2024 NHL PLAYOFFS: BRACKET, UPDATED STANDINGS, LATEST PLAYOFF PICTURE AND MORE
The NHL playoff field is half filled after the Winnipeg Jets clinched Thursday night, and three more teams can join them on Friday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Edmonton Oilers can make it official, plus the Eastern Conference standings could have a different look after Friday's games.
The Washington Capitals dropped out of the second wild-card spot Thursday but could jump back into a playoff position depending on how they fare against the Carolina Hurricanes.
From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.
The Detroit Red Wings also have a chance to move up during their game against the New York Rangers. If Washington and Detroit win and the Philadelphia Flyers lose to the Buffalo Sabres, the Flyers and New York Islanders would move out of a playoff position.
With fewer than two weeks left in the NHL regular season, here's where the playoff races stand as of the morning of April 5 (full standings here):
Who has clinched an NHL playoff berth?
New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers in the East.
Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets in the West.
Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?
The idle Toronto Maple Leafs will clinch if any of the following occurs:
- The Capitals lose to the Hurricanes and the Red Wings lose to the Rangers in regulation.
-The Flyers lose to the Sabres and the Capitals lose to the Hurricanes in regulation.
-The Flyers lose to the Sabres and the Red Wings lose to the Rangers in regulation.
-The Capitals, Red Wings and Flyers all lose in any fashion.
The idle Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch if the Capitals, Red Wings and Flyers all lose in regulation.
The Edmonton Oilers will clinch if they get at least one point vs. the Colorado Avalanche.
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2023-24
Metropolitan Division
x-New York Rangers (106 points)
x-Carolina Hurricanes (101)
Philadelphia Flyers (83)
Atlantic Division
x-Boston Bruins (105)
x-Florida Panthers (101)
Toronto Maple Leafs (95)
Wild card
Tampa Bay Lightning (93)
New York Islanders (83)
Remaining teams
Washington Capitals (82(, Detroit Red Wings (82), Pittsburgh Penguins (81), Buffalo Sabres (77), New Jersey Devils (76), Ottawa Senators (70), z-Montreal Canadiens (70), z-Columbus Blue Jackets (62)
x-clinched playoff spot; z-eliminated
NHL Western Conference Standings 2023-24
Central Division
x-Dallas Stars (105)
x-Colorado Avalanche (102)
x-Winnipeg Jets (98)
Pacific Division
x-Vancouver Canucks (102)
Edmonton Oilers (95)
Vegas Golden Knights (92)
Wild card
Nashville Predators (92)
Los Angeles Kings (91)
Remaining teams
St. Louis Blues (84), Minnesota Wild (81), z-Seattle Kraken (75), z-Calgary Flames (73), z-Arizona Coyotes (67), z-Anaheim Ducks (54), z-Chicago Blackhawks (49), z-San Jose Sharks (42)
x-clinched playoff spot; z-eliminated
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended April 4:
New York Rangers (M1) vs. New York Islanders (WC2)
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) Philadelphia Flyers (M3)
Boston Bruins (A1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)
Florida Panthers (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. 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 April 4:
Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC2)
Colorado Avalanche (C2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (C3)
Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)
Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: P - Pacific Division. C - Central Division. WC - wild card
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on April 18 with six games.
When do the Stanley Cup playoffs begin?
They're scheduled to begin on April 22. The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is June 24.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 NHL playoffs: Bracket, updated standings, latest playoff picture and more
2024-03-29T15:34:42Z dg43tfdfdgfd