The Kraken's Playoff Math Gets Uglier: April 5 Games Could Seal Their Fate
It's April 5, 2026, and the Seattle Kraken are in serious trouble. Sitting at 75 points in the Western Conference standings, they're currently sitting out of a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the rest of the league is making moves that could permanently lock them out of Stanley Cup contention.
Today's action around the NHL matters. A lot. The Colorado Avalanche can clinch the Central Division and Western Conference titles with a win over the Blues. The Carolina Hurricanes can clinch the Metropolitan Division title if they get at least one point against Ottawa or if Pittsburgh fails to win in regulation. The Montreal Canadiens could join Buffalo and Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket with at least one point against New Jersey or if either Detroit or Ottawa loses.
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Three teams have already clinched playoff spots: Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota in the West. Tampa Bay and Buffalo are in from the East. Carolina's been dominant all season with 104 points and the Penguins (94 points) are holding down the second Metropolitan Division spot.
In the Atlantic Division, Montreal's sitting pretty at 100 points, same as Buffalo. But it's the Wild Card picture that's a mess. In the West, Edmonton (87 points), Anaheim (87 points), and Vegas (86 points) are all hovering just above the playoff line. Utah and Nashville are fighting for scraps below them. Meanwhile, the Kraken at 75 points are already looking up at teams like Los Angeles (81), San Jose (79), and Winnipeg (78).
What The Bracket Looks Like Right Now
If the season ended today, here's how the matchups would shake out: In the West, Colorado would face Nashville in the first round. Dallas would get Minnesota. Edmonton would take on Utah, and Anaheim would battle Vegas. None of that involves the Kraken.
The NHL regular season ends April 16. The Stanley Cup playoffs kick off April 18. That gives Seattle two weeks to climb out of this hole. The math is brutal, but it's not impossible yet.
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