Stanley Cup Season: A look at who is and isn’t making the playoffs

With just a handful of games left in the 2025-26 NHL season, some teams have already clinched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. On the other hand, some teams are already thinking about the offseason. Here’s a look at who will and won’t be having a shot at the Stanley Cup.

IN: Avalanche, Stars

Both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have clinched their ticket to the playoffs. The Avalanche is on the verge of winning the Presidents’ Trophy and sits at 106 points with a 48-14-10 record. Thanks to stars like Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, the Avalanche have the best offense in the league with 3.7 goals per game. They also have the second-best penalty kill in the league thanks to Cale Makar.

For the Stars, they are in second place in the Central Division, behind the Avalanche. Defense and special teams have been a big factor for the Stars, with the team allowing the second-fewest goals per game with 2.7, and are top 10 in blocks. Despite losing Tyler Seguin for the season, the Stars have clinched their way to the playoffs and will look to compete with the Avalanche.

OUT: Canucks, Rangers

The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers have had a season to forget. Both teams have already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The Canucks sit last in the West, while the Rangers are last in the East.

Both teams are looking to do a major rebuild. The Canucks traded away stars Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood this season, while the Rangers traded away Artemi Panarin to the Kings.

The Canucks have the worst penalty kill and the lowest goals per game while allowing the most goals per game. For the Rangers, they just haven’t had any consistency all season, and were just in a six-game losing streak. They also did not get very active on the trade deadline and kept most of their star players. They will most likely make moves in the offseason to stock up on assets.

IN: Hurricanes, Ducks

While it has not been made official yet, barring a late collapse, the Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks will be going to the playoffs. The Hurricanes lead the Metropolitan Division with 98 points while the Ducks lead the Pacific with 86.

The Hurricanes are looking to make another deep run, following their loss in the Conference Finals last season. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis have been lighting it up for the Hurricanes, while rookie goalie Brandon Bussi has a stellar 27 wins on the season.

For the Ducks, they will be going to the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18. They have stayed consistent enough this season to take the lead in the Pacific. Cutter Gauthier has carried the team offensively, and the team added veteran John Carlson at the deadline for help on the defensive side.

OUT: Panthers

It has been a very disappointing season for the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers. They are last in the Atlantic with 73 points and are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention.

The team has been riddled with injuries. Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand, and Sam Reinhart are just a few of the big-name players the Panthers were missing throughout parts of the season. Aleksander Barkov missed the entire season with an ACL injury.

The defense has struggled heavily this season. Sergei Bobrovsky has an 87.8% save percentage this season, and the team is allowing 3.3 goals per game. They are also third in penalties per game and penalty minutes.

A lot more teams should be clinching their playoff tickets in the next few days. With the Panthers most likely out, we may be getting a new NHL Stanley Cup Champion.

About the Author Published Mar 29, 2026

CAMERON JOYCE

Cameron Joyce is an NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and MLB beat writer for Ball Exclusives. Cameron also previously worked at The University of Alabama's newspaper, "The Crimson White," covering volleyball and baseball.