On Thursday, the Bruins secured a spot in the playoffs for the eighth year in a row, thanks to the Detroit Red Wings losing 4-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The outcome of this game didn't just benefit the Bruins. The Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers also gained a guaranteed spot in the postseason because of the Red Wings' loss.
This is Carolina's sixth time in a row, while the Panthers are marking their fourth consecutive playoff run. After losing to the Vegas Golden Knights last year, the Panthers hope to make it to the Stanley Cup Final this time. Now that three more teams are confirmed for the playoffs let's check out the most updated playoff picture.
Eastern Conference
The Boston Bruins have made it to the playoffs with a solid score of 42-17-15, giving them 99 points in the Atlantic Division. The Florida Panthers aren't too far behind; they've also locked in their playoff spot with a score of 46-22-5, totaling 97 points.
The Toronto Maple Leafs hold the third spot for now. They've scored 91 points, 41-22-9, to secure the third spot.
The New York Rangers are currently on top of the Metropolitan Division and have claimed a playoff spot. They have a winning track record with 48 victories, 20 defeats, and four stalemates, amounting to 100 points.
With their impressive record of 46 wins, 21 losses, and seven ties totaling 99 points, the Carolina Hurricanes are not far behind and have made it to the playoffs. The Philadelphia Flyers have claimed the third spot with 36 wins, 28 losses, and 10 ties, giving them 82 points.
In the current wild-card race, the Tampa Bay Lightning are on top with 87 points from a performance of 40 wins, 25 losses, and seven draws. Chasing them are the Washington Capitals, who have a record of 36 wins, 27 losses, and nine draws, thus totaling 81 points.
The third spot is occupied by the Detroit Red Wings, who have tallied 79 points from their record of 36 wins, 30 losses, and seven draws.
The New York Islanders are in fourth place with 31 wins, 26 losses, and 15 ties, giving them 77 points. Next, in fifth place, are the New Jersey Devils with a scorecard of 36-33-4, totaling 76 points.
In the following position, sixth place was captured by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Their record, 32-30-10, accumulates to 74 points.
The Buffalo Sabres, who have won 34 games, lost 34, and tied 5, hold seventh place with 73 points. Trailing them at eighth are the Ottawa Senators, with 32 wins, 36 losses, and 4 ties, totaling 68 points. In ninth place, the Montreal Canadiens have also collected 68 points with 28 wins, 32 losses, and 12 ties.
Finally, the Columbus Blue Jackets are in the last spot with a record of 23-28-12, making up 58 points. Sadly, they're out of the playoff race.
Western Conference
The Central Division is seeing some close competition. The Dallas Stars are in the lead with a score of 45-19-9, giving them a total of 99 points.
But hot on their heels is the Colorado Avalanche, with a score of 46-21-5 and 97 points. Coming in third, the Winnipeg Jets have a score of 44-22-6, earning 94 points in total.
In the Pacific Division, the Vancouver Canucks are leading with 98 points from 45 wins, 19 losses, and eight draws. The Edmonton Oilers, showing strong form, are second with 90 points. The Los Angeles Kings are in third place with 87 points.
Now, let's look at the race for the wild-card spots. We have the Nashville Predators with an impressive 43 wins, 25 losses, and four ties, totaling up to 90 points.
Hot on their heels are the Vegas Golden Knights, who have amassed 86 points from 39 wins, 25 losses, and eight ties. St. Louis Blues also show a solid performance with 80 points - from 38 wins, 30 losses, and four ties, while Minnesota Wild aren't too far behind at 77 points, sourced from their 34 wins, 28 losses, and nine ties.
Looking at the middle rankings, the Calgary Flames are 33-33-5 with 71 points, matched by the Seattle Kraken, who are also at 71 points with a 29-29-13 record. On the lower end, the Arizona Coyotes lag with only 65 points from their 30-37-5 performance.
In the end, Anaheim Ducks, with a record of 24-44-4 and 52 points, are officially out of the playoff race. Joining them are the Chicago Blackhawks (21-47-5, 47 points) and the San Jose Sharks (16-47-8, 40 points), who have also lost their chances for a playoff spot this year.
