Who's in 2026 NHL playoffs? Updated standings, bracket, tiebreakers

Editor's note: NHL playoff outlook for Monday, April 6, can be found here.

Saturday was a strange day in the NHL.

The Buffalo Sabres saw their record 14-season postseason drought come to an end. Hours later, the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers saw their run come to an end.

The Panthers were devastated by injuries this season, including a torn ACL for captain Aleksander Barkov on the first day of practice, and weren't able to three-peat. They had been to the last three Stanley Cup Finals.

The Sabres, meanwhile, are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011. They were last in the Eastern Conference in early December and surged after switching general managers to Jarmo Kekalainen. They lost on Saturday and dropped to third place in the Atlantic Division.

Saturday's 15-game schedule was full of playoff implications.

• The Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a playoff berth at the same time as the Sabres when the Red Wings lost in regulation.
• Central Division-leading Colorado beat No. 2 Dallas 2-0 and extended its lead to eight points.
• Ottawa, Detroit and Columbus, tied with 88 points, all lost in regulation, allowing the Senators to hold onto the second wild-card spot in the East. Washington pulled within a point with Saturday's victory against the Sabres. The Senators, Red Wings, Flyers (88 points) and Capitals play on Sunday.
• Los Angeles (81) briefly moved into the second wild-card spot, but Nashville (81) later grabbed that position with a victory against San Jose (79). Winnipeg improved to 78 points.
• The Pacific Division race tightened up when Vegas beat Edmonton and Anaheim also lost. The Golden Knights (86) are one point back of the division-leading Oilers (87) and the second-place Ducks (87).

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota

Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?

• The Buffalo Sabres will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Capitals or if the Red Wings lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and either of the following occurs: The Red Wings lose or the Senators lose in regulation. Note: The Sabres clinched with the Red Wings' loss.
• The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Bruins or the Red Wings lose in regulation. They'd also clinch if they get one point and either of the following occurs: The Red Wings lose or the Senators lose in regulation. Note: The Lightning clinched with the Red Wings' loss.
• The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch the Metropolitan Division title if they defeat the Islanders in regulation and the Penguins fail to win in regulation. They'd also clinch if they win in overtime or a shootout and the Penguins lose. Another option: They gain one point and the Penguins lose in regulation. Note: The Penguins won, so the Hurricanes will have to wait to clinch the division title.

NHL games today (Saturday, April 4)

• Rangers 4, Red Wings 1
• Wild 4, Senators 1
• Avalanche 2, Stars 0
• Lightning 3, Bruins 1
• Penguins 9, Panthers 4
• Canadiens 4, Devils 3 (SO)
• Capitals 6, Sabres 2
• Hurricanes 4, Islanders 3
• Jets 2, Blue Jackets 1
• Mammoth 7, Canucks 4
• Kings 7, Maple Leafs 6 (OT)
• Golden Knights 5, Oilers 1
• Flames 5, Ducks 3
• Predators 6, Sharks 3
• Blackhawks 4, Kraken 2

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 4 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated

Metropolitan Division

• x-Carolina Hurricanes (104)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (94)
• New York Islanders (89)

Atlantic Division

• x-Tampa Bay Lightning (102)
• Montreal Canadiens (100)
• x-Buffalo Sabres (100)

Wild card

• Boston Bruins (96)
• Ottawa Senators (88)

Sitting out of playoff position: Detroit Red Wings (88), Philadelphia Flyers (88), Columbus Blue Jackets (88), Washington Capitals (87), New Jersey Devils (81), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-Florida Panthers (77), z-New York Rangers (73)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 4 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated

Central Division

• x-Colorado Avalanche (110)
• x-Dallas Stars (102)
• x-Minnesota Wild (98)

Pacific Division

• Edmonton Oilers (87)
• Anaheim Ducks (87)
• Vegas Golden Knights (86)

Wild card

• Utah Mammoth (86)
• Nashville Predators (81)

Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (81), San Jose Sharks (79), Winnipeg Jets (78), St. Louis Blues (76), Seattle Kraken (75), Calgary Flames (72), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)

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 on April 4:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)
• Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
• Montreal (A2) vs. Buffalo (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 4.

• Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
• Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Anaheim (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. 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.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.