2024 NHL playoff race tracker: Standings, projected first-round matchups

The NHL is in the home stretch of the 2023-24 regular season. That means playoff races are healing up atop divisions and on the wild card bubble.

Throughout the last 15 or so games, every point will be crucial as team’s battle for playoff positioning. Fans will be doing a lot of scoreboard watching over the next month, and they’ll be checking the updated standings every month.

The playoff picture may change on a nightly basis, so CBS Sports has you covered with our NHL playoff race tracker. It’ll be updated daily to show where each playoff hopeful stands as the postseason gets closer and closer.

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, and regulation plus overtime wins are the second tiebreaker. Shootout wins are not counted in regulation plus overtime wins.

Eastern Conference playoff picture

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Bruins | 42-17-15 | 99 points

Points percentage: .669
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 39
Current first-round matchup: Washington Capitals

The Bruins have recently struggled with three losses over their last four games. Still, they did beat the Panthers this week, which is huge considering that the Panthers are nipping at their heels.

2. Florida Panthers | 46-22-5 | 97 points

Points percentage: .674
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs

Much like the Bruins, the Panthers have been struggling lately, but they’ll get a nice boost when defenseman Aaron Ekblad returns to the lineup. This team is too talented to let this tailspin spiral out of control.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs | 41-22-9 | 89 points

Points percentage: .632
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Florida Panthers

The Maple Leafs have been the third team in the Atlantic Division for most of the season, but that spot is far from guaranteed. The Lightning continue to creep up on the Maple Leafs over the final month of the regular season.

Metropolitan Division

1. New York Rangers | 49-20-4 | 102 points

Points percentage: .699
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 46
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Rangers are red hot, and topped the Avalanche in overtime on Thursday in what could be a Stanley Cup Finals preview. If goaltender Igor Shesterkin can be a consistent force between the pipes, this Rangers team can easily make a Stanley Cup run.

2. Carolina Hurricanes | 46-21-7 | 99 points

Points percentage: .669
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Philadelphia Flyers

The Hurricanes have thrived since landing the likes of Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov at the trade deadline. While losing to the Penguins in Guentzel’s return to Pittsburgh wasn’t ideal, Carolina still looks like a juggernaut in the East.

3. Philadelphia Flyers | 36-27-10 | 82 points

Points percentage: .554
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes

Sean Couturier appears to be out of head coach John Tortorella’s doghouse for now, but the Flyers just wrapped up a rough stretch against some of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams. Now they’ll face the likes of the Blackhawks, Canadiens and Islanders in the coming days, so perhaps it’s a chance to right the ship.

Wild Card

WC1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 40-25-7 | 87 points

Points percentage: .604
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: New York Rangers

The Lightning are likely the team that no one wants to face in the opening round of the postseason. Tampa Bay has won seven of its last eight, and Nikita Kucherov continues to lead the league in points.

WC2. Washington Capitals | 36-27-9 | 81 points

Points percentage: .563
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: Boston Bruins

The Capitals have come out of nowhere to take the second Wild Card spot for the time being, and they could easily catch the Flyers for the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Alex Ovechkin of old appears to be back as he’s tallied eight goals in his last six games.

Detroit Red Wings | 36-30-7 | 79 points

Points percentage: .541
Regulation wins: 25
Regulation plus overtime wins: 34
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Red Wings have taken a complete nosedive over the last month with just three wins since Feb. 29. The electrifying play of Patrick Kane may not be enough to get Detroit in the playoffs at this point.

New York Islanders | 31-26-15 | 77 points

Points percentage: .535
Regulation wins: 23
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Islanders are fading with just two victories in their last nine games. Head coach Patrick Roy may fall short of reaching the postseason in his first year on Long Island.

New Jersey Devils | 36-33-4 | 76 points

Points percentage: .521
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Devils have actually turned things around lately, including recently defeating the Maple Leafs. Deadline acquisition Jake Allen has been solid since his arrival with a 2.50 goals-against-average.

Pittsburgh Penguins | 32-30-10 | 74 points

Points percentage: .514
Regulation wins: 27
Regulation plus overtime wins: 30
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Penguins somehow topped the Hurricanes in dominant fashion, then defeated the Blue Jackets. If Pittsburgh can string some wins together, a Wild Card pursuit isn’t out of the question.

Western Conference playoff picture

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars | 46-19-9 | 101 points

Points percentage: .678
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 42
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights

The Stars have grabbed the lead in the Central thanks to a six-game winning streak. That included topping the Canucks 3-1 on Thursday in a game where goaltender Jake Oettinger thrived. That hasn’t been something we’ve seen very much this season.

2. Colorado Avalanche | 46-21-6 | 98 points

Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets

Nathan MacKinnon continues to make a Hart Trophy push with his sensational season. The Avalanche did recently see their nine-game winning streak end at the hands of the Canadiens, but there’s no reason to panic.

3. Winnipeg Jets | 44-23-6 | 94 points

Points percentage: .644
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche

The Jets have fallen out of first place in the Central after dropping four consecutive games. It’s been a rough stretch for Vezina Trophy frontrunner Connor Hellebuyck, but the Jets should bounce back.

Pacific Division

1. Vancouver Canucks | 45-20-8 | 98 points

Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 45
Current first-round matchup: Nashville Predators

The Canucks hold a sizable lead in the Pacific Division, and they’ve won three of their last five games. There’s really no reason to panic with goaltender Thatcher Demko out of the lineup. 

2. Edmonton Oilers | 44-23-4 | 92 points

Points percentage: .648
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 42
Current first-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings

Connor McDavid and the Oilers look somewhat locked into second place, and that’s bad news for whichever Pacific team finishes in the third-place spot.

3. Vegas Golden Knights | 40-25-8 | 88 points

Points percentage: .603
Regulation wins: 31
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers

The Golden Knights earned a huge win against the Jets on Thursday, and have been victorious in four of their last five games. Vegas will need to make a strong push over the regular season’s final month if they want to hold onto the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division.

Wild Card

WC1. Nashville Predators | 43-26-4 | 90 points

Points percentage: .616
Regulation wins: 35
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Vancouver Canucks

The Predators are the hottest team in the NHL right now with a 16-1-2 record in their last 19 games. Filip Forsberg is on an absolute heater with a seven-game goal streak.

WC2. Los Angeles Kings | 38-23-11 | 87 points

Points percentage: .604
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars

The Kings have fallen out of the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division after falling to the Oilers, and the Golden Knights defeating the Jets. It could be a back-and-forth between the Kings and Golden Knights the rest of the way.

St. Louis Blues | 39-30-4 | 82 points

Points percentage: .562
Regulation wins: 29
Regulation plus overtime wins: 35
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Blues certainly aren’t out of the playoff picture, but their recent loss to the Golden Knights didn’t help their case. They’ll likely need to rip off several consecutive wins to leapfrog Vegas down the stretch.

Minnesota Wild | 35-28-9 | 79 points

Points percentage: .5429
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 32
Current first-round matchup: N/A

The Wild are currently five points behind the Kings for the final Wild Card spot in the West. Minnesota had dropped three of its last four games before beating San Jose on Thursday. That’s a cure for anyone’s playoff hopes.