Stanley Cup Playoff races remain competitive down home stretch

There are less than three weeks to go in the 2025-26 NHL regular season, and the races to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are remarkably tight.

The race for first place in each of the four divisions is still up for grabs, but it's crazier than that.  

In the Eastern Conference, there are six teams within three points of each other for three spots, with five of those teams just two points apart. 

In the West, there are six teams within four points of each other for the final playoff spot. 

Here is a deeper dive into every race entering the home stretch and what each team is facing. 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Tampa Bay Lightning -- 46-21-6 -- 98 points -- 9 GR

Buffalo Sabres -- 45-21-8 -- 98 points -- 8 GR 

Montreal Canadiens -- 42-21-10 -- 94 points -- 9 GR

Boston Bruins -- 42-24-8 -- 92 points -- 8 GR

Lightning: They moved back into first place with a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. A massive four-game road trip -- at Buffalo (April 6), Ottawa (April 7), Montreal (April 9) and Boston (April 11) -- will likely decide where they finish. 

Next game: March 31, vs. Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, TSN2, RDS)

Sabres: The Sabres are tied with the Lightning for first but have played one more game. They are 1-1-2 in their past four. 

Next game: March 31, vs. New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSG-B)

Canadiens: Have won five in a row and six of seven to make a run for the division title or at least home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Cole Caufield (46 goals) has led the charge. They still have two games remaining against the Lightning (March 31, April 9). 

Next game: March 31, at Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, TSN2, RDS)

Bruins: They have points in eight of their past nine games, including a massive 4-3 shootout win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday, a game they trailed 3-0 after the second period. Two games remain against the Lightning (April 4, April 11). 

Next game: March 31, vs. Dallas Stars (7 p.m. ET; FOX4, Victory+, NESN, SN360)

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

Carolina Hurricanes -- 46-21-6 -- 98 points -- 9 GR

New York Islanders -- 42-27-5 -- 89 points -- 8 GR 

Pittsburgh Penguins -- 36-21-16 -- 88 points -- 9 GR

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 38-24-12 -- 88 points -- 8 GR

Hurricanes: They appear on their way to winning the division and can still grab the top seed in the East. The Hurricanes are tied with the Lightning in points but trail 37-33 in the first tiebreaker (regulation wins). They could play a huge role in who gets the wild cards with games against Blue Jackets (March 31, April 2), Islanders (April 4, April 14) and Senators (April 5).

Next game: March 31, at Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Islanders: Have won three of four heading into a massive game against the Penguins on Monday. They moved one point ahead of the Penguins with a 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday after trailing 2-0 at the end of the first period. They visit the Sabres (March 31) and are home against the Philadelphia Flyers (April 3), Senators (April 11) and Canadiens (April 12). 

Next game: Monday, vs. Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, NHLN, TVAS)

Penguins: Pittsburgh, which has been without Sidney Crosby (lower body) and Evgeni Malkin  (upper body), is trying to not only hold onto third place in the division, but a playoff spot as well. A tough remaining schedule awaits, starting when the Penguins play the Islanders on Monday without Malkin, and games against the Red Wings (March 31) and Lightning (April 2). If the Penguins get in, they will have earned it. 

Next game: Monday, at Islanders (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, NHLN, TVAS)

Blue Jackets: They are 1-3-1 in their past five games including that shootout loss to the Bruins on Sunday. They have a two-point lead over the Senators, Red Wings and Flyers for the second wild card, but all three have a game in hand. 

Next game: March 31, vs. Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

EAST WILD CARD

Boston Bruins -- 42-24-8 -- 92 points -- 8 GR 

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 38-24-12 -- 88 points – 8 GR

Ottawa Senators -- 38-25-10 -- 86 points -- 9 GR

Detroit Red Wings -- 39-26-8 -- 86 points -- 9 GR

Philadelphia Flyers -- 37-24-12 -- 86 points -- 9 GR

Washington Capitals -- 37-28-9 -- 83 points -- 8 GR 

Senators: Are 0-1-1 after a four-game winning streak. Of their nine remaining games, six are at home. 

Next game: March 31, at Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN5, RDS2)

Red Wings: Have lost three of four to fall out of a playoff spot, but it's still right there in front of them with two games against the Flyers (April 2, April 9), Penguins (March 31) and Blue Jackets (April 7). 

Next game: March 31, at Penguins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SN-PIT)

Flyers: Have won three in a row, including a big 2-1 overtime victory against the Dallas Stars in Philadelphia on Sunday. They are 8-1-1 in their past 10 games, play the Red Wings twice (April 2, April 9) and have a showdown with Islanders on April 3. 

Next game: March 31, at Capitals (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP)

Capitals: It won't be easy for Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals to reach the postseason, and time is of the essence with a key games against the Flyers (March 31), Sabres (April 4), a home-and-home, back-to-back set with the Penguins (April 11-12) and at the Blue Jackets (April 14).

Next game: March 31, vs. Flyers (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL DIVISION

Colorado Avalanche -- 48-14-10 -- 106 points -- 10 GR

Dallas Stars -- 44-18-12 -- 100 points -- 8 GR

Minnesota Wild -- 41-21-12 -- 94 points -- 8 GR

Avalanche: They have clinched a playoff berth and have their sights on the Presidents' Trophy as the No. 1 seed in the League. They do have one more game at the Stars (April 4) but appear to be in great shape to lock up home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. 

Next game: Monday, vs. Calgary Flames (8:30 p.m. ET; ALT, Prime)

Stars: They have also clinched a playoff berth and trying to hold onto second place in the Central and home-ice advantage in the first round, most likely against the Wild, whom they play April 9.

Next game: March 31, at Bruins (7 p.m. ET; FOX4, Victory+, NESN, SN360)

Wild: The Wild do not play until Thursday but will clinch a playoff berth Monday if the Vancouver Canucks defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashion and the St. Louis Blues defeat the San Jose Sharks in regulation. They have just three home games remaining and are eight regulation wins behind the Stars for the first tiebreaker (34-26), so they will have to pass Dallas in points to get second place in the division.

Next game: April 2, vs. Canucks (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, SNP)

PACIFIC DIVISION

Anaheim Ducks -- 41-28-4 -- 86 points -- 9 GR

Edmonton Oilers -- 37-28-9 -- 83 points -- 8 GR

Vegas Golden Knights -- 32-26-16 -- 80 points -- 8 GR

Ducks: A 4-2 loss at the Oilers on Saturday tightened things up in the Pacific. Of their remaining nine games, only three (vs. Nashville Predators on April 7, 16; Wild, April 14) are against teams currently in playoff position. 

Next game: Monday, vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, KCOP-13, SNO, TVAS)

Oilers: Have won three in a row but have one fewer game remaining than the Ducks. They will likely play those games without star forward Leon Draisaitl, who is out because of a lower-body injury. 

Next game: March 31, vs. Seattle Kraken (9 p.m. ET; SNW, KONG, KHN/Prime)

Golden Knights: They stunned the hockey world Sunday by hiring John Tortorella to replace Bruce Cassidy as coach, clearly looking for a spark entering the final few weeks of the season. They are 1-4-2 in their past seven games and suddenly a playoff spot isn't a lock with the Los Angeles Kings four points behind them and a game in hand. 

Next game: Monday, vs. Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNP)

WEST WILD CARD

Utah Mammoth -- 38-30-6 -- 82 points -- 8 GR

Nashville Predators -- 34-31-9 -- 77 points -- 8 GR

Los Angeles Kings -- 29-26-18 -- 76 points -- 9 GR

Seattle Kraken -- 32-29-11 -- 75 points -- 10 GR

Winnipeg Jets -- 31-30-12 -- 74 points -- 9 GR 

San Jose Sharks -- 33-31-7 -- 73 points -- 11 GR

St. Louis Blues -- 31-30-11 -- 73 points -- 10 GR 

Mammoth: It's wild card or bust for Utah since catching Minnesota for third in the Central seems like a long shot. The Mammoth have key games against the Kraken (April 2), Predators (April 9) and Blues (April 16).

Next game: April 2, at Kraken (10 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Predators: They've lost three in a row, opening the door for the teams behind them in the race for the second wild card. They have key games against the Sharks (April 4, April 13), Kings (April 2, April 6), Ducks (April 7) and Mammoth (April 9). 

Next game: April 2, at Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, FDSNSO)

Kings: They're coming off a 6-2 loss to the Mammoth on Saturday and play the second of a make-or-break, seven-game homestand against the Blues on Wednesday. That also includes games against the Predators (April 2, April 6) and the Oilers (April 11).

Next game: April 1, vs. Blues (9 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNW)

Kraken: Of their 10 remaining games, four are against teams ahead of them in the Pacific Division: the Oilers on March 31, the Golden Knights on April 9 and April 15, and the Kings on April 13. 

Next game: March 31, at Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, KONG, KHN/Prime) 

Sharks: Begin a six-game homestand against the Blues on Monday that is as close to a Game 7 situation for either team.  

Next game: Monday, vs. St. Louis Blues (10 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, NBCSCA+)

Jets: They got a big 4-2 win in Colorado on Saturday to stay in the race and continue their four-game road trip at the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. 

Next game: March 31, at Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3)

Blues: They have won four in a row to stay within striking distance entering what could be seen as a make-or-break game at the Sharks on Monday. Five of their 10 remaining games are against teams ahead of them in the wild-card race, the Sharks (Monday), the Kings on April 1, the Ducks on April 3, the Jets on April 9 and the Mammoth on April 16.

Next game: Monday, at Sharks (10 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, NBCSCA+)