto's Mitch Marner, per NHL.com. "We know what we've got to do to win. When we get our chances we've got to make sure we score. I think that's the biggest part of this year and last year. I think last year we had a lot of chances, we just didn't bury them. When we get our chances this year we've got to make sure we put them in."

The wild-card race is still wide open, but the Habs have a brutal closing stretch against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Claude Julien's team trails Columbus by two points and Carolina by one, and they are clearly the underdogs to earn a spot in the playoffs.

The Western Conference wild-card race is basically between the Colorado Avalanche and the Arizona Coyotes for the final spot.

The Dallas Stars need one point in their final three games to clinch a playoff position, while the Avs have  a two point lead over the 'Yotes. Both teams have two games remaining against opponents that are inside the playoff structure and a third game against a team that is out of the postseason picture.

The Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks still have a playoff heartbeat, but it is faint and fading.

Here's an up-close-and-personal look at the current standings, including remaining games for each contender.

Eastern Conference Playoff Standings

Atlantic Division
Team, Points, ROW, Remaining Schedule
Tampa Bay-p, 124, 54, at Montreal, at Toronto, at Boston
Boston-x, 103, 45, 3, at Columbus, at Minnesota, vs. Tampa Bay
Toronto-x, 99, 46, 3, vs. Carolina, vs. Tampa Bay, at Montreal

Metropolitan
Washington-x, 102, 43, vs. Montreal, vs. N.Y. Islanders
New York Islanders-x, 99, 42, at Florida, at Washington
Pittsburgh-x, 97, 41, at Detroit, vs. Detroit, vs. N.Y. Rangers

Wild Card

Columbus, 94, 44, vs. Boston, at N.Y. Rangers, at Ottawa
Carolina, 93, 41, at Toronto, vs. New Jersey, at Philadelphia
Montreal, 92, 40, vs. Tampa Bay, at Washington, vs. Toronto

p-clinched Presidents' Trophy
x-clinched playoff spot

Western Conference Playoff Standings

Central Division
Team, Points, ROW, Remaining Schedule
Winnipeg-x, 96, 44, at Minnesota, at Colorado, at Arizona
St. Louis-x, 94, 41, at Chicago, vs. Philadelphia, vs. Vancouver
Nashville-x, 94, 40, at Buffalo, vs. Vancouver, vs. Chicago

Pacific Division
Calgary-z, 107, 50, at Anaheim, vs. Edmonton
San Jose-x, 97, 43, at Vancouver, at Edmonton, vs. Colorado
Vegas-x, 93, 40, vs. Arizona, at Los Angeles

Wild Card
Dallas, 89, 40, vs. Philadelphia, at Chicago, vs. Minnesota
Colorado, 86, 34, vs. Edmonton, vs. Winnipeg, at San Jose
Arizona, 84, 34, vs. Los Angeles, at Vegas, vs. Winnipeg
Minnesota, 81, 35, vs. Winnipeg, vs. Boston, at Dallas
Chicago 80, 32, 3, vs. St. Louis, vs. Dallas, at Nashville

z-clinched Western Conference title
x-clinched playoff spot

Predictions

Neither the Bruins nor the Maple Leafs are playing their best hockey in the deep stretch, but look for the Bruins to hold on and finish second, setting up another playoff series with the Leafs. Boston will have home-ice advantage.

Look for the Capitals to take first place in the Metropolitan Division, followed by the Islanders and Penguins.

Columbus and Carolina will take the two wild-card spots, as the Canadiens have the toughest closing stretch of any team in the league and that will be too much to overcome.

Give Winnipeg the Central Division title, and their edge in ROW may be the key reason they win the division. The Blues finish second and will have home-ice advantage over the third-place Predators in the first round of the playoffs.

Dallas will take the top wild-card spot in the West, and the Avs will find a way to edge out the gritty Coyotes for the final wild-card spot.