In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division with 90 points. And they built a significant cushion over the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders, who are currently tied for second with 81 points. The Buffalo Sabres are leading the Atlantic Division with 88 points. At the same time, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens follow closely in the remaining guaranteed NHL betting playoff spots.
The wild card race remains the most volatile area of the offshore betting racket as the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings currently hold the final two spots with 80 points each. However, the Columbus Blue Jackets are just one point back, and the Ottawa Senators remain within striking distance. This is making every game critical for these bubble teams as they enter the final twenty games of the season.
The Western Conference is currently headlined by the Colorado Avalanche, who lead the Central Division and the entire league with 97 points. The Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild occupy the other top seeds in the Central. At the same time, the Pacific Division race is led by the Vegas Golden Knights with 76 points.
In a surprising turn of NHL betting odds events, the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers hold the second and third positions in the Pacific. Thus, leaving teams like the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth to battle for the wild card spots. The Sharks have been a major story this season, currently holding a wild-card spot with 70 points. In turn, the Seattle Kraken and Los Angeles Kings are sitting just outside the postseason picture and looking to make a late-season surge.
Concurrently, the Stanley Cup championship odds favor the Colorado Avalanche as they continue their historic pace, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes as the top contenders from the East.
Finally, the regular season concludes on April 16, with the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning on April 18. Several teams, including the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, are facing near-certain elimination as they struggle at the bottom of the standings.
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Top Games This Week
Several key matchups between March 16 and March 22, 2026, will significantly impact the final seeding and wild card races in the NHL.
At the onset, on March 16, the Boston Bruins travel to face the New Jersey Devils in a game critical to both teams. Boston fights to maintain a wild-card spot while New Jersey attempts a late-season surge to stay in the postseason conversation. Also on March 16, the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the league-leading Colorado Avalanche, a major test for the Penguins, currently tied for second in the Metropolitan Division.
A high-stakes divisional battle takes place on March 17 when the New York Islanders visit the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the Isles needing points to solidify their position in the Eastern Conference bracket. Additionally, the San Jose Sharks face the Edmonton Oilers in a Pacific Division clash that carries massive weight for wild-card positioning in the Western Conference.
The schedule on March 18 features a critical Metropolitan Division rivalry as the New Jersey Devils visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Wednesday also features a matchup between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche. Specifically, this game could decide the top spot in the Central Division and, potentially, the overall league standings.
On March 19, the New York Islanders face the Ottawa Senators in a game with significant Eastern Conference wild-card implications. At the same time, the Winnipeg Jets visit the Boston Bruins for a cross-conference battle between two teams currently on the playoff bubble. The week continues on March 20 with the Carolina Hurricanes visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Accordingly, the weekend is highlighted by a Central Division showdown on March 21 between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild, which will help shape the top three seeds in that division.
To conclude, on March 22, the Buffalo Sabres host the Anaheim Ducks in a cross-conference game featuring two of the season’s biggest surprises, both fighting for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.