NHL playoff picture: Bruins first to clinch postseason berth, Oilers threatening Kraken in Pacific Divison

With one month left in the 2022-23 NHL season, the playoff races are really heating up. Valuable points are on the line every night, and the games will be more intense because of it.

At this point, only the Boston Bruins have clinched a playoff spot, but everyone else is trying to punch their ticket to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Below is a comprehensive look at the NHL playoff picture ahead of Tuesday night's games.

Reminder of how the NHL playoff seeding works: The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs, and 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-place and third-place teams in each division will match up with one another in the first round.

*Regulation wins are the first tiebreaker, and regulation plus overtime wins are the second tiebreaker.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Bruins | 50-15-5 | 105 points (x)

The Bruins have already clinched a playoff berth, and they hold an 11-point edge on the Hurricanes in the race for the President's Trophy.

Points percentage: .808
Regulation wins: 43
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first-round matchup: New York Islanders

2. Toronto Maple Leafs | 40-18-8 | 88 points

With a loss to the Sabres on Monday night, the Maple Leafs dropped an opportunity to create more separation between themselves and the Lightning in the division standings.

Points percentage: .667
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 40
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning

3. Tampa Bay Lightning | 39-22-6 | 84 points

The Lightning's struggles continued on Sunday with a loss to the Jets, but they aren't at much risk of slipping into a Wild Card spot for now.

Points percentage: .627
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs

Metropolitan Division

1. Carolina Hurricanes | 43-14-8 | 94 points

Carolina is in a heated battle with New Jersey for the Metro Division lead, and while the two teams are tied in points, the Hurricanes have played one fewer game than the Devils.

2. New Jersey Devils | 44-16-6 | 94 points

The Devils have essentially caught the Hurricanes atop the Metro Division, and they have a big two-game set with the Lightning coming up this week.

3. New York Rangers | 37-19-10 | 84 points

Despite a couple of splashy trade deadline moves, the Rangers have slipped a bit in the Metro Division. That still have three wins in hand over the Penguins.

Wild Card

1. Pittsburgh Penguins | 34-22-10 | 78 points

Pittsburgh notched a huge win over the Rangers on Sunday, and the team has gotten back on track after a bit of a skid. The Pens still have a game in hand over the Panthers.

2. New York Islanders | 34-26-8 | 76 points

The Islanders have a key California road trip this week in which they have a chance to pick up at least four points against vastly inferior opponents.

In the Hunt

3. Florida Panthers | 33-27-7 | 73 points

The Panthers have been surging back into the playoff race of late, and they are now just three points behind the Islanders with a game in hand.

4. Buffalo Sabres | 33-28-5 | 71 points

The Sabres are finally playing meaningful games in March again, and their comeback win over the Maple Leafs on Monday kept them right in the playoff race.

5. Washington Capitals | 32-28-7 | 71 points

The Capitals needed a big win, and they got one over the Islanders last weekend. That kept them within striking distance of the second wild card spot.

6. Ottawa Senators | 33-29-4 | 70 points

Ottawa is now six points out of a playoff spot after losing two straight games in regulation, and it has a matchup against Edmonton on Tuesday night.

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars | 37-17-13 | 87 points

The Stars have opened up a three-point lead over the Wild in the Central Division after winning three straight games.

2. Minnesota Wild | 38-21-8 | 84 points

Minnesota hasn't lost a game in regulation since Feb. 15, and that has helped the team keep the Avalanche at bay in the race for second place.

3. Colorado Avalanche | 37-22-6 | 80 points

The Avalanche torched the Canadiens on Monday night, and with games in hand on the Wild and Stars, they could still push for another Central Division title.

Pacific Division

1. Vegas Golden Knights | 41-20-6 | 88 points

The Golden Knights are on a three-game winning streak and have a slim one-point lead over the Stars in the battle for the top seed in the Western Conference.

2. Los Angeles Kings | 38-20-9 | 85 points

Los Angeles is 4-0-1 in March, and the team has what should be an intense game against the Islanders on Tuesday night. Both of those squads have plenty to fight for in their respective playoff races.

3. Seattle Kraken | 37-23-7 | 81 points

One key for the Kraken is that they have a decided edge over the Kings and Oilers in regulation plus overtime wins. That could come in handy when determining playoff seeding.

Wild Card

1. Edmonton Oilers | 36-23-8 | 80 points

The Oilers may be in a wild card spot for now, but they are only one point behind the Kraken and five points behind the Kings for second and third place, respectively, in the Pacific Division.

2. Winnipeg Jets | 38-26-3 | 79 points

With back-to-back wins over the Panthers and Lightning, the Jets really helped their playoff chances and kept the Predators and Flames at a distance in the wild card race.

In the Hunt

3. Nashville Predators | 33-24-7 | 73 points

Despite winning seven of their last 10 games, the Predators are still six points behind the Jets. Nashville does have three games in hand over Winnipeg.

Points percentage: .570
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 29
Current first-round matchup: N/A

4. Calgary Flames | 30-24-23 | 73 points

The issue for Calgary is that the team is in the same position as Nashville, but it doesn't have the games in hand. The Flames have serious work to do in their last 15 games.

Points percentage: .545
Regulation wins: 24
Regulation plus overtime wins: 28
Current first-round matchup: N/A

Source Link