2024 NHL playoff race tracker: Projected first-round matchups with two days left in regular season

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

Throughout this final week, every point will be crucial as teams battle for playoff positioning. Fans will have their eyes glued to the scoreboard and the standings for the next two weeks.

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. Florida Panthers | 52-24-6 | 110 points

Points percentage: .671
Regulation wins: 42
Regulation plus overtime wins: 49
Current first-round matchup: Tampa Bay Lightning

Despite having some rough patches down the stretch, the Panthers finished the regular season strong and captured the Atlantic Division title. Now they’re locked into a first-round matchup with the Lightning when the postseason gets underway.

2. Boston Bruins | 47-20-15 | 109 points

Points percentage: .665
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 43
Current first-round matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs

The Bruins dropped three of their last four games, and ended up coughing up the Atlantic Division. Now the Bruins will take on the Maple Leafs in what could be a very entertaining opening-round series.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs | 46-25-10 | 102 points

Points percentage: .630
Regulation wins: 33
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Florida Panthers

The Maple Leafs have been the third team in the Atlantic Division for most of the season and are entrenched in that spot. Auston Matthews saw his eight-game goal streak snapped in Monday’s loss to the Panthers, and Toronto has lost its last three games with one to go.

Metropolitan Division

1. New York Rangers | 55-23-4 | 114 points

Points percentage: .695
Regulation wins: 43
Regulation plus overtime wins: 51
Current first-round matchup: Washington Capitals

The Rangers clinched the Metropolitan Division, home-ice advantage throughout the postseason, and the Presidents’ Trophy with a win over the Senators on Monday. It marks the fourth time in franchise history the Rangers have captured the Presidents’ Trophy.

2. Carolina Hurricanes | 52-23-7 | 111 points

Points percentage: .677
Regulation wins: 44
Regulation plus overtime wins: 50
Current first-round matchup: New York Islanders

The Hurricanes are playing their best hockey as the regular season winds down thanks to winning five of their last six games. Carolina is looking into an opening-round matchup against the Islanders.

3. New York Islanders | 38-27-16 | 92 points

Points percentage: .568
Regulation wins: 28
Regulation plus overtime wins: 37
Current first-round matchup: Carolina Hurricanes

The Islanders officially cemented themselves as the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division with a win against the Devils. They’ll be facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening round for the second consecutive season.

Wild card

WC1. Tampa Bay Lightning | 44-29-8 | 96 points

Points percentage: .593
Regulation wins: 36
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Boston Bruins

The Lightning are likely the team that no one wants to face in the opening round of the postseason. Tampa Bay is firmly in the East’s top Wild Card spot, and it will face the Bruins or Panthers in the opening round.

WC2. Washington Capitals | 40-31-11 | 91 points

Points percentage: .555
Regulation wins: 32
Regulation plus overtime wins: 36
Current first-round matchup: New York Rangers

The Capitals controlled their own destiny and were able to defeat the Flyers to clinch the East’s No. 2 Wild Card spot on Tuesday. It was a gutsy effort over the season’s final month, and now the Capitals will take on the Rangers.

Western Conference playoff picture

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars | 51-21-9 | 111 points

Points percentage: .685
Regulation wins: 40
Regulation plus overtime wins: 48
Current first-round matchup: Vegas Golden Knights

The Stars were idle on Monday, but saw their Presidents’ Trophy dreams slip away with a Rangers victory. Still, Dallas has the Central Division under wraps and will likely be the West’s top seed. 

2. Winnipeg Jets | 51-24-6 | 108 points

Points percentage: .667
Regulation wins: 45
Regulation plus overtime wins: 51
Current first-round matchup: Colorado Avalanche

All of a sudden, the Jets have racked up seven consecutive victories and leapfrogged the Avalanche for second place in the Central Division. Winnipeg has outscored Dallas and Colorado 10-0 in two of their last three wins.

3. Colorado Avalanche | 49-25-7 | 105 points

Points percentage: .648
Regulation wins: 41
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Winnipeg Jets

The Avalanche have struggled mightily as of late with four losses in their last five games. On Sunday, the Avalanche blew a 3-0 third-period lead and lost in overtime to the Golden Knights. 

Pacific Division

1. Vancouver Canucks | 50-22-9 | 109 points

Points percentage: .673
Regulation wins: 44
Regulation plus overtime wins: 50
Current first-round matchup: Nashville Predators

The Canucks have won the Pacific Division, and it marks the franchise’s first division title since the 2012-13 campaign. Vancouver will face off with Nashville in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

2. Edmonton Oilers | 49-25-6 | 104 points

Points percentage: .650
Regulation wins: 39
Regulation plus overtime wins: 47
Current first-round matchup: Los Angeles Kings

The Oilers are going to be the second seed in the Pacific Division. Connor McDavid returned to the ice on Monday and clinched the fourth 100-assist season in NHL history.

3. Vegas Golden Knights | 45-28-8 | 98 points

Points percentage: .605
Regulation wins: 34
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Edmonton Oilers

The Golden Knights are still alive in the Pacific Division after getting in the win column in each of their last two games. A win over the Blackhawks on Tuesday allowed them to leapfrog the Kings for the No. 3 spot in the Pacific Division with one game to go for each team.

Wild card

WC1. Nashville Predators | 47-30-5 | 99 points

Points percentage: .604
Regulation wins: 38
Regulation plus overtime wins: 44
Current first-round matchup: Vancouver Canucks

The Predators lost their regular-season finale against the Penguins, but it didn’t really matter. Nashville will be the West’s top Wild Card team when the postseason begins.

WC2. Los Angeles Kings | 43-27-11 | 97 points

Points percentage: .599
Regulation wins: 37
Regulation plus overtime wins: 41
Current first-round matchup: Dallas Stars

The Golden Knights could earn the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division with one game to play for each team. The Kings will need to beat the Blackhawks, while the Golden Knights will need to fall against the Ducks on the final day of the regular season if Los Angeles wants to avoid facing the Stars.