The Vegas Golden Knights clinched the Pacific Division title with a 95-point total — the lowest since the NHL adopted its four-division format in 2013-14 — setting up a first-round matchup against the wild-card Utah Mammoth.
That outcome, secured Wednesday night with a win over the Seattle Kraken, left the final day of the regular season to determine seeding for Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles, all still in contention for home-ice advantage or a dangerous draw against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.
Inside the locker rooms and front offices, however, the focus has already shifted beyond standings. A veteran Eastern Conference player praised Pittsburgh’s structured play under new coach Dan Muse, noting the team’s buy-in despite initial skepticism. “They’re just f—ing good, man,” the player said, adding that Pittsburgh would beat anyone in the first round.
A Western Conference coach warned against overlooking Carolina, suggesting the Hurricanes have been underestimated despite consistent success. “They’ve had more success than people give them credit for,” the coach said. “It feels like they’re poised to break past their barriers.”
Meanwhile, an NHL general manager pointed to Tampa Bay’s readiness, emphasizing experience over age. “Come April 16, the coaches, the staff and the players all know exactly what they need to do,” the GM said. “They’ve been there. They’re all prepared.”
On the flip side, concerns about potential playoff letdowns emerged from inside perspectives. The same Eastern player flagged Colorado as a team facing immense pressure, noting the Avalanche’s high regular-season bar. “Unless they win it all, it’ll be a disappointment,” the player said, referencing the difficult path through the Central Division.
The Western coach, meanwhile, identified Buffalo as a team that might struggle in its first deep playoff run, despite an impressive regular season. “It is a learned experience at times in the playoffs,” the coach said, noting many Sabres players would be facing postseason hockey for the first time.
In the Pacific, the Edmonton Oilers control their own fate for second place: a single point against Vancouver guarantees they avoid the wild-card slot and a potential first-round date with Colorado. If they lose in regulation, both Anaheim and Los Angeles would need to win to push Edmonton into that precarious position.
Anaheim’s path to second requires a win over Nashville and an Edmonton regulation loss to Vancouver. The Ducks, however, can secure avoidance of the wild-card slot — and thus avoid Colorado — simply by matching Los Angeles’ result.
Los Angeles faces the steepest climb: a win over Calgary, an Edmonton regulation loss to Vancouver, and an Anaheim loss to Nashville are all necessary for the Kings to finish second. If Edmonton and Anaheim both win, Los Angeles is locked into a matchup with the Avalanche regardless of their own result.
The stakes are particularly acute given Colorado’s Presidents’ Trophy status. Avoiding the second wild-card spot in the West means dodging a first-round series against the league’s best regular-season team — a prospect that has sharpened focus among Pacific contenders.
Historically, only three teams since 2013-14 have won a division with 95 points or fewer, underscoring how tightly contested the Pacific race was despite Vegas’ modest total. The Golden Knights’ fifth division title in nine years since joining the league in 2017-18 remains the most of any franchise over that span.
As the bracket solidifies, the contrast between external projections and internal assessments becomes clear. While analysts debate matchups and odds, those inside the game emphasize intangibles: preparation, pressure, and the psychological weight of expectation — factors that may ultimately shape the postseason as much as seeding or statistics.
Why did Vegas win the Pacific Division with only 95 points?
Vegas secured the title due to a tightly contested Pacific Division where no team pulled away, and the Golden Knights’ consistency over the full 82-game schedule proved enough to edge out Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles, who finished with similar point totals but lost key tiebreakers.
What happens if Edmonton loses in regulation on the final day?
If the Oilers lose in regulation to Vancouver, they could fall into the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot — and a first-round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche — provided both Anaheim and Los Angeles win their respective games.