When do NHL playoffs start? Final 2026 standings and playoff bracket

The NHL's regular season is over, and the 2026 playoff field is set.

The Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings entered their regular-season finales with a chance to finish second or third in the Pacific Division or in the second wild-card spot in the West.

The Oilers and Ducks won and the Kings lost, so everything held serve. The Oilers will open at home against the Ducks on Monday. The Kings avoid a fifth consecutive playoff meeting with the Oilers but they will play the No. 1 overall Colorado Avalanche, starting in Denver on Sunday.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the final playoff bracket, before the postseason begins on April 18:

NHL playoff bracket

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is the Eastern Conference playoff bracket with the season ended on April 16:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3)
• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (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 the Western Conference playoff bracket with the season ended on April 16:

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
• Vegas (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Edmonton (P2) vs. Anaheim (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 playoff standings

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 16 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

• y-Carolina Hurricanes (113) Eastern Conference winner
• x-Pittsburgh Penguins (98)
• x-Philadelphia Flyers (98)

Atlantic Division

• y-Buffalo Sabres (109)
• x-Tampa Bay Lightning (106)
• x-Montreal Canadiens (106)

Wild card

• x-Boston Bruins (100)
• x-Ottawa Senators (99)

Out of the playoffs: z-Washington Capitals (95), z-Detroit Red Wings (92), z-Columbus Blue Jackets (92), z-New York Islanders (91), z-New Jersey Devils (87), z-Florida Panthers (84), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (77)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 16 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

• y-Colorado Avalanche (121) - Presidents' Trophy winner
• x-Dallas Stars (112)
• x-Minnesota Wild (104)

Pacific Division

• y-Vegas Golden Knights (95)
• x-Edmonton Oilers (93)
• x-Anaheim Ducks (92)

Wild card

• x-Utah Mammoth (92)
• x-Los Angeles Kings (90)

Out of the playoffs: z-San Jose Sharks (86), z-St. Louis Blues (86), z-Nashville Predators (86), z-Winnipeg Jets (82), z-Seattle Kraken (79), z-Calgary Flames (77), z-Chicago Blackhawks (72), z-Vancouver Canucks (58)

Flames beat Kings: What it means

The Kings end the regular season with 3-1 loss. Wins by the Oilers and Ducks rendered the outcome of this game meaningless as Los Angeles remains the second wild-card seed. The Kings will visit the Colorado Avalanche for Game 1 on Sunday, April 19. Captain Anze Kopitar was held without a point in his regular season finale and finishes with 452 goals, 864 assists and 1,316 points in 1,516 career games.

Flames add to lead

The Kings pull their goalie and Joel Farabee scores an empty netter for his 20th goal of the season. Flames 3, Kings 1

Oilers beat Canucks: What it means

Edmonton's 6-1 rout means it clinches second place in the Pacific Division. It will open the playoffs at home on Monday, April 20 against the Anaheim Ducks in a bid for a third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Flames take lead

The Kings fall behind on a goal by Calgary's Zayne Parekh. It might not matter for the Kings. With the Ducks winning and the Oilers up 6-1, Los Angeles will stay in the second wild-card spot.

Oilers score again

Colton Dach gives Edmonton a 6-1 lead.

Oilers-Canucks third period underway

Edmonton leads 5-1. If this holds, the Oilers host the Ducks in Game 1 of the first round.

Kings-Flames third period underway

Score is tie 1-1. Barring an Oilers collapse, the Kings will remain in the second wild card seed.

Ducks beat Predators: What it means

The Ducks prevail 5-4 in a back-and-forth game against the Predators. That moves them temporarily into second place in the Pacific Division, but the Oilers should reclaim that seed because they're up 5-1 against the Canucks. Anaheim will finish no longer than third.

Oilers rolling against Canucks

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins knocks in a puck out of the air for his 20th goal of the season.. Connor McDavid picks up his fourth assist on the game. Oilers 5, Canucks 1

Ducks take the lead

Troy Terry, who was high-sticked, scores on the power play. Ducks 5, Predators 4

Ducks go on power play

Troy Terry has a bloody mouth after being high-sticked and the Ducks have a four-minute power play.

Kings tie it up

Lo Angeles' Quinton Byfield has been hot with four goals in his last three games. It's his career best 24th goal of the season. Kings 1, Flames 1

Kings trailing Flames

Morgan Frost open the scoring for Calgary. The Kings will stay in the second wild card if they lose in regulation. Flames 1, Kings 0

Ducks tie it up

Tristan Luneau ties the game for Anaheim. Ducks 4 Predators 4

Kings-Flames second period underway

Scoreless so far,

Ducks-Predators third period underway

Ducks trail 4-3. They could drop to the second wild card if they lose.

Macklin Celebrini sets Sharks record

Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini has a goal and two assists against Winnipeg to set a franchise record for points in a season (115). He passes Joe Thornton, who had 114 in 2006-07.

End of first period: Oilers 4, Canucks 1

The Oilers are rolling behind a hat trick from Matt Savoie. If they win, they finish second in the Pacific Division.

Matt Savoie hat trick

Matt Savoie scores his third goal of the game, all set up by Connor McDavid. Oilers 4, Canucks 1

End of first: Kings 0, Flames 0

The Kings have outshot the Flames 10-2, but Flames goalie Arsenii Sergeev has stopped them all in his NHL debut.

Oilers restore two-goal lead

Connor McDavid sets up Matt Lavoie for the second time in the game. Oilers 3, Canucks 1

Predators take lead on Ducks

Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the game to give Nashville the lead. Predators 4, Ducks 3

Canucks cut into Oilers lead

Ty Mueller, an Edmonton native, scores his first NHL goalie as Vancouver cuts into the Oilers' lead. Oilers 2, Canucks 1

Predators tie game with Ducks

Filip Forsberg scores his second goal of the game and his 40th of the season. Ducks 3, Predators 3

Oilers add to lead

Edmonton's Matt Savoie doubles the Oilers' lead Oilers 2, Canucks 0

Oilers take lead

Josh Samanski opens the scoring at 1:56. Oilers 1, Canucks 0

Ducks take lead

Alex Killorn scores 4:33. John Carlson picks up his second assist of the game. Ducks 3, Predators 2

Kings-Flames underway

Los Angeles is currently in the second wild-card spot but can move up to second in the Pacific. It would need help.

Oilers-Canucks underway

Edmonton hangs onto second place in the Pacific Division if its get at least one peroid.

Ducks-Predators second period underway

2-2 tie. Ducks going on power play early in the period.

End of first: Ducks 2, Predators 2

Anaheim gets an early goal and a late goal to come out of the first period with a tie. Because Edmonton has the tiebreaker, the Ducks need to win to have a shot at second place in the Pacific Division.

Ducks tie game late in first

Jackson Lacombe beats Juuse Saros with 21 seconds left in the first period with Cutter Gauthier setting a screen. Ducks 2, Predators

Predators take lead against Ducks

Filip Forsberg scores his 39th goal on the power play. Predators 2, Ducks 1

Predators go on power play

Cutter Gauthier is called for holding, and the Predators capitalized

Predators' Steven Stamkos ties game

He scores his 41st goal to tie the game. Ducks 1, Predators 1

Cutter Gauthier gives Ducks lead

Great pass by Ryan Poehling as Cutter Gauthier scores his 41st goal of the season less than two minute into the game. Ducks 1, Predators 0

Ducks-Predators underway

Anaheim needs a win to have a chance at home-ice advantage in the first round.

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Boston, Ottawa

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, Utah, Los Angeles

Who can clinch an NHL playoff seed today?

Here are some of the permutations for determining the final Pacific Division seedings:

• The Edmonton Oilers would clinch second in the Pacific if they beat the Vancouver Canucks or if they get one point and the Ducks and Kings lose. They would finish third if they lose in regulation, the Ducks win and the Kings lose. They would finish in the second wild card if they lose in regulation and the Ducks and Kings win.
• The Anaheim Ducks would clinch second place if they beat the Nashville Predators and the Oilers lose in regulation. They would finish third if the Oilers get at least one point and Anaheim gains one more point than the Kings during the night. They would get the second wild card if they lose and the Kings win.
• The Kings would clinch second place if they beat the Calgary Flames, the Oilers lose in regulation and the Ducks lose. They would finish third if they win, the Oilers get a point and the Ducks lose. They would stay in the second wild-card spot if they lose in regulation or if they gain the same number of points or fewer points than the Oilers and Ducks during the course of the night.

Today's NHL games

• Blues 5, Mammoth 3
• Ducks 5, Predators 4
• Sharks 6, Jets 1
• Flames 3, Kings 1
• Oilers 6, Canucks 1
• Seattle at Colorado, 10, ESPN

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. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

In the Pacific Division, the Oilers have the most regulation wins, followed by the Ducks and Kings.

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 will begin on Saturday, April 18. There are three openers on Saturday, four on Sunday and one on Monday.