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The NHL is in the home stretch of the 2023-24 regular season. That means playoff races are healing up atop divisions and on the wild card bubble.
Throughout the last eight or so games, every point will be crucial as team’s battle for playoff positioning. Fans will be doing a lot of scoreboard watching over the next month, and they’ll be checking the updated standings every month.
The playoff picture may change on a nightly basis, so CBS Sports has you covered with our NHL playoff race tracker. It’ll be updated daily to show where each playoff hopeful stands as the postseason gets closer and closer.
Reminder: Here’s how the 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.
*Regulation wins are the first tiebreaker, and regulation plus overtime wins are the second tiebreaker. Shootout wins are not counted in regulation plus overtime wins.
Eastern Conference playoff picture
Atlantic Division
1. Boston Bruins | 45-17-15 | 105 points
Points percentage: .682
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
The Bruins topped the Hurricanes in impressive fashion, and have suddenly ripped off a three-game winning streak. David Pastrnak continues his phenomenal campaign with goals in back-to-back contests.
2. Florida Panthers | 47-24-5 | 99 points
Points percentage: .651
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs
The Panthers had been struggling more than probably any team battling for a playoff spot, but got back on track with a 6-0 win against the Senators. Consistency will be key for Florida down the stretch.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs | 43-23-9 | 95 points
Points percentage: .633
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Florida Panthers
The Maple Leafs have been the third team in the Atlantic Division for most of the season, but that spot is far from guaranteed. The Lightning continue to creep up on the Leafs over the final two weeks of the regular season.
Metropolitan Division
1. New York Rangers | 51-21-4 | 106 points
Points percentage: .697
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first-round matchup: Washington Capitals
Wednesday’s Rangers/Devils contest featured a line brawl off the opening face-off that resulted in eight ejections. Still, the Rangers came away with a 4-3 win and swept the season series. They’ll be fighting with the Bruins and Hurricanes down the stretch to see who earns the top seed.
2. Carolina Hurricanes | 47-22-7 | 101 points
Points percentage: .664
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Philadelphia Flyers
The Hurricanes have thrived since landing the likes of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the trade deadline. Carolina looks like a juggernaut in the East, but did slip up against the Bruins.
3. Philadelphia Flyers | 36-29-11 | 83 points
Points percentage: .546
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
The Flyers did earn a point in an overtime loss to the Islanders, and we even saw the debut of goaltender Ivan Fedotov in relief of Samuel Ersson. It was a gutsy effort for Philadelphia and good to earn a point, but those are games that the Flyers need to win at this stage of the season.
Wild card
WC1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 43-26-7 | 93 points
Points percentage: .612
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 40
Current first-round matchup: Boston Bruins
The Lightning are likely the team that no one wants to face in the opening round of the postseason. Tampa Bay has won 10 of its last 12 games, and Nikita Kucherov continues to be electric.
WC2. New York Islanders | 34-27-15 | 83 points
Points percentage: .546
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: New York Rangers
Perhaps an overtime win against the Flyers jumpstarted something. The Islanders are currently riding a three-game winning streak after defeating the Blue Jackets, and are taking advantage of the Capitals’ struggles.
Washington Capitals | 36-29-10 | 82 points
Points percentage: .547
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Capitals are floundering right now as they’ve dropped four consecutive games. Their struggles couldn’t have come at a worse time with just two weeks remaining in the regular season.
Detroit Red Wings | 37-30-8 | 82 points
Points percentage: .547
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 35
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Red Wings have taken a complete nosedive over the last month with just four wins since Feb. 29. Detroit did get back on track with a huge win against the Lightning, who the Red Wings are competing with for a wild card spot.
Pittsburgh Penguins | 35-30-11 | 81 points
Points percentage: .533
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Penguins are hot all of the sudden with five wins over their last six games. Pittsburgh got a huge win against some of their big Wild Card competition when they defeated Washington on Thursday.
Buffalo Sabres | 36-35-5 | 77 points
Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus overtime wins: 34
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Sabres dominated the Capitals in a win against the Capitals on Tuesday. It’s huge considering that the Capitals are some of their biggest competition in the Wild Card race.
Western Conference playoff picture
Central Division
1. Dallas Stars | 48-19-9 | 105 points
Points percentage: .691
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus overtime wins: 45
Current first-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings
The Stars have grabbed the lead in the Central thanks to a eight-game winning streak, and are just one point behind the Rangers in the Presidents’ Trophy race. Goaltender Jake Oettinger may finally be turning his season around as he’s allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last six starts.
2. Colorado Avalanche | 48-22-6 | 102 points
Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets
Nathan MacKinnon continues to make a Hart Trophy push with his sensational season. After looking unbeatable in recent weeks, the Avalanche have dropped three of their last five games, but did get back on track with a win against the Wild.
3. Winnipeg Jets | 46-24-6 | 98 points
Points percentage: .645
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
The Jets were a big-time slide with a six-game losing streak, but have racked up back-to-back victories. Defeating the Kings earlier this week was a huge victory considering that the Kings are looking to regain the No. 3 spot in the Central Division race.
Pacific Division
1. Vancouver Canucks | 47-21-8 | 102 points
Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Nashville Predators
The Canucks hold a sizable lead in the Pacific Division, and they’ve won five of their last eight games. There’s really no reason to panic with goaltender Thatcher Demko out of the lineup.
2. Edmonton Oilers | 45-24-5 | 95 points
Points percentage: .642
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid and the Oilers previously looked to be locked into second place, but the Golden Knights are making a late-season charge. The Oilers received an absolute beatdown at the hands of the Stars on Wednesday, and are looking a tad vulernable.
3. Vegas Golden Knights | 42-25-8 | 92 points
Points percentage: .613
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers
The Golden Knights are getting hot at the right time as they’ve earned three consecutive wins against the Jets, Wild, and Canucks. Vegas is playing some of its best hockey with six wins over its last seven contests.
Wild card
WC1. Nashville Predators | 44-28-4 | 92 points
Points percentage: .605
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 42
Current first-round matchup: Vancouver Canucks
The Predators were one of the hottest teams in the NHL before going on a three-game skid. However, Nashville did bounce back with a win against the Blues.
WC2. Los Angeles Kings | 40-25-11 | 91 points
Points percentage: .599
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars
The Kings have fallen out of the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division, but did bounce back with consecutive wins. It could be a back-and-forth between the Kings and Golden Knights the rest of the way.
St. Louis Blues | 40-32-4 | 84 points
Points percentage: .553
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Blues certainly aren’t out of the playoff picture, but they need to start stringing wins together to catch the Kings for that final wild-card spot. They fell at the hands of the Predators on Thursday.
Minnesota Wild | 36-30-9 | 81 points
Points percentage: .540
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus overtime wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: N/A
The Wild are fading out of the playoff picture completely with four losses over their last six games. Minnesota trails Los Angeles by 10 points for the second Wild Card spot, so it would take a massive hot streak to make a run.