How Many Points Does it Take to Clinch a Playoff Spot in the NHL?

It takes quite a few points to clinch a playoff spot in the NHL. Here’s a look at how many points each team needs to clinch a spot.

Introduction

In order to make the playoffs, a team must earn enough points during the regular season to finish within the top eight of their conference. The number of points a team needs to clinch a playoff spot can vary greatly from year to year. For example, in the 2014-2015 season, the Nashville Predators needed 95 points to make the playoffs, while in the 2015-2016 season they only needed 90. In order to determine how many points a team needs to make the playoffs, we must first look at how the NHL playoff system works.

The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs, regardless of their conference. They are each given a seed, with the first place team being given the lowest seed, and so on. The next five teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs based on their regular season point totals. These teams are not given seeds and instead are ranked according to their goal differential. The final spot in each conference is given to the team with the most points that did not already qualify for the playoffs via either method. This “wild card” team then assumes the lowest seed remaining in their conference.

What is the NHL?

The NHL (National Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league made up of 30 teams from the United States and Canada. The Stanley Cup, which is the most coveted trophy in all of professional hockey, is awarded to the team that wins the playoffs.

To make the playoffs, a team must first earn enough points during the regular season to clinch a spot. The number of points needed varies from year to year, as it is based on the number of teams competing and the format of the playoffs. In general, it takes around 90-100 points to clinch a playoff spot in the NHL.

Once a team has clinched a playoff spot, they will be seeded based on their regular season performance. The higher seeds will have an easier time making it to the Stanley Cup Finals, as they will face lower seeds in the early rounds of the playoffs. However, anything can happen in hockey, so even the lower seeds have a chance at winning it all.

What are the playoffs?

The playoffs are a tournament that takes place at the end of the regular season in which the top teams in each conference compete for the Stanley Cup.

How many points does it take to clinch a playoff spot in the NHL?

In order to clinch a playoff spot in the National Hockey League (NHL), a team must earn enough points to either (a) be among the top eight teams in their conference or (b) be within four points of the eighth playoff seed in their conference with fewer games remaining than the eighth seed.

The number of points required to clinch a playoff spot can fluctuate from year to year. For example, in the 2014-2015 NHL season, the Chicago Blackhawks clinched a playoff spot with 102 points. In contrast, in the 2015-2016 season, the Blackhawks clinched a playoff spot with 103 points.

There are several factors that can affect how many points it takes to clinch a playoff spot in the NHL. These factors include (but are not limited to) changes in the number of teams in each conference, changes in the format of the playoffs, and changes in how many points are awarded for each win or loss.

Conclusion

Though it may vary slightly from year to year, typically, it takes about 95 points to guarantee a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. To give yourself a little wiggle room, aim for 100 points.