Where The Golden Knights Stand In Tiebreaker Scenarios Against Each Pacific Division Contender

The Golden Knights' playoff seeding could come down to tiebreakers against their Pacific Division rivals.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:36pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and ice broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of blue, white, and silver, capturing the intensity and uncertainty of the Golden Knights' playoff positioning.An abstract, cubist interpretation of the tight Pacific Division playoff race, with the Golden Knights' positioning hanging in the balance of tiebreaker scenarios.San Jose Today

With just four games left in the regular season, the Golden Knights have all but secured a playoff spot, but their final seeding is still up in the air. The teams in the jam-packed Pacific Division are so close that tiebreakers could determine where many of them land. This article breaks down how the Golden Knights stack up in the three main tiebreaker categories against their division rivals: regulation wins, regulation plus overtime wins, and total wins.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights' final playoff positioning could have a big impact on their first-round matchup and path through the postseason. Knowing where they stand in tiebreaker scenarios against the other Pacific Division contenders will help the team and fans understand the team's potential playoff positioning and what they need to do in the final games to secure the best possible seeding.

The details

The Golden Knights currently sit in a decent spot in the first tiebreaker of regulation wins, trailing only the Oilers. To pass Edmonton, the Golden Knights will need to win all of their final four games in regulation and hope the Oilers don't get any more regulation wins. In the second tiebreaker of regulation plus overtime wins, the Oilers have already locked that up over the entire division. The Golden Knights are tied with the Sharks in this category, so if it comes down to that tiebreaker, San Jose would hold the edge. In the third tiebreaker of total wins, the Ducks have already clinched that over the Golden Knights.

  • The Golden Knights have just 4 games remaining in the regular season.
  • The Oilers have 3 games left in their regular season.

The players

Golden Knights

A professional ice hockey team based in Paradise, Nevada that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Oilers

A professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the NHL.

Sharks

A professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the NHL.

Ducks

A professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the NHL.

Kings

A professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California that plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the NHL.

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What’s next

The Golden Knights will need to focus on winning as many of their final four games as possible, especially in regulation, to secure the best possible playoff seeding. They will be keeping a close eye on the results of their division rivals as well to understand where they stand in the tiebreaker scenarios.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' final playoff positioning is still very much up in the air, with the tight race in the Pacific Division likely coming down to tiebreakers. Understanding where they stand in the different tiebreaker categories will be crucial for the team and fans as they look to secure the best possible seeding heading into the postseason.