The playoff race in the NHL’s Eastern Conference comes down to seven teams fighting for five spots over the final three weeks of the season
March 25, 2026 at 2:39 p.m. EDT3 minutes ago
NEW YORK — Connor McDavid called the Pacific Division path to the playoffs “a bit of a pillow fight right now.” The same race down the stretch in the NHL’s Eastern Conference is anything but.
No team has clinched a berth, and only three — Carolina, Tampa Bay and Buffalo — are strong bets to get in. That means five spots up for grabs among seven contenders who just keep winning to up the ante on each other.