Bruins, Hurricanes, Panthers, Stars clinch 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff spots

Four more teams booked their ticket into the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday night.

With a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings, the Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff spot.

Because the Hurricanes won, the Boston Bruins also clinched a spot in the playoffs. Even if the Hurricanes lost, the Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Montreal Canadiens, which also would have clinched them a spot.

Despite a 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders, the Florida Panthers also clinched a playoff spot with the Red Wings and Flyers losing.

The Dallas Stars became the fourth team Thursday night to clinch a spot after beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 to close out the evening. They are the first team in the Western Conference to earn a playoff berth, with the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers all in the mix.

In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs are third in the Atlantic Division, 10 points clear of the second Wild Card spot and expect to clinch a spot. The Tampa Bay Lightning have to earn a few more wins, but with 87 points and a six-point gap between them and second place in the Wild Card, they should punch their ticket.

The NHL regular season will conclude on April 18 with a six-game slate. Interestingly enough, all 12 participants that night will be Western Conference teams, with the Eastern Conference clubs finishing things off earlier in the week. The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs are set to kick off on April 20.

Colorado and Vancouver are the closest teams to clinching a spot while both sitting at 98 points.