As the 2025 NHL regular season winds down, the Stanley Cup Playoff race is entering full tilt—and fantasy relevance is at an all-time high. With fewer than 10 games, teams like the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, and Ottawa Senators are surging at just the right time. Whether you're in a playoff pool, DFS lineup, or tracking late-season sleepers, knowing who’s hot (and who’s not) can give you the edge.
In the East, just one team has officially clinched a playoff spot in the Atlantic section – the Toronto Maple Leafs, who currently lead the resurgent Tampa Bay Lightning by three points and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, by four.
Over in the Metropolitan division, the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes are the only two teams to have officially stamped a playoff pass.
Meanwhile, the jockeying behind those five teams is at fever pitch. Currently (as of April 4), the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens occupy the two wild card slots, with the Senators (who have 86 points), one point behind New Jersey for third place with one game in hand.
At the same time, the Montreal Canadiens – a.k.a. the Cardiac Kids – have climbed into the second wild card spot on the strength of a string of dramatic wins. However, the Habs are only two points in front of the New York Rangers, who have come back from the dead to challenge for the final wild card spot. The Columbus Blue Jackets are still hanging around, too, being just four points back.
Things are just as interesting in the West.
In the Western Conference, four teams have officially secured their spots in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Winnipeg, Dallas, and Colorado out of the Central Division, along with Las Vegas representing the Pacific. Trailing closely behind the Golden Knights are Los Angeles and Edmonton, both poised to lock up playoff berths of their own as the regular season winds down.
But the most compelling storyline out West—and arguably in the entire league—is the sudden and dramatic resurgence of the St. Louis Blues. Once considered long shots to make the postseason, the Blues have completely flipped the script. Since the conclusion of the 4 Nations Face Off, St. Louis has been unstoppable, stringing together an incredible 11-game winning streak that has catapulted them back into playoff contention.
Their late-season surge has made them one of the most dangerous and talked-about teams as the stretch drive reaches its peak. At 91 points, they are two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild, who currently occupy the final wild card spot. Additionally, the only team challenging St. Louis and Minnesota is the Calgary Flames, who are five points back of the Wild, with Vancouver just three points behind the Flames.
Backed by elite goaltending from Jordan Binnington, physical play, and tight defensive structure reminiscent of their 2019 Stanley Cup-winning squad, the Blues are peaking at the right time—and no team will want to face them in a first-round matchup.
As the 2025 NHL Playoffs approach, the Western Conference remains wide open, with late-season momentum playing a critical role in how the final seeding unfolds. Teams like St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Edmonton are proving that strong finishes can flip the postseason script entirely. Whether you're tracking Stanley Cup contenders, placing your fantasy hockey bets, or setting up your playoff bracket, the West is packed with intrigue—and the St. Louis Blues' incredible comeback is a storyline no fan should overlook. Stay tuned, because this playoff race is far from over.
