NHL Playoff Picture 2023: Maple Leafs, Rangers Clinch; Updated Standings
The Stanley Cup playoff picture continued to crystallize Monday after the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs punched their ticket to the postseason.
The latter became the second team from the Atlantic Division to clinch its spot. The other is the Boston Bruins, who have been the best team in the league by far this season and have already clinched the division title.
The Rangers and Maple Leafs join the Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils in the playoffs.
Here are the updated standings for both conferences following Monday's results.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Wild-Card Race
Central Division
Pacific Division
Wild-Card Race
The Rangers booked a spot in the postseason without even having to play Monday night after the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres each lost their respective matches.
They return to the playoffs for a second-consecutive season and will look to improve upon an unexpected run to the conference finals in 2022, where they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who were the defending champions at the time.
Meanwhile, Toronto has been a postseason regular over the last few years but has continually disappointed.
The Maple Leafs have lost in the first round of the playoffs every single season dating back to 2017, including last year when the team managed to score 115 points, the most in a single season in franchise history.
They'll be looking to finally get over the hump this year.
