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  5. Playoff Tiebreakers

NHL Playoff Tiebreakers 2026-27

Every tie in the standings that decides a playoff place — a division title, a guaranteed spot, a wild card, the first-round draw — broken step by step by the NHL's own procedure.
2026-27 · As the standings standUpdated Tuesday, Oct 27, 2026 · 7:20 PM ET
Where these numbers come from: Provisional: each tie is broken as the standings stand today, and the next result can change it. Games played, regulation wins, ROW, wins, goal differential and goals for are the league's own standings figures; head-to-head is counted from the season's games.
PLAYOFF PLACES

Ties that decide a playoff place

16 POINTS EACHAtlantic Division · 2nd–3rdDecides second and third in the division — home ice when they meet in the first round.
Atlantic Division · 2nd–3rd, 16 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
2Ottawa Senators126682/2+438
3Toronto Maple Leafs146770/2+652
  1. Fewer games played: OTT ahead of TOR
14 POINTS EACHEastern Conference wild-card race · 2nd–3rdDecides the second wild card: one club is in, the other is out.
Eastern Conference wild-card race · 2nd–3rd, 14 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
2Montreal Canadiens113460/0036
3Florida Panthers124660/0−234
  1. Fewer games played: MTL ahead of FLA
18 POINTS EACHWestern Conference division winnersDecides which division winner has the better record — and so plays the second wild card.
Western Conference division winners, 18 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
1Edmonton Oilers126782/2+952
2Minnesota Wild138881/2+1141
  1. Fewer games played: EDM ahead of MIN
13 POINTS EACHWestern Conference wild-card race · 1st–2ndDecides which club holds the first wild card and which the second.
Western Conference wild-card race · 1st–2nd, 13 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
1Colorado Avalanche126660/0+949
2San Jose Sharks121560/0−637
  1. Regulation wins: COL ahead of SJ
ELSEWHERE

Other ties in the standings

12 POINTS EACHEastern Conference wild-card race · 5th–6th
Eastern Conference wild-card race · 5th–6th, 12 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
5Washington Capitals105660/0+234
6New York Islanders115550/0+332
  1. Fewer games played: WSH ahead of NYI
11 POINTS EACHEastern Conference wild-card race · 7th–8th
Eastern Conference wild-card race · 7th–8th, 11 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
7Buffalo Sabres112440/0−1031
8Pittsburgh Penguins122450/0040
  1. Fewer games played: BUF ahead of PIT
11 POINTS EACHWestern Conference wild-card race · 4th–5th
Western Conference wild-card race · 4th–5th, 11 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
4St. Louis Blues115552/2035
5Winnipeg Jets114440/2−427
  1. Regulation wins: STL ahead of WPG
10 POINTS EACHWestern Conference wild-card race · 6th–7th
Western Conference wild-card race · 6th–7th, 10 points each
TeamGPRWROWWH2HGDGF
6Calgary Flames115552/4−1328
7Anaheim Ducks114552/4−532
  1. Regulation wins: CGY ahead of ANA
THE RULES

How the NHL breaks a tie in points

  1. Fewer games played — the same thing, while points are level, as a better points percentage.
  2. More regulation wins (RW): wins in 60 minutes.
  3. More regulation and overtime wins (ROW): every win but a shootout.
  4. More wins of any kind.
  5. More points in the games among the tied clubs, as a share of the points available. When two of them meet an odd number of times, the first game in the city that hosts the extra one is left out.
  6. Better goal differential over the whole season, counting a shootout win as one goal.
  7. More goals for over the whole season, counted the same way.
METHOD

How to read this page

A tie is any two or more clubs level on points. Each is broken where it decides something: within a division for the top three places, across the conference for the wild cards, and between the two division winners for the first-round draw.

Whenever a step separates some of the clubs but leaves others level, the procedure starts again from the top for the clubs still level. Only head-to-head can come out differently the second time, because it counts only the games among the clubs still tied.

Head-to-head counts two points for a win and one for an overtime or shootout loss. A one-goal game the feed has not yet marked as regulation or overtime cannot be scored, so a tie that reaches it waits.

The league’s own standings order is shown where it differs from the procedure here.

FAQ

Questions

Who wins the NHL tiebreaker between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs?
As the standings stand, the Ottawa Senators, on fewer games played. They are level on 16 points (Atlantic Division · 2nd–3rd).
How are ties broken in the NHL standings?
Clubs level on points are separated by fewer games played, then regulation wins, then regulation and overtime wins, then total wins, then points in the games between them, then season goal differential, then goals for.
What are RW and ROW in the NHL standings?
RW is regulation wins — games won in 60 minutes. ROW is regulation and overtime wins: every win except one decided by a shootout. They are the second and third tiebreakers.
What is the odd game in the NHL tiebreaker?
When two tied clubs play each other an odd number of times, one city hosts the extra game. The first game played in that city is left out of their head-to-head points, so both clubs have had the same number of home games.
SEE ALSO

More from this section

NHL playoff standingsNHL wild card standingsNHL playoff pictureNHL clinching scenariosNHL playoff bracketNHL standings
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TEAMS

Every NHL team

  • Anaheim Ducks
  • Boston Bruins
  • Buffalo Sabres
  • Calgary Flames
  • Carolina Hurricanes
  • Chicago Blackhawks
  • Colorado Avalanche
  • Columbus Blue Jackets
  • Dallas Stars
  • Detroit Red Wings
  • Edmonton Oilers
  • Florida Panthers
  • Los Angeles Kings
  • Minnesota Wild
  • Montreal Canadiens
  • Nashville Predators
  • New Jersey Devils
  • New York Islanders
  • New York Rangers
  • Ottawa Senators
  • Philadelphia Flyers
  • Pittsburgh Penguins
  • San Jose Sharks
  • Seattle Kraken
  • St. Louis Blues
  • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Utah Mammoth
  • Vancouver Canucks
  • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Washington Capitals
  • Winnipeg Jets