The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are here, and 16 teams will compete for the championship. With the regular season complete, the playoff picture is set.
Eastern Conference
A rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final highlights the East: the Tampa Bay Lightning face the Montreal Canadiens. The Battle of Pennsylvania returns as the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Philadelphia Flyers.
Atlantic Division
1. Buffalo Sabres — 50-23-9, 109 points (Y)
Points percentage: .665 | Regulation wins: 42 | Regulation plus OT wins: 45
First-round matchup: Boston Bruins
2. Tampa Bay Lightning — 50-26-6, 106 points (X)
Points percentage: .646 | Regulation wins: 40 | Regulation plus OT wins: 46
First-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
3. Montreal Canadiens — 48-24-10, 106 points (X)
Points percentage: .646 | Regulation wins: 34 | Regulation plus OT wins: 44
First-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
WC1. Boston Bruins — 45-27-10, 100 points (X)
Points percentage: .610 | Regulation wins: 33 | Regulation plus OT wins: 41
First-round matchup: Buffalo Sabres
WC2. Ottawa Senators — 44-27-11, 99 points (X)
Points percentage: .604 | Regulation wins: 38 | Regulation plus OT wins: 41
First-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
Metropolitan Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes — 53-22-7, 113 points (Z)
Points percentage: .689 | Regulation wins: 39 | Regulation plus OT wins: 48
First-round matchup: Ottawa Senators
2. Pittsburgh Penguins — 41-25-16, 98 points (X)
Points percentage: .598 | Regulation wins: 34 | Regulation plus OT wins: 38
First-round matchup: Philadelphia Flyers
3. Philadelphia Flyers — 43-27-12, 98 points
Points percentage: .598 | Regulation wins: 27 | Regulation plus OT wins: 33
First-round matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
The chaotic Pacific Division has settled. The Vegas Golden Knights clinched first place on Wednesday night, finishing the season on a 7-0-1 run under John Tortorella. The Los Angeles Kings avoided a fifth consecutive first-round clash with the Edmonton Oilers, but they got the Colorado Avalanche instead. The Edmonton Oilers will face the Anaheim Ducks.
Central Division
1. Colorado Avalanche — 55-16-11, 121 points (P)
Points percentage: .738 | Regulation wins: 48 | Regulation plus OT wins: 51
First-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings
2. Dallas Stars — 50-20-12, 112 points (X)
Points percentage: .683 | Regulation wins: 38 | Regulation plus OT wins: 44
First-round matchup: Minnesota Wild
3. Minnesota Wild — 46-24-12, 104 points (X)
Points percentage: .634 | Regulation wins: 31 | Regulation plus OT wins: 42
First-round matchup: Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights — 39-26-17, 95 points (Y)
Points percentage: .579 | Regulation wins: 30 | Regulation plus OT wins: 38
First-round matchup: Utah Mammoth
2. Edmonton Oilers — 41-30-11, 93 points (X)
Points percentage: .567 | Regulation wins: 32 | Regulation plus OT wins: 41
First-round matchup: Anaheim Ducks
3. Anaheim Ducks — 43-33-6, 92 points
Points percentage: .561 | Regulation wins: 26 | Regulation plus OT wins: 35
First-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers
WC1. Utah Mammoth — 43-33-6, 92 points (X)
Points percentage: .561 | Regulation wins: 32 | Regulation plus OT wins: 42
First-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
WC2. Los Angeles Kings — 35-27-20, 90 points (X)
Points percentage: .549 | Regulation wins: 28 | Regulation plus OT wins: 33
First-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
How NHL Playoff Seeding Works
The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs. Each conference has two wild-card spots.
The top division winner in each conference will play the second wild card team, and the other division winner will play the first wild card team. The second and third-place teams in each division will match up with one another in the first round.
Tiebreakers: Regulation wins are the first tiebreaker. Regulation plus OT wins are the second tiebreaker.
Legend: (X) denotes clinched playoff berth; (Y) denotes clinched division; (Z) denotes clinched conference; (P) denotes clinched Presidents' Trophy