Eastern Playoff Bubble: Islanders vs Red Wings | March 24, 2026
Published 3/24/2026
Quick Take
- The Islanders (NYI) currently hold the bubble lead in the Eastern Conference.
- The Islanders (NYI) have 85 points, while the Red Wings (DET) have 84 points, a gap of 1 point.
- If the Islanders (NYI) and Red Wings (DET) finish tied in points, the Red Wings (DET) would win the tiebreaker due to having more regulation wins not being the case, but the Islanders (NYI) and Red Wings (DET) have the same number of regulation wins, so the tiebreaker would need further examination.
The Eastern Conference playoff bubble is heating up, with the Islanders (NYI) and Red Wings (DET) battling for the last spot. The Canadiens (MTL) are comfortably in the first wild card spot, while the Senators (OTT) and Flyers (PHI) are still in the hunt but face an uphill climb. The Capitals (WSH) are running out of time to make a push.
The current cutoff line has the Canadiens (MTL) with 86 points, the Islanders (NYI) with 85 points, and the Red Wings (DET) on the outside looking in with 84 points. The Senators (OTT) have 83 points, the Flyers (PHI) have 80 points, and the Capitals (WSH) have 79 points. The Islanders (NYI) are barely hanging on to the last spot.
If the Islanders (NYI) and Red Wings (DET) finish tied in points, the tiebreaker would come down to regulation wins, but since they have the same number of regulation wins, the tiebreaker would need further examination, potentially coming down to the next tiebreaker. The Red Wings (DET) would need to make up ground in this scenario to jump ahead of the Islanders (NYI).
The schedule down the stretch will be crucial, with the Islanders (NYI) facing a tough road ahead, while the Red Wings (DET) have a slightly more favorable schedule. The Senators (OTT) are playing well and could make a push, but they need to string together some wins to get back in the hunt. The Flyers (PHI) and Capitals (WSH) are running out of time and need to win out to have any chance at the playoffs.
