2026-27 NHL Playoff Standings Predictions: Our 16-Team Field

Our projected 2027 NHL playoff field

As of September 26, 2026, our 2026-27 NHL playoff standings predictions put Montreal, Florida, Buffalo, Carolina, Washington, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and New Jersey in the Eastern Conference field; and Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, San Jose, Utah and Anaheim in the Western Conference field. These are editorial picks made before the regular season, not the NHL standings. No team has earned a 2027 playoff berth yet. The league's 84-game campaign begins September 29, so a projected division place should be read as a scenario, not a result.

We are predicting places in the field, not exact point totals, a Presidents' Trophy winner or a finalized first-round bracket. The table follows the NHL's most recent 16-team playoff allocation: three teams from each division and two additional teams from each conference. Wild-card positions here are editorial slots; they are not a claim that the Lightning will finish above the Devils, or Utah above Anaheim. An actual seed depends on the complete regular-season standings and applicable tiebreakers.

The broad favorites look less controversial than the final names on each side. Carolina and Colorado have strong cases to return; the calls on New Jersey and San Jose require much more to go right. That difference in confidence is why the rest of this guide explains both our selections and the teams most likely to replace them. For the formal distinction between divisional berths and wild cards, read our NHL playoff standings explainer.

How we built these standings predictions

Our method is intentionally transparent and qualitative. We begin with the clubs that reached the 2026 playoffs, then ask which missed teams have a credible route back. We consider the previous season's team performance, returning talent, documented changes and the difficulty of the division. Finally, we assign exactly three direct places in each division and two wild cards per conference. This forces a choice: naming a fourth Atlantic team means placing it in a wild-card race, not quietly giving the East a ninth berth.

We do not publish invented point projections or percentages and then imply they came from a statistical model. Where we say a team is a "safer" pick, that is a relative editorial judgment. A secure-looking regular-season qualifier can still lose a seven-game series, while a team barely above the line can become a difficult postseason opponent. This article is about qualification and likely placement; it is not a Stanley Cup winner forecast.

The baseline: returning playoff teams and credible rebounds

The NHL's 2026 playoff media guide supplies the historical starting field. Twelve of our 16 projected teams were in that tournament. We then make four changes: Florida, Washington and New Jersey enter in the East, and San Jose enters in the West. Boston, Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles fall out of our projected field. This turnover is a conclusion of our team-by-team calls, not a target we set beforehand.

There is a real case for a rebound without claiming one is certain. NHL.com noted that Washington collected 95 points in 2025-26 and still missed the playoffs, while San Jose improved to 86 points but stayed below the Western line. Florida's absence came amid major injuries. Those facts establish plausible paths, yet they cannot tell us how injuries, goaltending or late-season form will develop this year. New Jersey is our most speculative addition; we explain that call alongside the Eastern wild-card race.

Why the 84-game season changes the margin

The NHL has expanded the regular season from 82 to 84 games per team. Its official schedule matrix shows 28 divisional games, 24 games against the other division in the same conference and 32 interconference games. Each club now plays every divisional rival four times, twice at home and twice away. Two additional divisional games make a close race feel more direct: a single head-to-head result can improve one club's total while denying points to a neighbor.

The extra games also make last season's raw point cutoff a poor shortcut. A team can earn up to four standings points from two additional wins, but nobody is guaranteed that gain, and the competitors receive additional games too. Once the season is under way, compare points alongside games played and points percentage; by spring, the actual standings and tiebreakers settle every berth. Use our full NHL schedule to follow the divisional matchups that could change these calls.

Eastern Conference predictions

Our Eastern field contains five returning 2026 playoff clubs and three projected additions. The division labels are best understood as a path to eight places, not a confident ranking of every team from first to eighth. NHL.com's preseason writers disagree on several Atlantic and wild-card names, which is a useful reminder that the final two places can swing without changing the overall strength of the conference. We are relatively confident in Carolina, Montreal and Florida as qualifiers; New Jersey has the largest conditional burden among our East selections.

Atlantic Division: Montreal, Florida and Buffalo

Montreal is our clearest direct Atlantic choice because it pairs a strong 2025-26 regular season with a deep spring run. The Canadiens went 48-24-10 and reached the Eastern Conference Final. That does not ensure another long playoff run, but it is more evidence than a preseason story built on potential alone. An 84-game schedule gives the young core a long test of consistency, especially in four meetings with each Atlantic rival. Our pick is for a top-three finish, not for a specific division rank.

Florida is a rebound pick. The Panthers missed the 2026 tournament after a season heavily affected by injuries, including Aleksander Barkov's absence. NHL's preseason outlook also describes a changed roster. That gives Florida a credible way back, although it introduces a new question: whether the reworked group and goaltending settle quickly enough to collect points across a full season. We are treating the healthy, competitive version of Florida as more likely than another injury-hit year, but readers should revisit that assumption rather than count a berth as automatic.

Buffalo gets the third direct place on the strength of a 50-23-9 season that won the Atlantic in 2025-26. This is not a simple repeat call. NHL.com's Sabres preview notes that Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram departed after that run, and asks whether the goaltending can again be consistent. We think the existing base remains good enough to keep Buffalo above the cut line, but those losses make a division title far less safe to assume. Tampa Bay is the obvious challenge to any of these three placements, which is why we keep the Lightning in the conference field below.

Metropolitan Division: Carolina, Washington and Philadelphia

Carolina is the firmest Metropolitan call. The Hurricanes finished first in the division at 53-22-7 and won the 2026 Stanley Cup, according to the league's season preview. A Cup does not protect a club from injuries or regression, but the same preview describes a mostly intact roster. We therefore begin with Carolina as a direct qualifier, while leaving the division title undecided.

Washington is our second direct pick despite missing last spring. Its 95 points in 2025-26 were only three short of the Metro playoff threshold reported by NHL.com. A relatively narrow shortfall, along with substantial offseason additions, makes a return plausible. It is still possible for the Capitals to finish outside the top three if a competitor improves or the new pieces take time to fit. We prefer their rebound case to treating one missed postseason as proof that a longer decline is inevitable.

Philadelphia takes our last Metropolitan place, and it is a less comfortable pick than Carolina. The Flyers finished third in 2025-26 and reached the second round, but they needed an 18-7-1 run after the Olympic break to get there. Their power play finished last in the league at 15.7%, a clear area that must improve or at least stop dragging down the team's margins. If the spring form was a peak rather than a new baseline, Pittsburgh and New Jersey can pressure this slot. We are betting on enough continuity to sustain a berth, not assuming that short hot streak repeats across 84 games.

Eastern wild cards: Tampa Bay and New Jersey

Tampa Bay is a wild-card assignment here only because we had to choose three Atlantic teams above. A top-three Lightning finish is entirely plausible. Their qualification case is stronger than the label "wild card" might suggest; the crowded Atlantic means a solid season can still leave a team outside the division's direct berths. If Tampa jumps Buffalo or Florida, that would change the table's column but not necessarily remove any of our eight Eastern picks.

New Jersey is our deliberate risk. The Devils went 42-37-3 last season and missed the playoffs. NHL.com's September preview identifies Jack Hughes' health and the post-Jacob Markstrom goaltending group as pivotal questions. We see enough offensive upside for a wild-card recovery if Hughes is available more often and the crease is merely steady. Those are conditions, not verified future outcomes. Boston, Ottawa and Pittsburgh all have credible claims to this same place; choosing the Devils gives our forecast its most obvious point of failure.

Western Conference predictions

We carry seven of the eight 2026 Western playoff clubs into our 2027 forecast and add San Jose. That is a more conservative field than our East list, but the placements may move considerably. The Central has three established high-end regular-season teams and a strong fourth candidate in Utah. In the Pacific, the slot behind Vegas and Edmonton is open enough for San Jose and Anaheim to challenge one another directly. Our board puts one into the division and the other into a wild card; a small change in points could reverse those labels.

Central Division: Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota

Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota are our direct Central qualifiers. The Avalanche finished 55-16-11 and first in the division last season; the Stars went 50-20-12; and the Wild went 46-24-12. Those are meaningful regular-season baselines, even though the three clubs had very different playoff exits. Colorado reached the Western Conference Final, Minnesota the second round, and Dallas lost in the first. Our forecast keeps the Central's top-three membership, while declining to project the exact order. A playoff series loss alone is too narrow a reason to erase a 50-win regular season.

There are still reasons to monitor each club. Colorado has adjusted parts of the roster around Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Dallas needs its high-powered offense and goaltending to translate into another durable winter, not just a strong preseason label. Minnesota's 2026-27 season preview includes the unresolved long-term contract situation for Quinn Hughes. Those issues can change confidence, but none is enough, as of this forecast date, to push Utah ahead of one of the three. Utah was fourth in the Central last season and will have a legitimate route to a direct berth if one favorite falters.

Pacific Division: Vegas, Edmonton and San Jose

Vegas is the straightforward Pacific pick after reaching the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. The Golden Knights have also made the playoffs in eight of their first nine seasons, according to NHL.com's club preview. A new coach and changing roster still create normal preseason uncertainty; we are projecting qualification, not another Final appearance.

Edmonton receives a direct place because its elite offensive ceiling remains a strong foundation. The Oilers finished second in the Pacific in 2025-26, but the league's preview flags defensive and goaltending concerns after they allowed 3.23 goals per game. That is why we do not automatically award Edmonton the division. If the goals against remain high and rivals improve, a wild-card route becomes more realistic even if Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to drive the attack.

San Jose is our Western breakthrough pick and the least proven of the three. The Sharks went 39-35-8 and finished fifth in the Pacific, with a seven-season playoff drought still to end. Macklin Celebrini gives them a true offensive centerpiece, while defensive additions offer a route to improvement. Yet NHL.com's preview notes how concentrated the scoring was and how poor the team save percentage was last season. For a top-three finish, San Jose needs more contributions beyond its star and steadier defending. This is a call on improvement, not a claim that those weaknesses have already been solved.

Western wild cards: Utah and Anaheim

Utah's 43-33-6 season produced a 2026 playoff appearance, and we expect the Mammoth to remain in the Western field. Their problem is placement: Colorado, Dallas and Minnesota each have a strong case for the Central's three direct berths. Utah's young core and veteran additions could lift it above one of them, but our board uses a wild card as the more cautious slot. That choice says more about Central depth than about Utah being weak.

Anaheim gets the final Western place after a 43-33-6 season and a second-round trip. We assign the Ducks a wild card because we chose San Jose's improvement in the Pacific. The Ducks' young scoring base remains appealing, and Cutter Gauthier signed a six-year contract on September 16, resolving an issue raised in an earlier season preview. The more relevant concern now is a reshaped defense and how quickly it settles. Los Angeles and St. Louis are the first two alternatives we would revisit if either Anaheim or San Jose fails to make the expected step.

Four swing races that could overturn the forecast

A forecast becomes more useful when it states what would make it wrong. Four races deserve particular attention: Philadelphia against Pittsburgh for a direct Metropolitan berth; New Jersey against Boston and Ottawa near the Eastern wild-card line; San Jose against Los Angeles for a Pacific or Western berth; and Anaheim against St. Louis for the last Western place. These are not the only possible changes. They are the most immediate ways the weakest assumptions in our 16-team board could fail.

The Eastern cut line

Philadelphia versus Pittsburgh is our first direct-slot test. We retain the Flyers because of their 2026 third-place finish and their successful late stretch. But if the power play remains near the bottom and they cannot sustain that spring pace, Pittsburgh could reclaim a Metropolitan top-three place. The Penguins finished second in that division at 41-25-16 last season and still have a veteran core built around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. NHL.com's Penguins preview also describes the age and transition question. A swap would require more than nostalgia: Pittsburgh must produce a strong full season while Philadelphia slips. Either club might still reach a wild card, so a division-place exchange does not automatically mean one is out.

New Jersey versus Boston or Ottawa is the second test. Boston went 45-27-10 and held a 2026 wild card, and its goaltending can keep it in another close race. Yet the Bruins preview asks whether the offense and depth can repeat. Ottawa also qualified in 2026, but its captain Brady Tkachuk was traded in June; replacing his production is a genuine task, not a small lineup tweak. If New Jersey's goaltending is unreliable or Jack Hughes again misses significant time, Boston or Ottawa is a straightforward replacement. Conversely, if the Devils address those two conditions, the wild-card call looks less adventurous.

The Western cut line

San Jose versus Los Angeles tests our largest Western leap. The Kings held the 2026 second wild card, and a better year from their offense and special teams could return them to the field. They averaged 2.68 goals per game last season, 29th in the league, according to NHL.com's Kings preview. San Jose, meanwhile, needs a material improvement in defending and support scoring. If that growth does not arrive, Los Angeles could take the berth; if Anaheim stays strong, the Kings might do so through a wild card rather than a direct Pacific place.

Anaheim versus St. Louis is our final Western margin. The Blues missed last spring at 37-33-12 but added forwards Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael. Their league preview identifies steadier goaltending and special teams as the requirements for a jump. If those improve while Anaheim's reworked defense struggles, St. Louis could claim a wild card. These four scenarios show why a division label is provisional: a single newcomer can also reshuffle where an existing selection qualifies without creating an extra playoff spot.

How to check these predictions once games begin

The simplest test is to compare our 16 names with the real division and wild-card lines after games begin on September 29, 2026. First, look at points and games played together. An early leader that has played several more games than its rivals may have a weaker pace than the raw table suggests. Next, check the actual top three in each division before identifying the next two highest-placed clubs in each conference. That sequence avoids mistakenly selecting the two best fourth-place teams leaguewide or giving one conference an extra place.

For close races, regulation wins matter. The NHL's published tiebreaking procedure first accounts for fewer games played when teams have equal points during the season, then uses regulation wins, regulation-plus-overtime wins and later criteria. A projected one-point margin is therefore not enough to declare a team safely in or out. The standings and remaining head-to-head games will tell us far more than a preseason label. Our games today page and this week's schedule help readers find the next relevant matchups without turning this analysis into a static game list.

We intend to revisit the board after the opening month, at midseason and during the stretch run. A revision should say which pick changed and why: a sustained points pace, an injury that changes a team's ceiling, a roster move, or a rival's unexpectedly strong season. We would also revisit the 2025-26 baseline as it becomes less useful than actual 2026-27 performance. Until then, the date at the top of this article is part of the answer: these are September preseason predictions.

Are these official playoff standings? No. They are our editorial selections before a regular-season game has been played. How many teams qualify? Under the NHL's published format, 16: eight per conference, with three from each division and two wild cards per conference. When is the field settled? The regular season is currently scheduled to end April 10, 2027, and final seeding depends on results and tiebreakers through then. Exact 2027 first-round matchups are not known now. Once the clubs and seeds are established, our NHL playoff format guide explains how the bracket is formed.