The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 19. When they do, most of the attention will be fixed on the top-four teams in both conferences as fans and pundits attempt to predict the favorites to win hockey's holy grail. Nevertheless, there could be a club sitting much lower in the postseason standings that could shock everyone by winning the Cup.

With one week remaining in the 2024-25 NHL regular season, the playoff picture is beginning to take shape. One first-round series for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs already is set, as the Carolina Hurricanes will meet the New Jersey Devils in a battle between Metropolitan Division rivals.

Here are the Stanley Cup Playoff clinching scenarios for April 10: EASTERN CONFERENCE The Washington Capitals will clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference if they defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion (7:30 p.

In the East, only two playoff spots remain up for grabs after the Ottawa Senators clinched a playoff spot with a Detroit Red Wings loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. It marks the first time that the Senators will appear in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 2016-17 season.

With less than two weeks until the start of the NHL playoffs, five teams in each conference had clinched a playoff spot as of Monday morning. The matchups from our check-in last week largely remain the same this week,

From top Cup contenders to teams on the bubble to those still building, here's the "next year now" for all 32.