Monday night settled the final three Eastern Conference playoff berths, welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings into the 2026 postseason. This decisive action officially eliminated five other bubble teams, leaving significant offseason questions for the clubs that missed out. Attention now turns to Tuesday’s nine-game slate, which serves as the regular season finale for ten franchises.

Boston controls its own destiny; a win against the Devils secures the East’s first wild-card spot and a likely first-round tilt against the Sabres. Carolina clinched the East’s top seed following their shootout loss, meaning their focus remains on team momentum rather than seeding implications. Conversely, the Islanders, locked out of the playoffs, are situated 13th in the draft lottery order, with a win potentially dropping them to 15th.

Several seeding battles remain tight, particularly in the Atlantic, where Montreal is tied on points with Tampa Bay and needs a superior finish to claim home-ice advantage in the first round. Out West, Anaheim sits third in the Pacific but can still climb to first, depending on results against Vegas and Edmonton. The Vancouver Canucks, meanwhile, officially secured the worst record in the league, maximizing their probability for the top overall draft selection.

Pittsburgh’s matchup against St. Louis is set, confirming the Keystone State rivals will meet in the opening round, a fixture that always promises intensity. The Devils' position at 12th in the lottery order matters for their chances to secure the No. 1 pick, as they must finish 11th or better to maximize their upward mobility.