It’s just about the final weeks of the 2023-24 NHL regular season and the playoff picture is starting to take shape. We should still see a lot of movement in the Eastern Conference, while the West just about has its eight teams set. Below we’re going to go over the full picture for each conference with remaining schedules.
2024 NHL Standings: Playoff Picture
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Wild Card
*Note: Top two teams in WC standings advance to playoffs.
Schedule breakdown
Atlantic Division
Bruins: 4 games — vs. CAR, @ PIT, @ WAS, vs. OTT
Panthers: 4 games — vs. OTT, vs. CBJ, vs. BUF, vs. TOR
Maple Leafs: 5 games — @ NJD, vs. NJD, vs. DET, @ FLA, @ TBL
Lightning: 5 games — vs. CBJ, vs. OTT, @ WAS, vs. BUF, vs. TOR
Red Wings: 5 games — vs. WAS, @ PIT, @ TOR, vs. MTL, @ MTL
Metropolitan Division
Rangers: 4 games — @ NYI, vs. PHI, vs. NYI, vs. OTT
Hurricanes: 4 games — @ BOS, @ STL, @ CHI, @ CBJ
Flyers: 4 games — @ MTL, @ NYR, vs. NJD, vs. WAS
Capitals: 5 games — @ DET, @ BUF, vs. TBL, vs. BOS, @ PHI
Islanders: 5 games — vs. NYR, vs. MTL, @ NYR, @ NJD, vs. PIT
Penguins: 4 games — vs. DET, vs. BOS, vs. NSH, @ NYI
Update, April 9 — The Pens fell to the Leafs in overtime, so they picked up a point with a big matchup vs. the Red Wings looming. Toronto gets some distance on the Lightning, which should mean we see the Leafs in third place in the Atlantic (or second).
There are five teams in the East vying for two spots into the playoffs. The Red Wings can only get the second Wild Card spot. The four teams in the Metro — Penguins, Islanders, Capitals and Flyers — all have a shot at either third place in the division or the second Wild Card. Philly is on a seven-game losing streak and has fewer games remaining than the other teams. The Flyers also face the Rangers, who are trying to win the Presidents’ Trophy, and the Capitals, who are fighting for a spot but also have lost six in a row.
The Penguins are the hottest of this bunch and we still have that final game vs. the Islanders circled as a potential play-in game. Pittsburgh has a tough remaining schedule against five teams in the playoff picture and with varying degrees of something to play for. The Rangers have three straight games against opponents fighting for a spot. The Hurricanes have an outside shot at first place but only if the Rangers falter big time down the stretch. Carolina has a soft schedule to finish the season, however.
The Leafs have two games in hand in the Atlantic. But there’s five points of separation between the Bruins and Panthers and Florida and Toronto. So unless one of those teams goes on a losing streak, that should be the 1-2-3 in that division. The Lightning are only four points back of the Leafs but have played one more game. Tampa Bay and Toronto could play for third place in the Atlantic Division in that final regular-season game.
Western Conference
Central Division
Pacific Division
Wild Card
*Note: Top two teams in WC standings advance to playoffs.
Central Division
Stars: 4 games — vs. BUF, vs. WPG, vs. SEA, vs. STL
Avalanche: 4 games — vs. MIN, vs. WPG, @ VGK, vs. EDM
Jets: 5 games — @ NSH, @ DAL, @ COL, vs. SEA, vs. VAN
Predators: 4 games — vs. WPG, @ CHI, vs. CBJ, @ PIT
Blues: 4 games — vs. CHI, vs. CAR, vs. SEA, @ DAL
Wild: 5 games — @ COL, @ VGK, @ SJS, @ LAK, vs. SEA
Pacific Division
Canucks: 4 games — vs. ARI, @ EDM, vs. CGY, @ WPG
Oilers: 6 games — vs. VGK, vs. ARI, vs. VAN, vs. SJS, @ ARI, @ COL
Golden Knights: 5 games — @ EDM, vs. MIN, vs. COL, vs. CHI, vs. ANA
Kings: 5 games — @ ANA, vs. CGY, vs. ANA, vs. MIN vs. CHI
Update, April 9 — The Canucks defeated the Golden Knights on Monday night and that gives them a bit of cushion between first place and the Oilers. Vegas is still in good position to make the postseason but needs to pick up at least two wins to be clear of the Blues’ potential points.
Dallas is control of the Central Division and Western Conference’s top seed going into the final week. So the most likely opponents for the Stars in the first round are the Predators, Kings or Golden Knights. Without games in hand, the Blues’ shot of getting in are very slim. The Oilers are three points back of Vancouver with a game in hand, so first place in the Pacific is still in the air. The Oilers and Canucks face each other this Saturday in what could decide the division title. Really, we have our eight teams in the West, we’re just waiting on seeding.