When do NHL playoffs start? Latest standings, 2026 bracket, tiebreaker picture

[ASFN Admin]

All 16 NHL playoff berths are filled with three days left in the regular season.

But only three series have been determined and home ice hasn't been decided in one of those. No seed is set in the Pacific Division and the first and second wild-card seeds aren't nailed down yet.

Games Tuesday, April 14 could provide more clarity.

The Boston Bruins can clinch the first wild-card seed in the Eastern Conference and the idle Tampa Bay Lightning can clinch home-ice advantage in the first round. The Utah Mammoth could clinch the top wild-card seed in the West.

The biggest game, though, has no playoff implications. Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin is playing in his season finale. The NHL's all-time leading scorer hasn't said whether he'll return for another season. ESPN is broadcasting what could be his last game in the NHL.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, Tuesday's clinching scenarios and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season before the postseason begins on April 18:

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?​

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Boston, Ottawa

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, Utah, Los Angeles

Who can clinch an NHL playoff seed today?​

• The Bruins will clinch the first wild card in the East if they beat the New Jersey Devils. That would set up a first round meeting with the Sabres. The Ottawa Senators would face the Carolina Hurricanes.
• The idle Lightning will clinch second in the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage in the first round if the Montreal Canadiens lose in regulation.
• The Mammoth will clinch the first wild card in the West if they beat the Winnipeg Jets and the Los Angeles Kings lose. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Kings lose in regulation. Utah would face the Pacific Division winner in the first round.
• The Kings would finish as the second wild card if they lose in regulation and the Anaheim Ducks and Mammoth pick up at least one point. The Kings would face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. The Kings could move into the third seed in the Pacific if they win on Tuesday and the Ducks lose.

NHL games today (Tuesday, April 14)​

• New Jersey at Boston, 7
• Carolina at N.Y. Islanders, 7
• Montreal at Philadelphia, 7
• Washington at Columbus, 7, ESPN
• Anaheim at Minnesota, 8
• Winnipeg at Utah, 9
• Colorado at Calgary, 9
• Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 9:30, ESPN
• Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10

NHL playoff standings​

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26​

After April 13 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

• y-Carolina Hurricanes (111) Eastern Conference winner
• x-Pittsburgh Penguins (98)
• x-Philadelphia Flyers (96)

Atlantic Division

• y-Buffalo Sabres (108)
• x-Tampa Bay Lightning (106)
• x-Montreal Canadiens (106)

Wild card

• x-Boston Bruins (98)
• x-Ottawa Senators (97)

Out of the playoffs: z-Washington Capitals (93), z-Columbus Blue Jackets (92), z-Detroit Red Wings (92), z-New York Islanders (91), z-New Jersey Devils (87), z-Florida Panthers (82), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (75)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26​

After completed April 13 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

• y-Colorado Avalanche (117) - Presidents' Trophy winner
• x-Dallas Stars (110)
• x-Minnesota Wild (102)

Pacific Division

• x-Vegas Golden Knights (93)
• x-Edmonton Oilers (91)
• x-Anaheim Ducks (90)

Wild card

• x-Utah Mammoth (90)
• x-Los Angeles Kings (89)

Out of the playoffs: z-Nashville Predators (86), z-San Jose Sharks (84), z-Winnipeg Jets (82), z-St. Louis Blues (82), z-Seattle Kraken (79), z-Calgary Flames (75), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (56)

NHL playoffs if they started today​

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket​

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 13:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3) This series is set
• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket​

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 13.

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3). This series is set
• Vegas (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Edmonton (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?​

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?​

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?​

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 NHL playoff schedule, picture, bracket, tiebreaker scenarios

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