Eight teams per conference qualify: the top three in each division plus two wild cards. The conference cutline is a mathematical overview, not the official division-and-wild-card seeding table.
1 places
Conference
1Arizona Coyotes0 pts5 remainingOn the line1 point to guarantee above the mathematical line.
8 places
Eastern Conference
1Florida Panthers0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
2Toronto Maple Leafs0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
3Carolina Hurricanes0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
4Tampa Bay Lightning0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
5New York Rangers0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
6Boston Bruins0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
7Pittsburgh Penguins0 pts5 remainingIn qualifying places7 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
8Washington Capitals0 pts3 remainingOn the line9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
9New York Islanders0 pts12 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
10Columbus Blue Jackets0 pts7 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
11Ottawa Senators0 pts11 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
8 places
Western Conference
1Colorado Avalanche0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
2Minnesota Wild0 pts4 remainingIn qualifying places7 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
3St. Louis Blues0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
4Edmonton Oilers0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
5Calgary Flames0 pts0 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
6Vegas Golden Knights0 pts7 remainingIn qualifying places7 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
7Nashville Predators0 pts3 remainingIn qualifying places9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
8Los Angeles Kings0 pts0 remainingOn the line9 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
9Dallas Stars0 pts0 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
10Vancouver Canucks0 pts8 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
11Winnipeg Jets0 pts10 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
How the line and tiebreakers work
NHL ties use points percentage when games played differ, followed by regulation wins, regulation-and-overtime wins, total wins, head-to-head points and goal-based criteria.
Cutline and guarantee math uses the current SportsDB table plus scheduled games remaining. Equal records still require the official tiebreaker; provider schedule gaps can change the estimate.
Competition profile
NHL
The National Hockey League is the leading professional ice hockey league in North America, with 32 clubs across the United States and Canada. The 2026-27 season expands to 84 games per team; the top three clubs in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Florida Panthers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning
Boston Bruins
Ottawa Senators
Detroit Red Wings
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
