Montreal Canadiens Standings 2026 – NHL Rankings & Playoffs

For Canadiens fans, this season has felt like watching a movie you’d stopped expecting anything from suddenly deliver its best scene at the climax. Coming into 2025-26, few would have pinned Montreal as a lock for the postseason — yet here they are, and they’re not just sneaking in. The latest standings data, confirmed by ESPN and CBS Sports, shows the Habs holding their ground in the thick of the Eastern Conference pack as the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway.

Games Played: 82 · Wins: 48 · Points: 106 · Division Rank: 3rd · Playoff Status: Qualified

Do the Canadiens have a chance to make the playoffs?

That question has been answered definitively — yes, and comfortably. Montreal clinched their playoff berth with weeks to spare, finishing the 2025-2026 regular season with a 48-24-10 record and 106 points. The ‘x’ beside their name on ESPN’s official standings confirms what fans have been celebrating: Montreal will be playing in April.

Current standings impact

Five teams from the Eastern Conference finished ahead of Montreal in the overall NHL standings: Carolina (113 pts), Buffalo (109 pts), Tampa Bay (106 pts), Toronto (108 pts), and Florida (107 pts). The significance of that positioning goes beyond bragging rights — in the NHL’s bracket structure, conference seeding determines matchups all the way to the Final.

Playoff qualification rules

The NHL awards 16 playoff spots each year: the top three teams from each of the four divisions, plus two wild cards per conference. Per NHL.com’s official format breakdown, “16 teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The format is a set bracket that is largely division-based with wild cards.” As the third seed from the Atlantic Division, Montreal avoids the conference’s top contenders in Round 1 — but only partially.

What is the percentage chance of the Canadiens making the playoffs?

The statistical models had Montreal at 100% postseason probability by mid-March, according to CBS Sports’ projections — a figure that reflects both their points total and the mathematics of their remaining schedule when the window closed. For much of the fanbase, the anxiety wasn’t whether Montreal would qualify, but where they’d land in the bracket.

Probability models

The projection systems converged on Montreal’s playoff status relatively early in the spring stretch. CBS Sports tracked multiple probability scenarios throughout the season, and once the Habs cleared 100 points with a manageable remaining slate, the algorithms treated their qualification as a foregone conclusion rather than a close call.

Key factors influencing odds

Several variables combined to make Montreal’s path cleaner than many expected: an elite road record (24-9-8), a goal differential of +27, and — critically — the inability of their nearest Atlantic rivals to run away with the remaining playoff spots. TNT Sports Eastern Conference tracker confirmed the Habs holding 4th in the Eastern Conference throughout the crucial final weeks.

What rank does the Canadien hold?

Montreal finished the regular season ranked 4th in the Eastern Conference and 6th overall in the NHL, per Elite Prospects’ comprehensive division-by-division breakdown. Within the Atlantic Division, they placed third — behind Buffalo (109 pts) and Tampa Bay (106 pts, with the tiebreaker), and ahead of the field.

Division position

In the Atlantic, only Buffalo and Tampa Bay finished ahead of Montreal. The Lightning matched the Habs on points (106) but claimed 2nd place on the basis of ROW — regulation and overtime wins — the first tiebreaker in NHL standings. FOX Sports lists Tampa Bay second with the same record but the advantage in that crucial tiebreak.

Overall league standing

Nationally, Montreal’s 106 points placed them sixth league-wide, behind the Western Conference’s top tier. PoolExpert conference standings data tracked the conference and overall rankings throughout the season, showing the Habs hovering between 5th and 6th in the overall NHL picture as the final weeks played out.

The implication: finishing ahead of Toronto and Florida in the conference standings kept Montreal out of the wild card round, where anything can happen against Western Conference opponents.

Have the Canadiens qualified for the playoffs?

Yes. Montreal clinched their playoff spot in late March, and their reward — depending on perspective — is a first-round date with the Carolina Hurricanes, who topped the Eastern Conference with 113 points. Per NHL.com’s playoff bracket, the Canadiens entered the postseason as the D3 seed, facing the D1 Hurricanes in a best-of-seven series.

Recent qualification news

The clinching came with minimal drama. Montreal’s combination of points earned and rivals stumbling in their wake meant the Habs were locked in before their final regular-season games. NHL.com’s French bracket page shows Montreal leading their opening series 1-0 as of late April 2026, though source discrepancies between the English and French pages exist regarding exact series scores.

Historical context

This marks Montreal’s second consecutive playoff appearance — a streak that would have seemed optimistic entering the season but reflects genuine organizational progress. The Habs have now qualified for the postseason in consecutive years, something the franchise hadn’t achieved since the early 2020s.

Are the Montreal Canadiens good this year?

The record says yes — 48 wins, 106 points, a +27 goal differential, and a top-six