2026 NHL Playoff Bracket: Standings, Playoff Picture & Matchups

 

2026 NHL Playoff Bracket — updated in real-time based on current standings.

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday, April 18th, with 16 teams competing for hockey’s ultimate prize. The regular season wraps up April 16th, and most teams have roughly 10 games left to lock down their playoff positioning.

The NHL playoff bracket above shows how the postseason field would look if the playoffs started today. It updates automatically as the standings change and will track each series once the postseason begins.

You’ll find everything you need to follow the 2026 NHL playoff race below, including standings, projected first-round matchups, which teams have clinched or been eliminated, schedule info and more.

NHL Playoff Picture | If the NHL Playoffs Started Today | Clinched & Eliminated | NHL Playoff Schedule | NHL Playoff FAQs

2026 NHL Playoff Picture

The Eastern Conference playoff picture is coming into focus. Carolina and Buffalo are tied at 96 points atop their respective divisions. The Sabres have gone 7-1-2 in their last 10 and are closing in on ending the longest active playoff drought in the NHL — they haven’t made the postseason since 2010-11.

Tampa Bay (93 pts) holds the second Atlantic seed with 12 games remaining. Montreal (88 pts) and Boston (88 pts) are tied, with the Bruins currently slotted as the first wild card.

Ottawa (85 pts) has surged into the second wild card on the strength of a four-game win streak and an 8-2-0 mark in their last 10. Detroit (84 pts) is the first team out, just one point back. The Islanders (85 pts) are also on the bubble, sitting one point behind Pittsburgh for the Metro’s third spot.

The Western Conference NHL playoff picture is more settled at the top. Colorado (104 pts) and Dallas (97 pts) have both clinched postseason berths. The Avalanche are on a three-game win streak and tracking toward the Presidents’ Trophy.

Minnesota (92 pts) rounds out a Central Division top three that has separated from the pack. Utah (80 pts) holds the first wild card, while Nashville (77 pts) owns the second wild card thanks to a scorching five-game win streak.

The Pacific race is tight. Anaheim (84 pts) leads the division, with Edmonton (79 pts) and Vegas (78 pts) filling the second and third spots. Vegas is in trouble though, going 3-7-0 in their last 10. The LA Kings (74 pts), Seattle (72 pts) and Winnipeg (72 pts) are still alive mathematically, but time is running out with about 10 games left.

If the NHL Playoffs Started Today

So what would the 2026 NHL playoff bracket look like if the season ended today? Based on the current standings as of March 26, here are the projected first-round matchups. About 10 games remain for most teams, so there’s still time for the seeding to shift.

Projected NHL playoff matchups based on standings as of March 26, 2026.

NHL Playoff Clinching & Elimination Tracker

Two teams have officially clinched a 2026 NHL playoff berth, while two others have been eliminated from contention. This table will be updated as more teams lock in or bow out over the final weeks of the regular season.

Updated March 26, 2026.

Colorado became the first team to clinch, which shouldn’t surprise anyone given their league-best 104 points. Dallas followed shortly after. On the other end, the Rangers and Canucks have both been mathematically eliminated. Check the latest Stanley Cup odds to see which teams oddsmakers like to hoist the trophy.

2026 NHL Playoff Schedule

The 2025-26 NHL regular season ends on Thursday, April 16th. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin two days later on Saturday, April 18th and are expected to wrap up in late June.

With about 10 games left for most clubs, the NHL playoff picture is taking shape fast. Check out the latest NHL odds for daily game lines and pricing.

How is the NHL Playoff Bracket Set Up?

16 teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs — eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. The top three teams in each division (Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, Pacific) automatically qualify. The remaining two spots per conference go to the next two highest-placed teams by record, regardless of division. Those are your wild card teams.

The NHL playoff bracket is division-based, not conference-wide. Each conference has two divisional brackets, and the first-round matchups are set as follows:

• The division winner with the best record in the conference faces the wild card with the lesser record
• The other division winner faces the wild card with the better record
• The second and third place teams in each division play each other within their respective divisional bracket

The bracket is fixed — there is no reseeding between rounds. First-round winners within the same divisional bracket meet in the second round. The two divisional bracket winners then face off in the Conference Finals.

Home-ice advantage in the first two rounds goes to the team that placed higher in the regular-season standings. From the Conference Finals onward, home ice goes to the team with the better regular-season record, regardless of seeding.

How Many Teams Make the NHL Playoffs?

16 total teams make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. All series are best-of-seven, played in a 2-2-1-1-1 format.

How Long Do The Stanley Cup Playoffs Last?

The Stanley Cup Playoffs typically last around two months. The 2026 playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18th, with the Stanley Cup Final starting no earlier than June 4th. The exact length depends on how many games are played across all four rounds.

The maximum possible is 105 total games if every series goes to Game 7. The minimum is 60 games if every series is a sweep. On average, about 86 playoff games are played each year.

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Hit the links on the left side of the table to get the full breakdown on each promo. The links on the right will take you straight to each sportsbook’s sign-up page with our best promo code already applied.

NHL Playoff Bracket FAQs

When do the 2026 NHL Playoffs start?

The 2026 NHL Playoffs are scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, two days after the regular season ends on April 16th.

How many games are in the NHL playoffs?

Each series is a best-of-seven following a 2-2-1-1-1 structure. The winning team will need to win 16 games total, but the champion could play as many as 28 games if all four of their series go the full seven games. The maximum number of games in one playoff (all teams combined) is 105.

When was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup?

The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Canadian teams have made the finals seven times since then, most recently the Edmonton Oilers in 2024.

Who has the best record in the NHL in 2025-26?

The Colorado Avalanche have the best record in the NHL with 104 points through 70 games. They are the first team to clinch a 2026 playoff berth. The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres lead the Eastern Conference with 96 points each.

What would the NHL playoff bracket look like if the season ended today?

If the NHL playoffs started today, the projected first-round matchups would be: East — Buffalo vs Ottawa, Tampa Bay vs Montreal, Carolina vs Boston, Columbus vs Pittsburgh. West — Colorado vs Nashville, Dallas vs Minnesota, Anaheim vs Utah, Edmonton vs Vegas. These are based on current standings and could change before the regular season ends April 16th.

Which NHL teams have clinched or been eliminated?

As of March 26, 2026, the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have clinched playoff berths. The New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks have been eliminated from contention. Most other teams are still fighting for positioning with about 10 games remaining.