NHL Playoff Standings 2025, Top Seeds, Wild Card Update and Bracket Predictions
Monday's NHL results were more about who lost than which teams won.
The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers both blew opportunities to put pressure on each other in the Pacific Division.
The St. Louis Blues' 12-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.
St. Louis' defeat didn't hurt its standing in the wild-card race.
The Calgary Flames moved within four points of the Minnesota Wild in the West wild-card hunt, but the Flames still need a near-perfect finish to leap into the top eight in the standings.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
- Toronto - 98 points
- Tampa Bay - 96
- Florida - 92
Metropolitan Division
- Washington - 107
- Carolina - 96
- New Jersey - 89
Wild-Card Race
- Ottawa - 90
- Montreal - 85
- Detroit - 79
- New York Rangers - 79
- New York Islanders - 78
- Columbus - 77
Tampa Bay moved within two points of Toronto with its Monday victory.
Toronto can open the gap back up with a road win over a Florida team that rested some of its top starters on Sunday.
The Maple Leafs can finish off the Atlantic title if they beat the Panthers and Lightning in their next two games.
Tuesday's real drama in the East is in the wild-card race.
The Red Wings and Blue Jackets are in must-win situations against the Canadiens and Senators.
A Columbus win would keep Montreal on 85 points and within striking distance of all the chasing teams.
However, a Montreal victory could essentially end the wild-card hunt. The Canadiens could be clear by eight points if Detroit falls to Ottawa.
The Senators could jump out of a wild-card spot if they keep winning. They are only two points back of Florida for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Florida rested some of its top players on Sunday, and if that continues over the next few games, the Panthers could drop into one of the wild-card positions.
Bracket Prediction
Montreal vs. Washington
New Jersey vs. Carolina
Ottawa vs. Toronto
Florida vs. Tampa Bay
Western Conference
Central Division
- Winnipeg - 110
- Dallas - 105
- Colorado -98
Pacific Division
- Vegas - 102
- Los Angeles - 97
- Edmonton - 93
Wild-Card Race
- St. Louis - 93
- Minnesota - 91
- Calgary - 87
- Vancouver - 83
- Utah - 82
Los Angeles, Edmonton and St. Louis all missed opportunities to gain ground in their respective races on Monday.
The Kings fell to Seattle, Edmonton dropped points against Anaheim and the Blues fell to the league-leading Jets.
Los Angeles and Edmonton's losses kept the status quo in the Pacific Division. The Kings need a small miracle to make up their five-point gap to Vegas in the next week-and-a-half.
Edmonton seems stuck in third in the Pacific. The Oilers should have Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid back for the first-round series with the Kings.
The Blues aren't in peril because of how their 12-game winning streak elevated them in the standings.
Minnesota is now just four points ahead of Calgary after the Flames came from behind to beat San Jose on Monday.
Minnesota visits Calgary on Friday in a game where the Wild could create enough separation.
If not, the Wild's other three final games come against San Jose, Anaheim and Vancouver. Six points from those contests should get the Wild into the playoffs.
Bracket Prediction
Minnesota vs. Winnipeg
Colorado vs. Dallas
St. Louis vs. Vegas
Edmonton vs. Los Angeles