The Metropolitan Division-winning Washington Capitals clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference on Thursday.
Friday, the Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens can clinch playoff berths (see below). If that happens, 15 of the 16 slots will be filled and the only remaining question is whether the St. Louis Blues or Calgary Flames will grab the final spot.
The key games will be Minnesota at Calgary, Montreal at Ottawa and Detroit at Tampa Bay.
If the Wild win, both they and the Oilers will clinch a playoff spot, plus Minnesota will move two points ahead of the Blues in the race for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
A Montreal regulation win will clinch the Canadiens a playoff spot and move them one point behind the Senators in the race for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
A Tampa Bay win would move the Lightning one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs and three points ahead of the No. 3 Florida Panthers.
Here’s a look at the NHL playoff picture through games of April 9:
Who’s in the NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators
Western Conference: Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings
Who can clinch Friday?
The Canadiens will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Senators in regulation.
The Oilers will clinch if they get at least one point vs. the Sharks or if the Flames lose to the Wild.
The Wild will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Flames.
NHL games today (Friday, April 11)
Montreal and Ottawa, 7
Detroit at Tampa Bay, 7
Pittsburgh at New Jersey, 7 | NHL Network
San Jose at Edmonton, 10
Minnesota at Calgary, 10
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2024-25
(as of games April 9; x-clinched playoff berth; y-clinched division title; z-eliminated from postseason contention)
Metropolitan Division
y-Washington Capitals (109 points)
x-Carolina Hurricanes (97)
x-New Jersey Devils (89)
Atlantic Division
x-Toronto Maple Leafs (100)
x-Tampa Bay Lightning (97)
x-Florida Panthers (96)
Wild card
x-Ottawa Senators (90)
Montreal Canadiens (87)
Sitting outside playoff position: Columbus Blue Jackets (81), New York Rangers (81), Detroit Red Wings (79), New York Islanders (79), z-Buffalo Sabres (76), z-Pittsburgh Penguins (76), z-Philadelphia Flyers (73), z-Boston Bruins (73)
NHL Western Conference standings 2024-25
(as of games April 9; x-clinched playoff berth; z-eliminated from postseason contention)
Central Division
x-Winnipeg Jets (112)
x-Dallas Stars (106)
x-Colorado Avalanche (100)
Pacific Division
x-Vegas Golden Knights (105)
x-Los Angeles Kings (99)
Edmonton Oilers (95)
Wild card
Minnesota Wild (93)
St. Louis Blues (93)
Sitting outside playoff spot: Calgary Flames (88), z-Vancouver Canucks (87), z-Utah Hockey Club (85), z-Anaheim Ducks (78), z-Seattle Kraken (74), z-Nashville Predators (66), z-Chicago Blackhawks (56), z-San Jose Sharks (51)
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 after games on April 9:
Key: M – Metropolitan Division. A – Atlantic Division. WC – wild card
Washington (M1) vs. Montreal (WC2)
Carolina (M2) vs. New Jersey (M3) This series has been confirmed.
Toronto (A1) vs. Ottawa (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Florida (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended after games on April 9:
Key: C – Central Division P – Pacific Division. WC – wild card
Winnipeg (C1) vs. St. Louis (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Colorado (C3)
Vegas (P1) vs. Minnesota (WC1)
Los Angeles (P2) vs. Edmonton (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.
What is the tiebreaker procedure for the NHL playoffs?
If two or more teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers (how tiebreakers affect the playoff races):
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins
Total wins
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.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 17, with seven games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 19.