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 four points of each other for five spots. 

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

Buffalo Sabres -- 46-21-8 -- 100 points -- 7 GR 

Tampa Bay Lightning -- 46-22-6 -- 98 points -- 8 GR

Montreal Canadiens -- 43-21-10 -- 96 points -- 8 GR

Boston Bruins -- 43-24-8 -- 94 points -- 7 GR

Sabres: They moved into sole possession of first place with a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday. They also currently own the regulation wins tiebreaker over the Lightning by one. 

Next game: April 2, at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, MSG-B)

Lightning: Fell out of first on Tuesday by losing 4-1 to the Canadiens.  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: April 2, vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, SN-PIT)

Canadiens: Have won six in a row and seven of eight to make a run for the division title or at least home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Cole Caufield (47 goals) has led the charge. They have one game remaining against the Lightning (April 9). 

Next game:, April 2, at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN2, RDS)

Bruins: They have points in nine of their past 10 games, including a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Two games remain against the Lightning (April 4, April 11). 

Next game: April 2, at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN, SNO, SNE, SN1)

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

Carolina Hurricanes -- 47-21-6 -- 100 points -- 8 GR

Pittsburgh Penguins -- 38-21-16 -- 92 points -- 7 GR

New York Islanders -- 42-29-5 -- 89 points -- 6 GR 

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 38-25-12 -- 88 points -- 7 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 Sabres in points but trail 38-34 in the first tiebreaker (regulation wins). They could play a huge role in who gets the wild cards with games against Blue Jackets (April 2), Islanders (April 4, April 14) and Senators (April 5).

Next game: April 2, vs. Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNSO)

Penguins: With Sidney Crosby back in the lineups, the Penguins have  won two straight, defeating the Islanders 8-3 on Monday and the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 on Tuesday. A tough remaining schedule still awaits for Pittsburgh, including games against the Lightning (April 2). They also got Evgeni Malkinback in the lineup on Tuesday. 

Next game: April 2, at Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, SN-PIT)

Islanders: Have lost two in row, and though they are still in a playoff position, the Islanders have just six games remaining. They are home against the Flyers (April 3), Senators (April 11) and Canadiens (April 12). 

Next game: April 3, vs, Flyers (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, NBCSP+, SN, TVAS)

Blue Jackets: They are 1-4-1 in their past six games including a 5-2 home loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday. 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. The only own the regulation-wins tiebreaker over the Flyers.

Next game: April 2, at Hurricanes (7 p.m.; FDSNOH, FDSNSO)

EAST WILD CARD

Boston Bruins -- 43-24-8 -- 94 points -- 7 GR 

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 38-25-12 -- 88 points – 7 GR

Ottawa Senators -- 38-26-10 -- 86 points -- 8 GR

Detroit Red Wings -- 39-27-8 -- 86 points -- 8 GR

Philadelphia Flyers -- 37-25-12 -- 86 points -- 8 GR

Washington Capitals -- 38-28-9 -- 83 points -- 7 GR 

Senators: Are 0-2-1 after a four-game winning streak. Of their eight remaining games, six are at home, including their next five.  

Next game: April 2, vs. Sabres (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, MSG-B)

Red Wings: Have lost four of five 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: April 2, at Flyers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDETX, NBCSP)

Flyers: Had three-game win streak snapped on Tuesday in a 6-4 loss to the Capitals. They play the Red Wings twice (April 2, April 9) and have a showdown with Islanders on April 3. 

Next game: April 2, vs. Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDETX, NBCSP)

Capitals: Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are not going quietly. Ovechkin scored twice on Tuesday in the 6-4 win against the Flyers to push the Capitals to a playoff spot. They have key games against the 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: April 2, at New Jersey Devils (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL DIVISION

Colorado Avalanche -- 49-14-10 -- 108 points -- 9 GR

Dallas Stars -- 44-19-12 -- 100 points -- 7 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: April 1, vs. Vancouver Canucks (8:30 p.m. ET; ALT, SN, TVAS)

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: April 1, vs. Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, TSN3)

Wild: The Wild do not play until Thursday but can clinch a playoff berth Wednesday. 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 -- 41-28-5 -- 87 points -- 8 GR

Edmonton Oilers -- 38-28-9 -- 85 points -- 7 GR

Vegas Golden Knights -- 33-26-16 -- 82 points -- 7 GR

Ducks: A 4-2 loss at the Oilers on Saturday followed by a 5-4 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday have tightened things up in the Pacific. Of their remaining eight games, only three (vs. Nashville Predators on April 7, 16; Wild, April 14) are against teams currently in playoff position. 

Next game: April 1, at Sharks (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT)

Oilers: Have won four in a row to get within a point of the Ducks but will likely play their remaining games without star forward Leon Draisaitl, who is out because of a lower-body injury. 

Next game: April 2, vs. Chicago Blackhawks (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, CHSN)

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 got a 4-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks in his first game as coach on Monday, but a playoff spot isn't a lock with the Los Angeles Kings just six points behind them with two games in hand. 

Next game: April 2, vs. Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNO, SNE, SN1)

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

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

San Jose Sharks -- 34-31-7 -- 75 points -- 10 GR

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

St. Louis Blues -- 31-31-11 -- 73 points -- 9 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 9 remaining games, three are against teams ahead of them in the Pacific Division: the Golden Knights on April 9 and April 15, and the Kings on April 13. 

Next game: April 1, vs, Mammoth (10 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) 

Sharks: Began a six-game homestand with a dramatic 5-4 win against the Blues on Monday in what was as close to a Game 7 situation for either team.  

Next game: April 1, vs. Ducks (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT)

Jets: They got a big 4-3 overtime win against the Blackhawks on Tuesday move within one point of the Predators for the second wild card.  

Next game: April 2,, at Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, SNW)

Blues: They had won four in a row prior to their 5-4 loss in what could have been a make-or-break game at the Sharks on Monday. Four of their nine remaining games are against teams ahead of them in the wild-card race: the Kings on April 1, the Ducks on April 3, the Jets on April 9 and the Mammoth on April 16.

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