Eastern wild cards lock in after a 5‑3 win by the New Jersey Devils over the Detroit Red Wings. Ottawa and Boston secured spots, while the Red Wings fell out. In the West, Vegas Golden Knights captured the Pacific with a 3‑2 OT victory over Colorado, and Edmonton earned a berth despite a loss to Los Angeles. Seattle and St. Louis were eliminated.

Remaining Eastern contenders battle for the Metro spot. The Pittsburgh Penguins are locked into the No. 2 seed, while Washington needs a win or an OT loss to stay alive; a regulation defeat ends their hopes. Montreal and New York vie for the Metro berth, with the Islanders able to survive a regulation loss but requiring a win to overtake Ottawa.

With six games left, the first and second wild‑card seeds will dictate the opening‑round matchups. The Pacific’s top seed faces the first wild card, while the second wild card meets the Avalanche. Draft fortunes hinge on final standings: Vegas’s 5‑point advantage could secure the No. 1 lottery pick, while the Flames’ performance may push them into the top‑five overall season slot.