NHL Playoff Picture: Standings, Bracket & Projections

NHL playoff outlook, NHL playoff standings, NHL playoffs

The Dallas Stars have rebounded after their mid-season skid and are now riding a wave of success into the postseason. (Getty)

The NHL playoff picture is starting to take shape.

But that doesn’t mean everything is quite set in stone. Sure, the Washington Capitals are riding their season-long wave of success to a No. 1 seed, but the rest of the league is still a bit up in the air.

In fact, the Chicago Blackhawks recent tailspin could send the reigning Stanley Cup champions straight into a Wild Card spot, the Detroit Red Wings are fighting for their postseason lives and the Anaheim Ducks are trying to prove it isn’t how you start, it’s how you finish that counts.

We know, it can be a lot to process. It can also be a heck of a lot of fun to speculate. If the season ended right now, here’s how it would all look. Let’s break it all down, shall we? Just click the arrow in the corner to get a look at both the Eastern and Western Conference standings.

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NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

Metropolitan Division

NHL playoff outlook, NHL playoff standings, NHL playoffs

Shayne Gostisbehere has been a major part of the Flyers’ late-season run towards the playoffs. (Getty)

Washington Capitals
Points: 109, Record: 52-15-5, Playoff Picture: The Caps are so far ahead of anyone that they’ve already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference before anyone else in their Division has even secured a postseason berth. That, well, that is pretty impressive. It’s honestly just a matter of time before Washington secures the Presidents’ Trophy as well. If the season ended right now, the Caps would play the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round. 
New York Rangers
Points: 
  92Record: 42-24-8Playoff Picture: The Blueshirts have notched back-to-back victories this week, including an impressive 5-2 showing against the Boston Bruins at the Garden on Wednesday night. New York can’t get any higher than No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, but need to be wary of the Pittsburgh Penguins who are right at the Rangers coattails. 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Point:
88, Record: 40-24-8, Playoff Picture: Hey, remember, when the Penguins fired their coach and Sydney Crosby wasn’t scoring? Oh, how the tables have turned. Pittsburgh is now sitting at No. 3 in the Eastern Conference, four points behind the Rangers. The Pens are surging at the right time now, there’s no doubt about that, but there’s also some room for movement, with 10 games left, either up or down to No. 2 or No. 4 in the Metro standings. Right now, if the season ended, the Pens would play the Rangers. 
New York Islanders
Points: 
87Record: 39-24-9Playoff Picture: Where have the goals gone? Because wherever they are, the Islanders should probably find them. Fast. New York got back on track Wednesday with a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators, snapping a four-game losing skid. Right now, though, the Islanders are sitting in fourth in the Metro and facing a Wild Card matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 
Philadelphia Flyers
Points:
83Record: 35-24-13Playoff Picture: If the season ended right now, the Flyers would be playoff-bound. Philadelphia will likely seize the last postseason berth in the Eastnern Conference thanks to some seriously strong late-season play and an aggressive on-ice performance that has the Flyers rolling. It would also set them up for a first round tilt against the Capitals. Philly fans may want to check out next Wednesday’s game against the Caps for a bit of a preview. 
NOT IN:
 New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets


Atlantic Division

NHL playoff outlook, NHL playoff standings, NHL playoffs

The Bruins are hoping to take advantage an up-and-down Atlantic on their road to the postseason. (Getty)

Tampa Bay Lightning
Points: 89, Record: 42-26-5, Playoff Picture: The Atlantic Division has been a bit up and down throughout the season and, right now, the Lightning are at the top. Tampa Bay is riding a two-game win streak and sitting at No. 1 in the Division standings and No. 4 in the conference. None of that, however, is guaranteed. The Panthers have the same point total and the Bruins, despite Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Rangers, are just three points behind. 
Florida Panthers
Points: 
89Record: 40-24-9Playoff Picture: The suprrise of the NHL season, the Panthers are still in the mix for the No. 1 spot out of the Atlantic. The Panthers and Lightning both have 89 points and nine games remaining, so all Florida has to do is keep winning. Easy, right? Not quite. Especailly not with Tampa Bay and Boston on the immediate scheudle. 
Boston Bruins
Points: 
86Record: 39-27-8Playoff Picture: So, the Bruins lost on Wednesday. Badly. And Boston’s final nine games of the season won’t be an easy out by any means. The Bruins are three points behind both Florida and Tampa Bay in the Division standings, but can certainly get an edge on that with a victory over the Panthers on Thursday night. 
Detroit Red Wings
Points: 
83Record: 36-26-11Playoff Picture: History may be made in Detroit this season, but not the kind the Red Wings may want. Despite 83 points – the same as the Flyers – Detroit is, currently, on the outside looking in on the playoff bubble. The Red Wings do have nine games left, but likely won’t be able to make a late-season run. 
Likely Not In:
 
Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs

Click the arrow in the corner to read up on the Western Conference playoff outlook.

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NHL Western Conference Playoff Picture

Central Division

NHL playoff outlook, NHL playoff standings, NHL playoffs

The Blackhawks haven’t exactly been dominant in the past few weeks, but are still looking at a deep playoff run. (Getty)

Dallas Stars
Points: 97, Record: 44-21-9, Playoff Picture: The Stars are already in, despite mssing Tyler Seguin. The Dallas star is nursing an Achilles injury, but the rest of his team has been making up for Seguin’s absence in a big way. The squad is nurisng a two-point cushion over the Blues and a six-point cushion on the Blackhawks. If the season ended right now, the Stars would face off against the Minnesota Wild. 
St. Louis Blues
Points: 
95Record: 43-22-9Playoff Picture: Somhow, it’s still all working in St. Louis. The Blues have faced one of the most injury plagued seasons of any squad in the league, but are still sitting in second in the Central. This could be a dangerous team come playoff time. Seriously. 
Chicago Blackhawks
Points:
91Record: 42-25-7Playoff Picture: Oh man, where do we even start, Chicago? It’s like clockwork; the Blackhawks March breakdown. And, this season is, apparantly, no different. A few weeks ago, we would have said we weren’t worried, but now, sitting in third place in the Central, it’s tough to feel too confident about the ‘Hawks, even with Patrick Kane on the roster. 
Nashville Predators
Points: 
87Record: 37-23-13Playoff Picture: This team may be a bit under-the-radar and the Predators like it that way. Nashvile is 6-2-2 in its last 10 and sit just four points behind the Blackhawks in the Central standings with nine games left, including six on home ice. It’s tough to think that Nashville could get by the ‘Hawks in the standings, and right now the Preds are looking at a Wild Card spot, but who knows? Crazier things have happened. 
Minnesota Wild
Points: 
81Record: 35-28-11Playoff Picture: Minnesota is riding a three-game win streak right now and it could send the Wild straight into a Wild Card spot. This team isn’t going to move much, except, possibly, down. After all, the Wild are just one point ahead of the Avalanche in the Western standings. 
Likely Not In:
Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets


Pacific Division

NHL playoff outlook, NHL playoff standings, NHL playoffs

The Ducks have bounced back from one of the worst starts in the league and are now looking at a playoff berth. (Getty)

Los Angeles Kings
Points: 93, Record: 44-24-5, Playoff Picture: After a short trip to No. 2, the Kings are back on top of their Division and looking like one of the toughest possible postsesaon opponents. They’re also four points ahead of the Ducks in the Pacific and while L.A. won’t get by the rest of the Central for a No. 1 seed, the Kings, who have already clinched a berth, are still playing their best hockey of the year right now. 
Anaheim Ducks
Points: 
89Record: 40-23-9Playoff Picture: Ok, sure, they’re not the same absurdly hot team that had seized control of the Pacific earlier this month, but the Ducks are still, likely, postseson bound and still playing some darn good hockey. But, be careful, Ducks fans. Don’t get too comfortable in that No. 2 spot. San Jose is nipping at your collective skates. 
San Jose Shraks
Points: 
88Record: 41-26-6Playoff Picture: Don’t look now, but the Sharks are making a run of things. San Jose has won six of its last 10 and is stting in a pretty comfortable third place in the Pacific. More important? The Sharks are just one point behind Anaheim with nine games left. This could get interesting. 
Not In:
Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers

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