The NHL playoffs for the 2025-26 season are set to begin on April 18. Six of the eight playoff series are already determined, with two remaining spots to be decided on the final day of the regular season.
Key points
NHL playoffs start on April 18, 2026
Six playoff series are already set
Two playoff spots will be decided on the final day
Oilers, Ducks, and Kings are competing for playoff positions
Tiebreaker procedures are established for the season
Edmonton OilersAnaheim DucksLos Angeles KingsColorado Avalanche
Six of the NHL's eight playoff series are set, and the last two will be determined on the final day of the 2025-26 regular season.
The Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, who are playing other opponents, can finish in either the second or third seed in the Pacific Division or the second wild card spot in the West.
The second-place team would host the third place team in the first two games of the first round, while the second wild team would visit the No. 1 overall Colorado Avalanche.
There's a possibility that the Oilers and Kings would face each other for the fifth year in a row in the first round.
Here's what to know about theĀ NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, Wednesday's clinching scenario and theĀ tiebreaker proceduresĀ for the 2025-26 season before the postseason begins on April 18:
April 5: A Toronto Maple Leafs fan attends the game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.
April 4: Fans of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche bang on the glass during the second period of the game between the Stars and Avalanche at the American Airlines Center.
Q&A
When do the NHL playoffs start in 2026?
The NHL playoffs are scheduled to start on April 18, 2026.
Which teams are still vying for playoff spots in the NHL?
The Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings are competing for the final playoff spots in the Pacific Division and the second wild card in the West.
What are the NHL tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season?
The NHL has specific tiebreaker procedures in place, which are detailed in the league's official guidelines for the 2025-26 season.
How does the NHL playoff bracket look for 2026?
The playoff bracket for the 2026 NHL season includes six confirmed series, with the final two matchups to be determined based on the last day of the regular season.
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March 5; Fans in the stands during the first period between the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi! stands on seats during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on Jan. 22, 2026.
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) skates during warmup in front of fans' signs welcoming him back to Toronto.
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) poses for a photo with a fan as he comes off the ice after warmups.
A fan cheers during the third period in the 2026 Winter Classic ice hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park.
New York Rangers fans cheer after the 2026 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park.
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty and members of the Dance Team perform before game against the Vancouver Canucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Young Detroit Red Wings fans make as much noise as they can during the third period at Little Caesars Arena.
Carolina Hurricanes and former Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) tosses a puck to a fan in his return to Canada Life Centre.
A young fan watches the action during the third period of the game between the Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose.
Hockey fans hold up signs before a Global Series ice hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Avicii Arena.
Hockey fans hold up signs before a Global Series ice hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Avicii Arena.
Minnesota Wild mascot Nordy poses for photos with fans during the first period of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Grand Casino Arena.
Seattle Kraken mascot Buoy celebrates with goalie Joey Daccord (35) after a victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at Climate Pledge Arena.
Colorado Avalanche fans cheer in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena.
A Colorado Avalanche fans holds up a sign for Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood in the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena.
A young fan sees her reflection in the arena glass during a game between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
Minnesota Wild mascot Nordy poses for photos with fans during the first period of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Grand Casino Arena.
A San Jose Sharks fan dresses in costume for Halloween during a game against the New Jersey Devils at SAP Center.
Tusky, the new Utah Mammoth mascot, is introduced to the fans before the game against the Calgary Flames at Delta Center.
A San Jose Sharks fan reacts after her team scores during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes.
A Boston Bruins fan cheers for the team during the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty performs before a game against the Florida Panthers
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) greets fans on the blue carpet before opening night against the New York Islanders.
Fans reach for a puck flipped over the glass by Vancouver Canucks forward Linus Karlsson (94) during warmup before a game against the St. Louis Blues.
Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound before a game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston signs autographs for the fans as he walks the green carpet before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild.
Tampa Bay Lightning mascot Thunderbug celebrates after beating the Florida Panthers at Benchmark International Arena.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) skates past fans holding signs during warmups before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury suited up for the Penguins one last time during the preseason game.
1 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
April 5: A Toronto Maple Leafs fan attends the game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.
1 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
April 5: A Toronto Maple Leafs fan attends the game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre.
2 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
April 4: Fans of the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche bang on the glass during the second period of the game between the Stars and Avalanche at the American Airlines Center.
3 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
March 5; Fans in the stands during the first period between the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Saddledome.
4 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi! stands on seats during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at the Bell Centre on Jan. 22, 2026.
5 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) skates during warmup in front of fans' signs welcoming him back to Toronto.
6 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) poses for a photo with a fan as he comes off the ice after warmups.
7 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A fan cheers during the third period in the 2026 Winter Classic ice hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park.
8 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
New York Rangers fans cheer after the 2026 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers at loanDepot Park.
9 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty and members of the Dance Team perform before game against the Vancouver Canucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
10 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Young Detroit Red Wings fans make as much noise as they can during the third period at Little Caesars Arena.
11 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Carolina Hurricanes and former Winnipeg Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) tosses a puck to a fan in his return to Canada Life Centre.
12 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A young fan watches the action during the third period of the game between the Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose.
13 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Hockey fans hold up signs before a Global Series ice hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Avicii Arena.
14 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Hockey fans hold up signs before a Global Series ice hockey game between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Avicii Arena.
15 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Minnesota Wild mascot Nordy poses for photos with fans during the first period of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Grand Casino Arena.
16 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Seattle Kraken mascot Buoy celebrates with goalie Joey Daccord (35) after a victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at Climate Pledge Arena.
17 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Colorado Avalanche fans cheer in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at Ball Arena.
18 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A Colorado Avalanche fans holds up a sign for Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood in the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena.
19 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A young fan sees her reflection in the arena glass during a game between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.
20 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Minnesota Wild mascot Nordy poses for photos with fans during the first period of the game against the Winnipeg Jets at Grand Casino Arena.
21 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A San Jose Sharks fan dresses in costume for Halloween during a game against the New Jersey Devils at SAP Center.
22 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Tusky, the new Utah Mammoth mascot, is introduced to the fans before the game against the Calgary Flames at Delta Center.
23 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A San Jose Sharks fan reacts after her team scores during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes.
24 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
A Boston Bruins fan cheers for the team during the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.
25 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty performs before a game against the Florida Panthers
26 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (8) greets fans on the blue carpet before opening night against the New York Islanders.
27 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Fans reach for a puck flipped over the glass by Vancouver Canucks forward Linus Karlsson (94) during warmup before a game against the St. Louis Blues.
28 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound before a game against the Winnipeg Jets.
29 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston signs autographs for the fans as he walks the green carpet before the game between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild.
30 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Tampa Bay Lightning mascot Thunderbug celebrates after beating the Florida Panthers at Benchmark International Arena.
31 / 31
NHL fans and mascots cheer on their teams in 2025-26 season
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) skates past fans holding signs during warmups before the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Fleury suited up for the Penguins one last time during the preseason game.
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.
Out of the playoffs: **z-**Washington Capitals (95),Ā **z-**Detroit Red Wings (92), **z-**Columbus Blue Jackets (92), **z-**New York Islanders (91), **z-**New Jersey Devils (87),Ā **z-**Florida Panthers (84),Ā **z-**Toronto Maple Leafs (78),Ā **z-**New York Rangers (77)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
After April 15 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.
Out of the playoffs:Ā **z-**Nashville Predators (86), **z-**St. Louis Blues (84), **z-**San Jose Sharks (84), **z-**Winnipeg Jets (82), **z-**Seattle Kraken (79),Ā **z-**Calgary Flames (75),Ā **z-**Chicago Blackhawks (72),Ā **z-**Vancouver Canucks (58)
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 15:
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3) This series is set
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1) This series is set
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3) This series is set
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.Ā Key: M -Ā Metropolitan Division.Ā A -Ā Atlantic Division.Ā WC -Ā wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 15.
Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3). This series is set
Vegas (P1) vs. Utah (WC1) This series is set
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.Ā Key: C -Ā Central DivisionĀ P -Ā Pacific Division.Ā WC -Ā 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:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
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. 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.
Goal differential
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.
