NHL Playoff Picture: Western Conference Bracket if Season Ended Today

Multiple NHL teams in the West are looking to contend for the Stanley Cup, while others are just looking to qualify for the playoffs. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche haven’t gotten off to the start many expected, but other teams are on the rise, like the Dallas Stars. Western Conference Bracket if Season Ended Today

Central Division

Pacific Division

Current Playoff Matchups 

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets

Dallas Stars vs. Seattle Kraken

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche

Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers

March has been a good month if you’re the Vegas Golden Knights. They’ve solidified a spot in the top three of the Pacific and currently leading the pack, with the Los Angeles Kings charging. The Golden Knights are 8-2 over their last ten games and would draw the Winnipeg Jets if the postseason opened today. The Jets have faltered in the second half of the season and fallen out of the top three in the Central.

On the opposite end of spectrum, the Kings are playing about as well as they have all season, recording points in ten straight games, including eight victories. The Kings would draw a rematch with the Edmonton Oilers, a rematch of last year’s postseason, which saw the Oilers come out on top in seven games. Edmonton has also been riding a hot stretch over the previous week, where they’ve picked up four straight wins and jumped into the top three in the Pacific. 

It was only a matter of time, but the Colorado Avalanche appear ready for the postseason. The defending Stanley Cup Champions have won six straight games and now have the tiebreaker over the Minnesota Wild for the second spot in the Central. Colorado and Minnesota appear destined to collide in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

The NHL regular season concludes on April 13, 2023. The Stanley Cup playoffs will likely begin on April 15, 2023, with no current dates.