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The race to the Stanley Cup play -offs has really been warmed up. There is only a handful of games left for every team to play, because everyone is fighting to win a chance to win the cup and sowing in every conference this year can be very interesting.
In the east, only three playoff spots for grabbing after the lightning of Tampa Bay and Florida Panthers achieved Saturday. The real drama in that conference is the race for the second Wild Card spot. The Montreal Canadiens have a narrow four -point edge about the New York Rangers, which will make the final handful of games that are much more intense for both clubs.
In the west there are also three play -off spots about now that the Los Angeles Kings have joined the Vegas Golden Knights as the two Pacific Division teams to seal Playoff litter places. The Wild Card Race becomes very interesting now that the Minnesota Wild is sputtered, so that the door remains open for teams such as the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
The play -off photo will probably change daily, so CBS Sports will have covered you with our NHL Playoff Race Tracker. It will be updated daily to show where every potential playoff team is in the rankings when the late season is approaching.
Memory: here is how the NHL Play -off sowing works
- The top three teams in each division are automatically eligible for the play -offs.
- Each conference has two wildcard spots.
- The winner of the Top Division in each conference plays the second Wild Card team and the other division winner plays the first Wild Card team.
- The second and third place teams in each division will match each other in the first round.
*Regulatory victories are the first tiebraker, and regulations plus overtime are the second tiebreak. Shootout victories are not counted in regulations plus overtime wins. X indicates that a placed play -off berth.
Eastern Conference Playoff Picture
Atlantic Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs | 47-25-4 | 98 points – X
Point percentage: .645
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first round matchup: Ottawa Senators
2. Tampa Bay Lightning | 44-26-6 | 94 points – X
Point percentage: .618
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 42
Current first round matchup: Florida Panthers
3. Florida Panthers | 44-28-4 | 92 points – X
Point percentage: .605
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning
Metropolitan division
1. Washington Capitals | 49-18-9 | 107 points – X
Point percentage: .704
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first round matchup: Montreal Canadiens
2. Carolina Hurricanes | 46-26-4 | 96 points – X
Point percentage: .632
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first round matchup: New Jersey Devils
3. New Jersey Devils | 41-29-7 | 89 points
Point percentage: .578
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes
Game card
WC1. Ottawa Senators | 41-29-6 | 88 points
Point percentage: .579
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 40
Current first round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs
WC2. Montreal Canadiens | 37-30-9 | 83 points
Point percentage: .546
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 35
Current first round matchup: Washington Capitals
New York Rangers | 36-33-7 | 79 points
Point percentage: .520
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 35
Detroit Red Wings | 35-33-7 | 77 points
Point percentage: .513
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Columbus Blue Jackets | 34-33-9 | 77 points
Point percentage: .513
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 28
New York Islanders | 33-32-10 | 76 points
Point percentage: .507
Regulation wins: 26
Regulation plus overtime wins: 31
Western Conference Playoff Picture
Central division
1. Winnipeg Jets | 52-21-4 | 108 points – X
Point percentage: .701
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 51
Current first round matchup: Minnesota Wild
2. Dallas star 50-22-4 | 104 points – X
Point percentage: .684
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first round matchup: Colorado Avalanche
3. Colorado Avalanche | 47-27-4 | 98 points – X
Point percentage: .628
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first round matchup: Dallas Stars
Pacific Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights | 46-22-8 | 100 Points-X
Point percentage: .658
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus overtime wins: 45
Current first round matchup: St. Louis Blues
2. Los Angeles Kings | 44-23-9 | 97 points – X
Point percentage: .638
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first round Matchup: Edmonton Oilers
3. Edmonton Oilers | 44-27-5 | 93 points
Point percentage: .612
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first round matchup: Los Angeles Kings
Game card
WC1. St. Louis Blues | 43-28-7 | 93 points
Point percentage: .596
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights
WC2. Minnesota Wild | 41-29-7 | 89 points
Point percentage: .578
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 38
Current first round matchup: Winnipeg Jets
Calgary Flames | 36-27-13 | 85 points
Point percentage: .560
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Vancouver Canucks | 35-28-13 | 83 points
Point percentage: .546
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Utah Hockey Club | 35-30-12 | 82 points
Point percentage: .532
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 34