Look, if you haven't checked the standings in the last 48 hours, you're basically looking at ancient history. The NHL is in that mid-January sweet spot where the pretenders start falling off and the "if the season ended today" graphics actually start to carry some weight. This year, though? It’s a mess. A beautiful, high-scoring, chaotic mess.
Everyone is staring at the nhl standings playoffs bracket trying to figure out if their team is actually safe or just one bad week away from the draft lottery conversation. Right now, the Colorado Avalanche are playing like they’ve found a cheat code for real life. They aren't just winning; they are humiliating people. Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference is so jammed at the top that a single overtime loss can drop you from home-ice advantage to out of the playoffs entirely.
The Absolute Wagon that is the Colorado Avalanche
The Western Conference has a massive problem, and its name is Nathan MacKinnon. Honestly, what the Avalanche are doing right now is bordering on disrespectful. As of mid-January 2026, they’ve racked up 74 points in 45 games. To put that in perspective, they are on pace to smash the 2022-23 Bruins' record for most points in a single season.
They haven't lost a game at home in regulation yet. Not one. It’s reached a point where visiting teams look like they’d rather be stuck in a middle-seat on a budget airline than skate at Ball Arena.
Behind them, the Central Division is still a dogfight. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are both sitting at 63 and 61 points respectively. In any other year, they’d be the story of the league. This year, they are just the guys trying not to get steamrolled by the Avalanche. The bracket for the Central is shaping up to be a bloodbath. If things hold, we are looking at a Stars vs. Wild first-round matchup that will probably end in several broken bones and a whole lot of bad blood.
Chaos in the Atlantic and Metropolitan
Over in the East, the Tampa Bay Lightning have found the fountain of youth. Or maybe they just finally got some sleep. Either way, they are sitting atop the Atlantic with 61 points, holding off a very pesky Detroit Red Wings squad.
The Red Wings are the real surprise here. Nobody—and I mean nobody—had them pushing for a division lead this deep into the season. They’ve got 60 points, and while their goal differential isn't as shiny as Tampa’s, they just refuse to go away.
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The Metropolitan Division is its own brand of weird. The Carolina Hurricanes are doing Hurricanes things—suffocating teams with shots and winning games 2-1 or 5-4 depending on the vibes. They lead the Metro with 60 points, but the New York Islanders are right there with 55.
What’s wild is the Wild Card race. You’ve got the Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals, and Boston Bruins all hovering around 54 points. One of these teams is going to be a "high-seeded" nightmare for a division winner. Imagine winning your division only to draw a Bruins team that finally got healthy in April. No thanks.
Understanding the NHL Standings Playoffs Bracket Structure
For those who only tune in when the weather gets warm, the bracket isn't just 1 through 8. It’s divisional. This is why you see fans complaining on Twitter every year about "better teams" getting knocked out early.
The top three teams in each division get a ticket. That’s 12 teams. The final four spots (two per conference) are the Wild Cards. They go to the teams with the most points regardless of which division they are in.
The division winner with the most points in the conference plays the "worse" Wild Card. The other division winner plays the "better" Wild Card. Then, the second and third-place teams in each division play each other.
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It creates these intense local rivalries right out of the gate. For example, if the season ended this second, the Montreal Canadiens would be playing the Tampa Bay Lightning. That’s a lot of pressure for a young Habs team that has overperformed every expectation this winter.
Who is Actually Safe?
The "lock" list is short.
Colorado is in.
Dallas is in.
Tampa and Carolina are basically locks.
Beyond that? It’s a total toss-up. Look at the Pacific Division. The Vegas Golden Knights have 56 points, but they are only two points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers. One bad streak from Connor McDavid (unlikely, but possible) or a goaltending slump in Vegas, and the seeding flips.
The Seattle Kraken and the Utah Mammoth are also lurking. Yes, the Mammoth are actually in the mix. They’ve managed 50 points through 47 games, which is honestly impressive for a franchise still figuring out where the best coffee spots are in their new home.
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Misconceptions About the "Trade Deadline Push"
A lot of people think the nhl standings playoffs bracket is decided at the trade deadline. It’s usually decided way before that. History tells us that if you are more than four points out of a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving, your chances of making it are less than 15%.
This year, the "bubble" is so thick that the deadline is going to be a seller's market. Teams like the Rangers and Flyers are sitting just outside the bubble. Do they go all-in or start selling off assets? The Rangers, specifically, are struggling at 46 points. For a team with that much talent, being under .500 in January is a catastrophe.
Tactical Next Steps for Fans
If you're trying to track this madness, don't just look at the points. Look at the "Games Played" column. It's the most honest stat in hockey.
The Sabres have 54 points in 45 games, while the Bruins have 54 points in 47 games. On paper, they are tied. In reality, Buffalo has two games in hand. That’s four potential points that could change the entire face of the Atlantic bracket.
Watch the "Regulation Wins" (RW) column too. That’s the first tiebreaker. If teams finish even on points, the team that won more games in 60 minutes gets the higher seed. Teams like the Avalanche are loaded with RWs, making them almost impossible to beat in a tiebreak scenario.
Keep an eye on the schedule strength for February. The Western teams have a brutal travel stretch coming up, which usually leads to "tired losses" against bottom-feeders. That is where the Wild Card spots are won and lost.
Check the injury reports for the defensive cores in Vegas and Carolina. Those two teams rely so heavily on their systems that one or two injuries to the top four can cause a 10-game slide. If you're betting on the final nhl standings playoffs bracket, that’s where the smart money is looking.