NHL Playoff Standings 2025: Current Bracket Matchups and Postseason Picture

The NHL regular season wraps up Thursday, April 17 and it appears as though there will be two playoff chases that go right down to the wire.

In the Eastern Conference, the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets continue to battle for the eighth and final spot in the postseason dance. Out in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames continue to compete over the final two spots.

We know the first round will see playoff rivalries renewed in the Western Conference when the Dallas Stars battle the Colorado Avalanche, who have eliminated them each of the last two seasons, while the Oilers look to make it 4-0 against the Los Angeles Kings in opening round action since 2022.

What are the current standings and latest updates on playoff action?

Find out with this look at the postseason picture.

The current Eastern Conference Playoff Standings are:

1. Washington Capitals-Z (109 points)
2. Toronto Maple Leafs-X (104 points)
3. Tampa Bay Lightning-X (100 points)
4. Carolina Hurricanes-X (99 points)
5. Florida Panthers-X (98 points)
6. Ottawa Senators-X (94 points)
7. New Jersey Devils-X (89 points)
8. Montreal Canadiens (88 points)
9. Columbus Blue Jackets (85 points)
10. New York Islanders-E (82 points)
11. Detroit Red Wings-E (81 points)
12. New York Rangers-E (81 points)
13. Pittsburgh Penguins-E (78 points)
14. Buffalo Sabres-E (77 points)
15. Philadelphia Flyers-E (76 points)
16. Boston Bruins-E (75 points)

Z (clinched conference); Y (clinched division); X (clinched playoff spot); E (eliminated from playoff contention)

The current Western Conference Playoff picture is:

1. Winnipeg Jets-X (114 points)
2. Vegas Golden Knights-X (107 points)
3. Dallas Stars-X (106 points)
4. Colorado Avalanche-X (102 points)
5. Los Angeles Kings-X (101 points)
6. Edmonton Oilers-X (99 points)
7. Minnesota Wild (95 points)
8. St. Louis Blues (94 points)
9. Calgary Flames (92 points)
10. Vancouver Canucks-E (88 points)
11. Utah Hockey Club-E (87 points)
12. Anaheim Ducks-E (78 points)
13. Seattle Kraken-E (76 points)
14. Nashville Predators-E (66 points)
15. Chicago Blackhawks-E (57 points)
16. San Jose Sharks-E (51 points)

X (clinched playoff spot); E (eliminated from playoff contention)

The Calgary Flames continue to battle for the final wild card in the Western Conference and Sunday night against the hapless San Jose Sharks, kept their pursuit of the postseason alive with a 5-2 victory.

 Yegor Sharangovich scored twice in the win, which inched the team closer to the eighth seed currently held by the St. Louis Blues. The Flames now sit within two points of that squad and three of the No. 7 team, the Minnesota Wild, and have two games to make up ground.

Each of the teams in their proverbial windshield has just one.

If the Flames can complete the comeback and get into the playoffs, they will become just the second team in league history to overcome a five-point deficit in the final four games of the season, per NHL.com. The 1958-59 Toronto Maple Leafs were the other team.

Sharangovich said of his two-goal performance after the game, "You think about scoring goals to help the team win, but you're not thinking about just numbers. You're thinking about making the playoffs right now. It's not fun when the summer's long. It'll be more fun if I score and we make the playoffs."

The win helped the Flames stave off elimination as a regulation loss would have kept them out of the postseason. Getting there still will not be easy. Up next for the Flames are the Vegas Golden Knights, a team looking to keep momentum alive entering the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Kings, who are battling to retain the No. 2 spot in the Pacific Division amid the challenge of a red-hot Edmonton Oilers team.