Stanley Cup Playoff races remarkably tight with less than 2 weeks to go

There are less than two weeks to go in the 2025-26 NHL regular season, and the races to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs are remarkably tight.

The race for first place in two of the four divisions still is up for grabs, but it's crazier than that.  

In the Eastern Conference, there are six teams within five points of each other for two spots (second wild card, third in Metropolitan). 

In the West, there are five teams within six points of each other for the final spot.  

Here is a deeper dive into every race entering the home stretch and what each team is facing. 

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Tampa Bay Lightning -- 48-24-6 -- 102 points -- 4 GR

Buffalo Sabres -- 47-23-8 -- 102 points -- 4 GR 

Montreal Canadiens -- 46-22-10 -- 102 points -- 4 GR

Lightning: They followed their 4-2 loss at the Sabres on Monday with a 6-2 loss at the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, and things won't get easier as their next game will come at the Canadiens on Thursday. However, they can still end on a high note and win the No. 1 seed in the East. 

Remaining games: April 9 at Canadiens; April 11 at Bruins; April 13 vs. Red Wings; April 15 vs. Rangers. 

Sabres: They got a massive 4-2 win against the Lightning at home Monday. The Sabres already have clinched a playoff berth, and although they still can win the division, they also could finish third behind the Canadiens.

Remaining games: April 8 at Rangers (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, MSG ); April 9 vs. Blue Jackets; April 13 at Blackhawks; April 15 vs. Stars 

Canadiens: They pulled into a three-way tie in points for first in the division by rallying late for a 4-3 shootout win against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Lightning; April 11 vs. Blue Jackets; April 12 at Islanders, April 14 at Flyers

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

Carolina Hurricanes -- 50-22-6 -- 106 points -- 4 GR

Pittsburgh Penguins -- 40-22-16 -- 96 points -- 4 GR

Philadelphia Flyers -- 40-26-12 -- 92 points -- 4 GR 

Hurricanes: They clinched the division with a 6-5 overtime win against the Bruins on Tuesday and are closing in on the top seed in the East. 

Remaining games: April 9 at Blackhawks; April 11 at Mammoth; April 13 at Flyers; April 14 at Islanders 

Penguins: It's looking more and more likely Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are going to get at least one more playoff run in Pittsburgh. The Penguins appear to be locked into second place in the Metropolitan Division. 

Remaining games: April 9 at Devils; April 11 vs. Capitals; April 12 at Capitals; April 14 at Blues 

Flyers: Jumped back into a playoff spot by winning two straight over the weekend, including 2-1 in overtime against the Bruins on Sunday, when rookie Porter Martone scored his first NHL goal. They followed that with a convincing 5-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and are in position to get back to the postseason under coach Rick Tocchet. 

Remaining games: April 9 at Red Wings; April 11 at Jets; April 13 vs. Hurricanes, April 14 vs. Canadiens

EAST WILD CARD

Boston Bruins -- 43-26-10 -- 96 points -- 3 GR

Ottawa Senators -- 41-27-10 -- 92 points -- 4 GR

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 39-27-12 -- 90 points -- 4 GR

Detroit Red Wings -- 40-29-9 -- 89 points -- 4 GR

New York Islanders -- 42-31-5 -- 89 points -- 4 GR 

Washington Capitals -- 39-30-9 -- 87 points -- 4 GR 

Bruins: Appear to be locked into the first wild card in the East but still have an outside chance at the top three in the Atlantic.

Remaining games: April 11 vs. Lightning; April 12 at Blue Jackets; April 14 vs. Devils 

Senators: Got a massive 6-3 win against the Hurricanes on Sunday and a 6-2 victory against the Lightning on Tuesday. Here's one to watch: they will play their final game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who could be out to spoil their season.   

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Panthers; April 11 at Islanders; April 12 at Devils; April 15 vs. Maple Leafs 

Blue Jackets: Earned a crucial 4-3 shootout win against the Red Wings on Tuesday to end a six-game slide (0-5-1).

Remaining games: April 9 at Sabres; April 11 at Canadiens; April 12 vs. Bruins; April 14 vs. Capitals

Red Wings: The loss to the Blue Jackets was their third straight (0-2-1), making Thursday's contest against the Flyers a possible make-or-break game.  

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Flyers, April 11 vs. Devils, April 13 at Lightning, April 15 at Panthers 

Islanders: They stunned the hockey world Sunday by firing coach Patrick Roy and replacing him with Peter DeBoer with just four games to go, but a four-game losing streak down the stretch will do that. Not only are the Islanders out of a playoff spot, they can't make up ground on the Senators in the first tiebreaker, regulation wins (35-28). 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Maple Leafs; April 11 vs. Senators; April 12 vs. Canadiens; April 14 vs. Hurricanes 

Capitals: Their hopes took a big hit in an 8-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Sunday. With only four games to go, they face a tough task getting in. 

Remaining games: April 8 at Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, MNMT); April 11 at Penguins, April 12 vs. Penguins, April 14 at Blue Jackets 

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL DIVISION

Colorado Avalanche -- 51-16-10 -- 112 points -- 5 GR

Dallas Stars -- 46-20-12 -- 104 points -- 4 GR

Minnesota Wild -- 45-21-12 -- 102 points -- 4 GR

Avalanche: Clinched the Central Division title as well as the Western Conference title with a 3-1 win against the Blues on Tuesday. Now they have their sights on the Presidents' Trophy as the No. 1 seed in the League. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Flames; April 11 vs. Golden Knights; April 13 at Oilers; April 14 at Flames; April 16 vs. Kraken

Stars: They have clinched a playoff berth and are trying to hold off the Wild for second place. The Stars and Wild will face off in the Western Conference First Round, but who will have home-ice advantage remains up for grabs. Their home game against Minnesota on Thursday could decide that. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Wild; April 11 vs. Rangers; April 13 at Maple Leafs; April 15 at Sabres 

Wild: They do not hold the regulation wins tiebreaker against the Stars, so to get home-ice advantage for the first round, they would need to pass Dallas in points. 

Remaining games: April 9 at Stars; April 11 at Predators; April 13 at Blues; April 14 vs. Ducks

PACIFIC DIVISION

Edmonton Oilers -- 39-29-10 -- 88 points -- 4 GR

Vegas Golden Knights -- 36-26-16 -- 88 points -- 4 GR

Anaheim Ducks -- 41-32-5 -- 87 points -- 4 GR

Oilers: They lead the Pacific thanks to the regulation wins tiebreaker (30-28 against the Golden Knights), but nothing is even close to being settled here. They have two key road games coming up before a showdown with the Avalanche.

Remaining games: April 8 at Sharks (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SN1, TVAS ); April 11 at Kings; April 13 vs. Avalanche; April 16 vs. Canucks 

Golden Knights: Have won four in a row since they hired John Tortorella to replace Bruce Cassidy as coach and have a great chance to win the division, or at least get home ice for the first round.  

Remaining games: April 9 at Kraken; April 11 at Avalanche; April 13 vs. Jets; April 15 vs. Kraken

Ducks: They are 0-5-1 in their past six games and have put themselves in danger of finishing third in the division. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Sharks; April 12 vs. Canucks; April 14 at Wild; April 16 at Predators

WEST WILD CARD

Utah Mammoth -- 41-30-6 -- 88 points -- 5 GR

Nashville Predators -- 37-31-10 -- 84 points -- 4 GR

Los Angeles Kings -- 32-26-19 -- 83 points -- 5 GR

San Jose Sharks -- 37-32-7 -- 81 points -- 6 GR 

Winnipeg Jets -- 34-31-12 -- 80 points -- 5 GR

St. Louis Blues -- 33-32-12 -- 78 points -- 5 GR 

Mammoth: It's wild card or bust since they cannot catch Minnesota for third in the Central. They have won four straight to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the first wild card. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Predators; April 11 vs. Hurricanes; April 12 at Flames; April 14 vs. Jets; April 16 vs. Blues 

Predators: Despite losing 3-2 in a shootout to the Kings on Monday, the Predators still are in a good position following a 5-0 win at the Ducks on Tuesday. They would own the regulations-wins tiebreaker with the Kings if necessary (27-19). 

Remaining games: April 9 at Mammoth; April 11 vs. Wild; April 13 vs. Sharks; April 16 vs. Ducks 

Kings: After losing 5-4 in a shootout to Nashville on Thursday, Los Angeles got its own shootout win against the Predators on Monday. That come on the heels of a 7-6 overtime win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Canucks; April 11 vs. Oilers; April 13 at Kraken; April 14 at Canucks; April 16 at Flames 

Sharks: They bounced back with a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday after their four-game winning streak ended with a 6-3 loss to the Predators on Saturday. Still, they are in a good spot with a game in hand on the Predators and Kings   

Remaining games: April 8 vs. Oilers (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SN1, TVAS ); April 9 at Ducks; April 11 vs. Canucks; April 13 at Predators; April 15 at Blackhawks; April 16 at Jets

Jets: They stayed in the race with a key 2-1 win at the Blue Jackets on Saturday, and they followed that with a 5-2 win against the Kraken at home on Monday. Next up is a road showdown against the Blues.

Remaining games: April 9 at Blues; April 11 vs. Flyers; April 13 at Golden Knights; April 14 at Mammoth; April 16 vs. Sharks

Blues: They got a big 3-2 win at the Avalanche on Sunday to stay in the thick of the wild-card race, but they couldn't do it again Tuesday, losing 3-1 to Colorado at home. 

Remaining games: April 9 vs. Jets; April 11 at Blackhawks; April 13 vs. Wild; April 14 vs. Penguins; April 16 at Mammoth