Current NHL Playoff Matchups as of the games of November 1,2015 from ESPN.GO.COM

Here are the first-round playoff matchups, based on today's standings. The top three teams in each division earn berths in the playoffs. The next two teams in terms of total points in the conference, regardless of division, earn the wild-card spots. This provides a total of eight teams from each conference.

The top seed in each division plays one of the wild-card teams in its conference. The division leader with the most points plays the wild-card team with the fewest points. The second and third seeds in each division face each other in the first round.

Eastern Conference
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Montreal (11-2-0, 22 points) Games remaining: 69 (36 home, 33 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. East: 46
	New Jersey (6-4-1, 13 points) Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 42, vs. East: 47
Regular season series
Nov 27, 2015 Montreal at New Jersey Nov 28, 2015 New Jersey at Montreal Jan 6, 2016 New Jersey at Montreal
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Tampa Bay (6-5-2, 14 points) Games remaining: 69 (36 home, 33 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. East: 47
	Boston (6-3-1, 13 points) Games remaining: 72 (36 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 44, vs. East: 48
Regular season series (Series tied 1-1-0)
Oct 12, 2015 Tampa Bay 6, Boston 3 Oct 31, 2015 Boston 3, Tampa Bay 1 Feb 28, 2016 Tampa Bay at Boston Mar 8, 2016 Boston at Tampa Bay
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Washington (8-2-0, 16 points) Games remaining: 72 (35 home, 37 away) vs. quality teams: 45, vs. East: 49
	Pittsburgh (7-4-0, 14 points) Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. East: 47
Regular season series (Penguins lead 1-0-0)
Oct 28, 2015 Pittsburgh 3, Washington 1 Dec 14, 2015 Washington at Pittsburgh Jan 24, 2016 Pittsburgh at Washington Mar 20, 2016 Washington at Pittsburgh Apr 7, 2016 Pittsburgh at Washington
CURRENT MATCHUP
	NY Rangers (7-2-2, 16 points) Games remaining: 71 (34 home, 37 away) vs. quality teams: 45, vs. East: 48
	NY Islanders (6-3-3, 15 points) Games remaining: 70 (33 home, 37 away) vs. quality teams: 41, vs. East: 49
Regular season series
Dec 2, 2015 New York at New York Jan 14, 2016 New York at New York Mar 6, 2016 New York at New York Apr 7, 2016 New York at New York

In The Hunt
	Florida (5-4-2, 12 points) Trailing New Jersey by 1 point Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 45, vs. East: 47
	Ottawa (5-4-2, 12 points) Trailing New Jersey by 1 point Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. East: 46
	Detroit (5-5-1, 11 points) Trailing New Jersey by 2 points Games remaining: 71 (36 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 49, vs. East: 46
	Philadelphia (4-4-2, 10 points) Trailing New Jersey by 3 points Games remaining: 72 (35 home, 37 away) vs. quality teams: 47, vs. East: 46
	Carolina (5-7-0, 10 points) Trailing New Jersey by 3 points Games remaining: 70 (37 home, 33 away) vs. quality teams: 48, vs. East: 47
	Buffalo (5-7-0, 10 points) Trailing New Jersey by 3 points Games remaining: 70 (34 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. East: 42
	Toronto (1-7-2, 4 points) Trailing New Jersey by 9 points Games remaining: 72 (37 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 49, vs. East: 45
	Columbus (2-10-0, 4 points) Trailing New Jersey by 9 points Games remaining: 70 (36 home, 34 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. East: 46

Western Conference
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Los Angeles (7-3-0, 14 points) Games remaining: 72 (34 home, 38 away) vs. quality teams: 42, vs. West: 41
	Nashville (7-2-2, 16 points) Games remaining: 71 (36 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. West: 45
Regular season series (Kings lead 1-0-0)
Oct 31, 2015 Nashville 3, Los Angeles 4 (OT) Feb 20, 2016 Los Angeles at Nashville Mar 21, 2016 Los Angeles at Nashville
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Vancouver (5-2-4, 14 points) Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 42
	San Jose (6-5-0, 12 points) Games remaining: 71 (37 home, 34 away) vs. quality teams: 40, vs. West: 44
Regular season series
Feb 28, 2016 San Jose at Vancouver Mar 3, 2016 San Jose at Vancouver Mar 5, 2016 Vancouver at San Jose Mar 29, 2016 San Jose at Vancouver Mar 31, 2016 Vancouver at San Jose
CURRENT MATCHUP
	Dallas (9-2-0, 18 points) Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 47, vs. West: 45
	Winnipeg (7-4-1, 15 points) Games remaining: 70 (35 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 45
Regular season series
Nov 12, 2015 Winnipeg at Dallas Jan 7, 2016 Winnipeg at Dallas Feb 2, 2016 Dallas at Winnipeg Feb 23, 2016 Dallas at Winnipeg Feb 25, 2016 Winnipeg at Dallas
CURRENT MATCHUP
	St. Louis (8-2-1, 17 points) Games remaining: 71 (36 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. West: 42
	Minnesota (7-2-2, 16 points) Games remaining: 71 (36 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 48, vs. West: 40
Regular season series (Series tied 1-1-0)
Oct 10, 2015 St. Louis 2, Minnesota 3 Oct 31, 2015 Minnesota 2, St. Louis 3 (OT) Dec 31, 2015 Minnesota at St. Louis Feb 6, 2016 Minnesota at St. Louis Mar 6, 2016 St. Louis at Minnesota

In The Hunt
	Chicago (6-5-0, 12 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 3 points Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 46, vs. West: 47
	Arizona (5-5-1, 11 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 4 points Games remaining: 71 (37 home, 34 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 46
	Edmonton (4-8-0, 8 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 7 points Games remaining: 70 (35 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 41
	Colorado (3-7-1, 7 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 8 points Games remaining: 71 (35 home, 36 away) vs. quality teams: 51, vs. West: 45
	Calgary (3-8-1, 7 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 8 points Games remaining: 70 (35 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 44
	Anaheim (2-7-2, 6 points) Trailing Winnipeg by 9 points Games remaining: 71 (36 home, 35 away) vs. quality teams: 43, vs. West: 39

Glossary

• Tiebreaker: In the event teams are tied in the standings, the following tiebreakers are applied to determine which team receives the higher seeding.
• • 1. The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
  • 2. The greater number of games won (not including games won in a shootout).
  • 3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
  • 4. Goal differential.
• Quality team: Team that has more points than games played.