Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 11

Bruins, Senators, Oilers, Golden Knights, Ducks, and Stars can all clinch playoff spots or seeding on Tuesday

Apr. 10, 2026 at 5:38pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, crimson, and silver, conveying the high-stakes competition of the NHL playoff race.The intricate, fragmented visual style captures the intensity and strategic complexity of the NHL's playoff clinching scenarios.Ottawa Today

The NHL has released the Stanley Cup Playoff clinching scenarios for April 11, with several teams across the Eastern and Western Conferences having opportunities to secure postseason berths or seeding. The Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, and Dallas Stars all have chances to punch their tickets to the playoffs or lock up specific playoff positions.

Why it matters

With the regular season winding down, these clinching scenarios are crucial for teams looking to solidify their playoff positioning ahead of the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Securing a postseason berth or seeding can provide significant advantages in the quest for the championship.

The details

In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Bruins can clinch a playoff spot in several ways, including with a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning or by getting one point against Tampa Bay combined with wins by the New Jersey Devils and either the Ottawa Senators or Winnipeg Jets. The Senators can also clinch a playoff berth by defeating the New York Islanders and having the Devils beat the Detroit Red Wings. Out West, the Edmonton Oilers can clinch a playoff spot by getting at least one point against the Los Angeles Kings or with any result in the Jets-Flyers game other than a Jets regulation win. The Vegas Golden Knights can clinch a playoff spot by beating the Colorado Avalanche or getting one point against Colorado combined with wins by the Flyers and Minnesota Wild. The Anaheim Ducks can also clinch a playoff spot through a combination of results involving the Canucks, Flyers, and Wild. Finally, the Dallas Stars can clinch the No. 2 seed in the Central Division (and the Minnesota Wild will clinch the No. 3 seed) in several ways, including with a win over the New York Rangers or by getting one point against the Rangers combined with a Predators win over the Wild.

  • The Boston Bruins play the Tampa Bay Lightning at 12:30 p.m. ET.
  • The New Jersey Devils play the Detroit Red Wings at 5 p.m. ET.
  • The Ottawa Senators play the New York Islanders at 1 p.m. ET.
  • The Winnipeg Jets play the Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. ET.
  • The Edmonton Oilers play the Los Angeles Kings at 4 p.m. ET.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights play the Colorado Avalanche at 8 p.m. ET.
  • The Dallas Stars play the New York Rangers at 5 p.m. ET.
  • The Minnesota Wild play the Nashville Predators at 5 p.m. ET.

The players

Boston Bruins

An NHL team based in Boston, Massachusetts that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Tampa Bay Lightning

An NHL team based in Tampa, Florida that competes in the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey Devils

An NHL team based in Newark, New Jersey that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit Red Wings

An NHL team based in Detroit, Michigan that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Senators

An NHL team based in Ottawa, Ontario that competes in the Eastern Conference.

New York Islanders

An NHL team based in Elmont, New York that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Winnipeg Jets

An NHL team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that competes in the Western Conference.

Philadelphia Flyers

An NHL team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Edmonton Oilers

An NHL team based in Edmonton, Alberta that competes in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Kings

An NHL team based in Los Angeles, California that competes in the Western Conference.

Vegas Golden Knights

An NHL team based in Paradise, Nevada that competes in the Western Conference.

Colorado Avalanche

An NHL team based in Denver, Colorado that competes in the Western Conference.

Anaheim Ducks

An NHL team based in Anaheim, California that competes in the Western Conference.

San Jose Sharks

An NHL team based in San Jose, California that competes in the Western Conference.

Vancouver Canucks

An NHL team based in Vancouver, British Columbia that competes in the Western Conference.

Dallas Stars

An NHL team based in Dallas, Texas that competes in the Western Conference.

New York Rangers

An NHL team based in New York City, New York that competes in the Eastern Conference.

Nashville Predators

An NHL team based in Nashville, Tennessee that competes in the Western Conference.

Minnesota Wild

An NHL team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that competes in the Western Conference.

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The takeaway

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs just around the corner, these clinching scenarios highlight the high stakes and intense competition as teams jockey for postseason positioning. The ability of several clubs to secure their playoff berths or seeding with results on April 11 underscores the importance of each game down the stretch of the regular season.