Seeding update, most likely first-round opponents – NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins are headed to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after failing to qualify final season.
But as they enter their common season finale towards the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night time at TD Garden, each their playoff seeds and first-round opponents stay TBD.
Let’s check out the place the B’s stand within the wild card race and which groups they may face in Round 1.
Bruins’ most likely seed
The Bruins are unable to complete top-three within the Atlantic Division, so they may find yourself within the first or second wild card spot.
Boston enters Tuesday within the first wild card place with a one-point lead over the Ottawa Senators. That means the Bruins would clinch the No. 1 wild card Berth with a win of any type towards the Devils within the common season finale.
The B’s want to complete forward of the Senators by not less than one level to safe the highest wild card spot as a result of Ottawa owns the primary tiebreaker with a 37-32 edge in regulation wins.
Both the Bruins and Senators have yet another recreation remaining. Ottawa’s finale is towards the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night time, so if the Bruins lose in any trend to the Devils, they’re going to want to attend 24 hours earlier than their seed is finalized.
In abstract: The Bruins end as prime wild card staff with any form of win vs. Devils. The B’s could be the second wild card staff if the Senators end tied or forward of them within the standings. Ottawa is presently one level behind the Bruins.
For what it is value, MoneyPuck‘s and Hockey Stats‘Analytics fashions each challenge the Bruins to complete as the primary wild card staff.
Bruins’ most likely first-round opponents
There are two potential first-round opponents for the Bruins. If they end as the primary wild card staff, they’re going to play the Sabres. If they end because the second wild card staff, they’re going to play the Hurricanes.
The best path to the Eastern Conference Final might be by means of the Metropolitan Division. A path consisting of the Hurricanes within the first spherical and both the Penguins or Flyers within the second spherical is rather less treacherous than a path that features the Sabers within the first spherical and the Lightning or Canadiens within the second spherical.
The Lightning represented the hardest matchup for the Bruins, so it might be superb for them to keep away from Tampa Bay so long as potential.
The Bruins have performed each the Lightning and Hurricanes within the playoffs pretty not too long ago. They have not performed the Canadiens within the postseason since 2014, and the final Bruins-Sabres playoff sequence was in 2010. Seeing one or each of these rivalries get reignited could be enjoyable.
