As we approach the final stretch of the MLB regular season, fans are eagerly keeping an eye on the updated standings to see which teams will make it to the playoffs and ultimately compete for the World Series. With the revised postseason format implemented last year, it’s essential to know what the current playoff picture looks like and how it could potentially change as we head towards October. In this article, we’ll examine the updated standings and analyze which teams are in the hunt for postseason glory.
With only one month left in the 2022-23 NHL season, the playoff races are heating up. Each game is vital for teams fighting for spots in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, making for more intense games. Currently, only the Boston Bruins have secured a playoff spot, but every other team is vying to secure their spot.
The playoff seeding works as follows: The top three teams from each division automatically qualify for the playoffs, and two wild card spots are available in each conference. The top division winner from each conference faces off against the second wild card team, while the other division winner takes on the first wild card team. Meanwhile, the second and third-place teams from each division will compete in the first round against each other. The first tiebreaker is regulation wins, followed by regulation plus overtime wins.
In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Bruins are at the top of the Atlantic Division, having already clinched a playoff spot. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning are hot on their heels. The Carolina Hurricanes and the New Jersey Devils are leading the Metropolitan Division, followed closely by the New York Rangers. The New York Islanders and the Florida Panthers are leading the wild card standings, with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a close race.
In the Western Conference, the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Minnesota Wild are all in contention for the top spot in the Central Division, while the Vegas Golden Knights and the Los Angeles Kings lead the Pacific Division. The Seattle Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets are leading the Western Conference wild card standings, with the Calgary Flames and the Nashville Predators still in the hunt.
With only a handful of games left in the season, the playoff picture in the NHL remains unclear. It’s sure to be a tight race as teams fight for their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
As we approach the final stretch of the regular season, the updated standings and postseason format provide a clear picture of what’s to come. The top teams in each division are jockeying for position, while also keeping an eye on the wild card race. But as we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs. Stay tuned as the postseason saga unfolds and we see which teams rise to the occasion and make a run for the championship.
