The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are almost here, but there are still plenty of questions about which teams will qualify and which matchups we will see in the postseason. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have already clinched playoff spots, but other teams have a lot more work to do over the final dozen games.

In both conferences, the wild card races are incredibly tight. The Boston Bruins sit in the first spot but are only four points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, the first team outside the postseason. Meanwhile, the New York Islanders have jumped the Pittsburgh Penguins for second place in the Metro Division, pushing the Columbus Blue Jackets to the second wild card spot.

Out West, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have taken possession of the second-place spot in the Pacific Division, but they're chasing down the Anaheim Ducks, which sit in first place. The reeling Vegas Golden Knights still hold down third place, but the Los Angeles Kings are just four points behind them.

The Western Conference wild card race has recently shifted in a big way. The Nashville Predators have made a strong push and currently occupy the final wild card spot with 77 points, but just five points separate the four teams vying for that final playoff position.

Be sure to take a look at the full schedule with just a few weeks left to play.

Reminder: Here's how the NHL playoff seeding works

• The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs.
• Each conference has two wild card spots.
• The top division winner in each conference will play the second wild card team, and the other division winner will play the first wild card team.
• The second and third-place teams in each division will match up with one another in the first round.
• Regulation wins are the first tiebreaker.
• Regulation plus OT wins are the second tiebreaker

(X) denotes clinched playoff berth; (Y) denotes clinched division; (Z) denotes clinched conference; (P) denotes clinched Presidents' Trophy

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Buffalo Sabres | 45-21-8 | 98 points

Points percentage: .662
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus OT wins: 40
Current first-round matchup: Boston Bruins

2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 45-21-6 | 96 points

Points percentage: .667
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus OT wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Montreal Canadiens

3. Montreal Canadiens | 41-21-10 | 92 points

Points percentage: .639
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes | 46-20-6 | 98 points

Points percentage: .676
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus OT wins: 40
Current first-round matchup: Columbus Blue Jackets

2. New York Islanders | 42-27-5 | 89 points

Points percentage: .601
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins

3. Pittsburgh Penguins | 36-21-16 | 88 points

Points percentage: .603
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: New York Islanders

Wild Card

WC1. Boston Bruins | 41-24-8 | 90 points

Points percentage: .616
Regulation wins: 30
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Buffalo Sabres

WC2. Columbus Blue Jackets | 38-24-11 | 87 points

Points percentage: .596
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus OT wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes

In the hunt

Ottawa Senators | 38-25-10 | 86 points

Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus OT wins: 35

Detroit Red Wings | 38-26-8 | 84 points

Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus OT wins: 36

Philadelphia Flyers | 36-24-12 | 84 points

Points percentage: .583
Regulation wins: 23
Regulation plus OT wins: 27

Washington Capitals | 37-28-9 | 83 points

Points percentage: .561
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus OT wins: 35

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Colorado Avalanche | 48-14-10 | 106 points (X)

Points percentage: .736
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus OT wins: 45
Current first-round matchup: Nashville Predators

2. Dallas Stars | 44-18-11 | 99 points (X)

Points percentage: .678
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus OT wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Minnesota Wild

3. Minnesota Wild | 41-21-12 | 94 points

Points percentage: .635
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus OT wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars

Pacific Division

1. Anaheim Ducks | 41-28-4 | 86 points

Points percentage: .589
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus OT wins: 33
Current first-round matchup: Utah Mammoth

2. Edmonton Oilers | 37-28-9 | 83 points

Points percentage: .561
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus OT wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights

3. Vegas Golden Knights | 32-26-16 | 80 points

Points percentage: .541
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus OT wins: 31
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers

Wild Card

WC1. Utah Mammoth | 38-30-6 | 82 points

Points percentage: .548
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus OT wins: 38
Current first-round matchup: Anaheim Ducks

WC2. Nashville Predators | 34-30-9 | 77 points

Points percentage: .527
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 30
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche

In the hunt

Los Angeles Kings | 29-26-18 | 76 points

Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 19
Regulation plus OT wins: 25

Seattle Kraken | 32-29-11 | 75 points

Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 31

Winnipeg Jets | 31-30-12 | 74 points

Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus OT wins: 29

San Jose Sharks | 33-31-7 | 73 points

Points percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 21
Regulation plus OT wins: 31