Who's in 2026 NHL playoffs? Latest standings, bracket and tiebreakers

[ASFN Admin]

The Buffalo Sabres will try again to clinch a playoff spot and end their 14-season postseason drought.

The Sabres lost on Thursday in their first attempt, but if they beat the Washington Capitals on Saturday, April 4, they will end the NHL's longest drought.

In addition to making the playoffs, the Sabres could reclaim the Atlantic Division lead if they gain one more point than the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning can also clinch a playoff berth on Saturday and the Carolina Hurricanes can clinch the Metropolitan Division title.

Saturday's 15-game schedule is full of playoff implications.

• Ottawa, which holds the second wild-card spot in the East on a tiebreaker, is in action, as are Detroit and Columbus. All three teams have 88 points. Columbus could jump to third in the Metropolitan Division if it wins and the Islanders lose.
• San Jose, Nashville and Los Angeles, battling for the second wild-card spot in the West, are in action. All three are tied with 79 points. The Sharks hold the spot and host the Predators.
• Edmonton and Anaheim, tied at 87 points in the Pacific Division race, are in action. The Oilers moved into the lead on a tiebreaker after the Ducks lost on Friday. Vegas, three points back, visits Edmonton.
• Central Division-leading Colorado is facing No. 2 Dallas with a chance to build on its six-point lead.

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?​

Eastern Conference: Carolina

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota

Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?​

• The Buffalo Sabres will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Capitals or if the Red Wings lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and either of the following occurs: The Red Wings lose or the Senators lose in regulation.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Bruins or the Red Wings lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and either of the following occurs: The Red Wings lose or the Senators lose in regulation.
• The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch the Metropolitan Division title if they defeat the Islanders in regulation and the Penguins fail to win in regulation. They'd also clinch if they win in overtime or a shootout and the Penguins lose. Another option: They gain one point and the Penguins lose in regulation.

NHL games today (Saturday, April 4)​

• Detroit at N.Y. Rangers, 12:30, ABC
• Minnesota at Ottawa, 1
• Colorado at Dallas, 3, ABC
• Boston at Tampa Bay, 5
• Florida at Pittsburgh, 5
• Montreal at New Jersey, 7, NHL Network
• Buffalo at Washington, 7
• N.Y. Islanders at Carolina, 7
• Winnipeg at Columbus, 7
• Utah at Vancouver, 7
• Toronto at Los Angeles, 7
• Vegas at Edmonton, 10
• Calgary at Anaheim, 10
• Nashville at San Jose, 10
• Chicago at Seattle, 10

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26​

After April 3 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated

Metropolitan Division

• x-Carolina Hurricanes (102)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (92)
• New York Islanders (89)

Atlantic Division

• Tampa Bay Lightning (100)
• Buffalo Sabres (100)
• Montreal Canadiens (98)

Wild card

• Boston Bruins (94)
• Ottawa Senators (88)

Sitting out of playoff position: Detroit Red Wings (88), Columbus Blue Jackets (88), Philadelphia Flyers (88), Washington Capitals (85), New Jersey Devils (80), Florida Panthers (77), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (77), z-New York Rangers (71)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26​

After April 3 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated

Central Division

• x-Colorado Avalanche (108)
• x-Dallas Stars (102)
• x-Minnesota Wild (96)

Pacific Division

• Edmonton Oilers (87)
• Anaheim Ducks (87)
• Vegas Golden Knights (84)

Wild card

• Utah Mammoth (84)
• San Jose Sharks (79)

Sitting out of playoff position: Nashville Predators (79), Los Angeles Kings (79), St. Louis Blues (76), Winnipeg Jets (76), Seattle Kraken (75), Calgary Flames (70), z-Chicago Blackhawks (68), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket​

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 3:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)
• Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
• Buffalo (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 3.

• Colorado (C1) vs. San Jose (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
• Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Anaheim (P2) vs. Vegas (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

More: Vegas Golden Knights fire coach Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella

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.
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 April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, updated standings, scenarios and tiebreakers

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