With roughly one month remaining in the regular season, the 2026 NHL playoffs are taking shape. As of March 16, the league sits on the cusp of postseason drama, with division leaders solidifying positions and wild-card spots hanging in the balance. The Stanley Cup playoffs always deliver surprises, much like the Florida Panthers’ Cinderella run in 2023 from the final wild card to the Cup Final. ESPN NHL Playoffs NHL Playoffs Bracket
Current projections show a tightly contested Eastern Conference and a Western bracket where Pacific teams offer potentially softer first-round paths. Stathletes models highlight bracket busters like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Utah Mammoth as dark horses with strong advancement odds. Every team has about 15 games left before the April 16 cutoff, making the stretch run critical.
Eastern conference overview
The Atlantic Division leads the East with the Buffalo Sabres atop at 88 points, holding the A1 seed and facing WC1 Boston. Tampa Bay Lightning sit second with 84 points, matched against A3 Montreal Canadiens. The Sabres’ eight-game win streak has them pacing for 107.7 points, nearly locked in. ESPN NHL Playoffs
In the Metro, Carolina Hurricanes command M1 with 90 points, drawn against WC2 Detroit Red Wings. Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders round out M2 and M3 at 81 points each. Carolina’s 111.8 points pace underscores their dominance, but Pittsburgh’s recent form keeps them in the mix.
Wild cards add intrigue. Boston holds WC1 at 80 points (74.6% playoff odds), while Detroit clings to WC2, also at 80 but with just 34.5% chances. Right behind, Columbus Blue Jackets lurk at 79 points (84.1% odds), boasting winning records over Buffalo (2-0-0) and Tampa (3-0-0).
Columbus emerges as the East’s top bracket buster per Stathletes, with 57% second-round odds, 25.4% conference finals, 12.1% Cup Final, and 6% title shot. Their late-season schedule includes three against Carolina, offering chances to build momentum. For deeper analysis on the eastern wild-card race, check our recent breakdown.
Detroit faces tougher sledding, with losing records versus Carolina, Buffalo, and Tampa. Boston fares better at 2-1-0 against Buffalo but struggles with Tampa (0-1-1). Ottawa Senators (77 points, 64.4% odds) and others chase, but Columbus’ head-to-head edges make them the team to watch.
The bracket pits A1 vs. WC1 and M1 vs. WC2, potentially setting up Bruins-Sabres or Hurricanes-Red Wings in round one. With 15-17 games left, upsets loom large.
Western conference breakdown
Colorado Avalanche lead the Central juggernaut at 97 points (C1), facing WC2 San Jose Sharks or Seattle Kraken. Dallas Stars (94 points, C2) and Minnesota Wild (88 points, C3) follow, locked in with 99.9% odds. Colorado’s 122.4 points pace signals Cup contention.
Pacific offers wild-card hope. Anaheim Ducks hold P1 at 77 points over Vegas Golden Knights (76, P2) and Edmonton Oilers (75, P3). Utah Mammoth claim WC1 at 74 points (93.5% odds), facing Anaheim first.
Seattle (71 points, WC2) and San Jose (70 points, 80.3% odds) battle for the second spot. Los Angeles Kings (69 points, 24.8%) hover nearby. The first wild card draws Pacific winners, easier than Central beasts like Colorado (88-97 points).
Utah stands out with 46.5% second-round odds, best among West wild cards. Their 1-1-0 vs. Vegas, 1-0-1 vs. Anaheim, and two remaining vs. Edmonton position them well. Post-trade deadline standings shifts have favored teams like these; see our coverage here.
San Jose has one win over Colorado but losses elsewhere. Seattle dropped two to Avs, Kings swept. Pacific’s lower points (73-77) vs. Central make WC1 a dream path.
Nashville (67 points, 6.3% odds) and Winnipeg (66, 2.1%) fade, tightening the race.
Critical wild-card races
East wild cards: Boston (80 pts), Detroit (80), Columbus (79). Columbus’ 84.1% odds and bully records position them as spoilers. Stathletes favors them most.
West: Utah (74, WC1), Seattle (71, WC2), San Jose (70). Utah’s 93.5% lock contrasts San Jose’s surge (80.3%). LA chases at 24.8%.
Bubble teams like Ottawa (64.4%), Pittsburgh/NYI (65-73%), face do-or-die stretches. Games remaining: 14-17.
Head-to-heads decide: Columbus owns Buffalo/Tampa; Utah even with Pacific foes.
| Wild card contenders | Points | Playoff odds | Key matchup records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | 80 | 74.6% | 2-1-0 vs. BUF |
| Detroit Red Wings | 80 | 34.5% | 1-2-0 vs. CAR |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 79 | 84.1% | 3-0-0 vs. TB |
| Utah Mammoth | 74 | 93.5% | 1-1-0 vs. VGK |
| Seattle Kraken | 71 | 11.1% | 0-2-0 vs. COL |
| San Jose Sharks | 70 | 80.3% | 1-2-0 vs. COL |
Games to watch this week
Monday’s slate impacts races. Boston at New Jersey (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) tests WC1 Bruins. Calgary at Detroit eyes Red Wings’ hold.
Utah at Dallas (8 p.m.) challenges Mammoth’s WC1. Pittsburgh at Colorado (9:30 p.m., ESPN) probes Penguins’ mettle.
Last night’s results: Winnipeg 3-2 St. Louis, Ottawa 7-4 San Jose (Sharks slip), Anaheim 4-3 Montreal, Toronto 4-2 Minnesota, Edmonton 3-1 Nashville, Seattle 6-2 Florida.
Full schedule on NHL.com.
Draft lottery implications
Vancouver Canucks lead the tank race at 48 points, followed by Calgary (59), Chicago (61). Only bottom 11 eligible for No. 1 pick (Gavin McKenna atop boards).
Florida/Toronto (69/70) and San Jose (70) round early lottery hopefuls. Toronto’s pick belongs to Boston outside top-5.
Playoff chasers like NJ (68, 0.8%) risk missing playoffs and draft boost.
As races converge, the final month promises chaos. Wild cards like Columbus and Utah could bust brackets, echoing past underdogs. Track daily on ESPN’s playoff watch for updates—what team makes the deepest Cinderella run? ESPN NHL Playoffs
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.