NHL Playoff Picture 2024: Avs, Canucks Clinch Postseason Berths; Updated Standings

The Colorado Avalanche are heading to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Colorado punched its ticket to the postseason with a 7-4 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night at Ball Arena.

The Vancouver Canucks also clinched a playoff spot on Saturday despite not being in action. Vancouver secured a spot with the Minnesota Wild's loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and the St. Louis Blues' loss to the San Jose Sharks.

With the Avalanche and Canucks becoming the latest Western Conference teams to clinch a playoff berth, here's an updated look at the NHL standings.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Bruins: 43-17-15, 101 points (Clinched playoffs)
2. Florida Panthers: 47-22-5, 99 points (Clinched playoffs)
3. Toronto Maple Leafs: 42-22-9, 93 points

Metropolitan Division

1. New York Rangers: 50-20-4, 104 points (Clinched playoffs)
2. Carolina Hurricanes: 47-21-7, 101 points (Clinched playoffs)
3. Washington Capitals: 36-27-10, 82 points

Wild-Card Race

1. Tampa Bay Lightning: 41-25-7, 89 points
2. Philadelphia Flyers: 36-29-10, 82 points
3. Detroit Red Wings: 36-30-8, 80 points
4. New York Islanders: 31-26-15, 77 points
5. New Jersey Devils: 36-34-4, 76 points
6. Buffalo Sabres: 35-34-5, 75 points
7. Pittsburgh Penguins: 32-30-11, 75 points
8. Ottawa Senators: 33-36-4, 70 points
9. Montreal Canadiens: 28-33-12, 68 points
10. Columbus Blue Jackets: 24-28-12, 60 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

Western Conference

Central Division

1. Dallas Stars: 46-19-9, 101 points (Clinched playoffs)
2. Colorado Avalanche: 47-21-6, 100 points (Clinched playoffs)
3. Winnipeg Jets: 44-23-6, 94 points

Pacific Division

1. Vancouver Canucks: 45-20-8, 98 points (Clinched playoffs)
2. Edmonton Oilers: 45-23-4, 94 points
3. Vegas Golden Knights: 41-25-8, 90 points

Wild-Card Race

1. Nashville Predators: 43-27-4, 90 points
2. Los Angeles Kings: 38-23-11, 87 points
3. St. Louis Blues: 39-31-4, 82 points
4. Minnesota Wild: 35-29-9, 79 points
5. Seattle Kraken: 30-29-13, 73 points
6. Calgary Flames: 33-34-5, 71 points
7. Arizona Coyotes: 31-38-5, 67 points
8. Anaheim Ducks: 24-46-4, 52 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
9. Chicago Blackhawks: 22-47-5, 49 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)
10. San Jose Sharks: 17-48-8, 42 points (Eliminated from playoff contention)

The Avalanche return to the playoffs aiming to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons after winning the championship in 2022.

While Colorado isn't quite the powerhouse it was when it last took home the title, the Avalanche are still among the best teams in the NHL and are perhaps the best team in the Western Conference.

The Avs are led by Nathan MacKinnon, who is putting up MVP-worthy numbers this season. He has notched 47 goals and 80 assists for 127 points in 74 games.

Mikko Rantanen has also notched 100 points (39 goals and 61 assists), and defenseman Cale Makar has notched 19 goals and 62 assists for 81 points.

With the Avs having secured a playoff berth, they'll now continue to compete with the Dallas Stars for the top spot in the Central Division. They have won the division in each of the last three seasons.

The Canucks, meanwhile, have never won the Stanley Cup. They reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 but fell to the Boston Bruins.

Vancouver boasts perhaps one of its most talented rosters in recent seasons. The team is led by J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes.

Miller leads the Canucks with 35 goals and 57 assists for 92 points in 73 games. Petterson has notched 84 points (33 goals and 51 assists) and Boeser has tallied 37 goals and 31 assists for 68 points.

While the Canucks have locked up a playoff spot, they are still in a competition for the top spot in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers.