What your team needs to do to make the playoffs: Updated Version

The playoff race is starting to become clearer, especially in the Western Conference

The NHL returns to regular action this weekend following the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, and when it does return it will be the stretch run of the 2024-25 regular season. The trade deadline is just a couple of weeks away, buyers and sellers are starting to separate themselves and the playoff races are starting to become a little clearer.

So this seems like a good time to check back in with an updated look at what your team needs to do to make the 2024-25 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Along with that, a look at which teams should become sellers over the next couple of weeks.

We start with the Eastern Conference where the Washington Capitals are still running away with everything.

As of Wednesday the current playoff pace is 91 points, an increase from the 87 points it was at when we did our first look at this back in early January.

The table below, sorted by each team’s current points pace, looks at what each team needs to do the rest of the way to reach 91 points (the current cutoff) and what it needs to do to reach 95 points (generally considered a safe bet to make the playoffs in any season).

The numbers.

Some thoughts and observations on this table….