The NHL is down to a little more than a handful of games before it begins its All-Star break on Thursday.
The season will resume the following week for the stretch drive toward the playoffs.
Among the six games are one that could change the Western Conference wild-card standings and a rematch of a game that had a scary moment and got nasty.
Here is the Stanley Cup playoff bracket as it stands on the morning of Jan. 29, plus key games for the shortened week and the All-Star weekend schedule at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
This file will be updated during the season (full standings here).
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Eastern Conference playoff bracket
If the season ended on Jan. 28, here’s how the Eastern Conference playoff matchups would align (based on points):
Boston Bruins (A1) vs. Detroit Red Wings (WC2)
Florida Panthers (A2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (A3)
New York Rangers (M1) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (WC1)
Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3)
The winners of the top two series would face each other in the second round, as would the winners of the bottom two series.
Western Conference playoff bracket
If the season ended on Jan. 28, here’s how the Western Conference playoff matchups would align (based on points):
Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)
Vegas Golden Knights (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)
Colorado Avalanche (C1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC1)
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (C3)
The winners of the top two series would face each other in the second round, as would the winners of the bottom two series.
Key: A-Atlantic Division. C-Central. M-Metropolitan. P-Pacific. WC-wild card
Key games this week
All times p.m. ET
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
Ottawa Senators at Detroit Red Wings, 7: Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was knocked unconscious when he was hit by Ottawa’s Mathieu Joseph and fell into the Senators’ Parker Kelly. When David Perron saw his teammate lying on the ice, he cross-checked Senators defenseman Artem Zub and landed a six-game suspension. Larkin returned nine days later and is on an 11-game point streak.
Los Angeles Kings at Nashville Predators, 7:30: The slumping Kings have only two wins in their last 16 games but opened the week holding the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Predators, who are in the mix, have lost three of their last four games.
,ALL-STAR WEEKEND
Thursday, 6 (ESPN): All-Star captains Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, plus co-captains Jack Hughes and brother Quinn will draft their 11-player teams.
Friday, 7 (ESPN): NHL All-Star skills competition. There will be 12 participants in this year’s events under a revamped format.
Saturday, 3 (ABC): NHL All-Star Game
When do the Stanley Cup playoffs begin?
They’re scheduled to begin on April 22. The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is June 24.
