NHL Push for the Playoffs: The First Round matchups still to be determined

Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. We’ll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who’s leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more.

We know the 16 teams that are going to be in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and we know some of the matchups for the First Round that are already locked in.

What we know so far:

Colorado, Carollina, Calgary, and Florida are locked in as division champions, with Colorado and Florida owning the top seeds in each conference and still vying for the Presidents’ Trophy.

We also know in the Western Conference that St. Louis and Minnesota are going to play in the 2 vs. 3 matchup in the Central Division, while Edmonton and Los Angeles are going to meet in the 2 vs. 3 matchup in the Pacific Division. That only thing that remains to be decided is which Wild Card teams Colorado and Calgary will play. The Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars are going to be those two teams, while they enter play on Thursday with the Stars owning a one point lead over the Predators. Whichever team finishes with the better record will play Calgary in the First Round and be put into the Pacific Division bracket, while the lower of the team will play Colorado and play in the Central bracket. Given the overall strength of the top-three teams in the Central there is a definite advantage to being in the top Wild Card spot and getting that Pacific Division draw.

In the Eastern Conference, none of the matchups are set just yet.

The top two seeds in each division are set (Florida and Toronto in the Atlantic; Carolina and New York in the Metropolitan) but the matchups for