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.
8 places
Eastern Conference
1Washington Capitals0 pts80 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
2Carolina Hurricanes0 pts78 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
3Tampa Bay Lightning0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
4Columbus Blue Jackets0 pts80 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
5New Jersey Devils0 pts80 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
6New York Rangers0 pts78 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
7Boston Bruins0 pts78 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
8Montreal Canadiens0 pts79 remainingOn the line159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
9Toronto Maple Leafs0 pts78 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
10Pittsburgh Penguins0 pts78 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
11Ottawa Senators0 pts79 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
8 places
Western Conference
1Edmonton Oilers0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
2Vegas Golden Knights0 pts78 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
3Seattle Kraken0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
4Dallas Stars0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
5Utah Mammoth0 pts78 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
6Colorado Avalanche0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
7San Jose Sharks0 pts79 remainingIn qualifying places159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
8Anaheim Ducks0 pts79 remainingOn the line159 points to guarantee above the mathematical line.
9Minnesota Wild0 pts79 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
10Winnipeg Jets0 pts79 remainingChasing the lineBehind on the official standings order; games played or tiebreakers apply.
11St. Louis Blues0 pts79 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.
Optional cookies and related technologies help us understand site traffic and see whether Reddit ads lead to Pick'em registrations. Declining does not affect site access.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Detroit Red Wings
