NHL Playoff Standings 2023: Current Bracket Matchups and Postseason Picture (2024)

The NHL playoff brackets will be set by Friday at the latest.

The teams still jockeying for position in the Eastern and Western Conferences have either two or three games left to get into the best position possible or lock themselves into the field.

Seven of the eight playoff spots are filled in the West, while six of the eight playoff teams are confirmed in the East.

Most of the attention will be on the two wild-card races. Three teams are fighting for one spot in the West, and four squads are going after two spots in the East.

What we do know about the playoff bracket is the Boston Bruins will have home-ice advantage throughout the postseason. They set the record for most wins in a single season with 63 a victory Sunday.

The Presidents' Trophy winner will be one of the top picks to win the Stanley Cup along with the reigning champion Colorado Avalanche and the current West leader Vegas Golden Knights.

Atlantic Division

1. Boston - 131 points

2. Toronto - 105

3. Tampa Bay - 96

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina - 109

2. New Jersey - 108

3. New York Rangers - 106

Wild-Card Race

1. Florida - 91

2. New York Islanders - 91

3. Pittsburgh - 90

4. Buffalo - 85

Current Postseason Matchups

New York Islanders vs. Boston

Tampa Bay vs. Toronto

Florida vs. Carolina

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey

The drama in the East comes down to the wild-card race and seeding in the Metropolitan Division.

The Florida Panthers, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins are separated by one point in the wild-card hunt, while the Buffalo Sabres still have an outside shot despite being six points behind the Panthers and Islanders.

Buffalo has played two fewer games than anyone in the wild-card race. The Sabres need to beat the New York Rangers on the road on Monday to keep pace in the wild card. The Rangers need that win to potentially jump over the New Jersey Devils for second place in the Metropolitan.

Carolina owns the inside track to first place in the Metropolitan since it has an extra game left compared to the Devils and Rangers.

The Panthers and Islanders need wins on Monday to feel safe about their positions going into the rest of the week. Florida hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are locked into second in the Atlantic Division. The Islanders visit the eliminated Washington Capitals.

Both teams are expected to win their games, which is required given Pittsburgh's finish to the regular season. The Penguins should max out at 94 points with wins over the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Panthers and Islanders need to reach 95 points to keep the Penguins out and avoid any situation in which the Sabres surge into one of the wild-card positions. Buffalo's maximum number of points is 93.

Florida finishes the regular season at home against Carolina on Thursday in a game that could be meaningful to the Hurricanes' pursuit of the Metro title. The Hurricanes should beat the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings on Monday and Tuesday to remain in first. Those two wins may secure the divisional crown.

The Islanders end at home with the Montreal Canadiens in what should be an easy victory for them.

If Florida and New York win out, the wild-card spots belong to them no matter what happens with Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

Central Division

1. Colorado - 104

2. Dallas - 102

3. Minnesota - 100

Pacific Division

1. Vegas - 107

2. Edmonton - 105

3. Los Angeles - 100

Wild-Card Race

1. Seattle - 98

2. Winnipeg - 91

3. Calgary - 90

4. Nashville - 88

Current Postseason Matchups

Winnipeg vs. Vegas

Edmonton vs. Los Angeles

Seattle vs. Colorado

Minnesota vs. Dallas

The Calgary Flames have another chance to make a splash in the West wild-card race on Monday.

The Flames beat the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday and they can distance themselves from the Nashville Predators with a head-to-head win Monday.

Nashville needs a road win in Calgary to stay alive in the wild-card hunt. A loss would drop the Preds four points back of the Flames with two games left to play.

Calgary needs to beat Nashville and then the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday to put the most pressure possible on the Jets for the second wild-card spot.

Winnipeg has a game in hand on Calgary, but it finishes with road games against the Minnesota Wild and Colorado. The Jets should beat the San Jose Sharks at home on Monday.

The Jets need to find two points from the road contests with the Wild and Avalanche to fend off Calgary's threat for good. The Flames' maximum point total is 94.

Colorado, Minnesota and the Dallas Stars are still fighting for the Central Division crown. All three teams will play three games this week to determine the title.

Colorado plays the Edmonton Oilers at home on Tuesday before it hosts the Jets on Thursday. The Avs finish with a road trip to Nashville on Friday.

Minnesota visits Chicago, hosts Winnipeg and faces Nashville on the road.

Dallas has the easiest remaining schedule with road games against the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues and then a home contest against St. Louis.

The Stars could take first place away from the Avalanche, but Colorado will have the final say in the Central race since it plays on Friday.

Colorado is still chasing home-ice advantage in the West as well. The Vegas Golden Knights lead that competition and need two wins over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday and Thursday to remain in that position.

Vegas may face less of a fight from Seattle, who are at home for the second game, since the Kraken are already in the playoff field as the first wild-card team.

Seattle could still possibly be the No. 3 team in the Pacific Division since it is two points back of the Los Angeles Kings.

However, the Kings finish with the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks and should hold on to their current position to set up a first-round battle with Edmonton.