NHL Wild Cards Explained: All You Need to Know
At one point, the National Hockey League consisted of just six teams.
The addition of expansion squads took this to 32. Today, these teams are broken down into conferences and divisions. The top performers get to take part in a playoff and attempt to win the prized Stanley Cup.
During the 2013-2014 season, it was decided that wildcards would be added: teams outside the normal qualification brackets that would get a chance to compete for this prestigious prize.
Here you’ll find out just how NHL Wildcards actually work.
The Purpose of Wildcards
In any sport, a wildcard is an invitation to a team to play in a game or tournament. What makes it unique is that it is often given to a team who do not gain automatic entry. In some international tournaments, for example, they may be given to a host country even if they do not qualify by normal routes. In the NHL, wildcards are brought into the postseason playoffs using fixed rules.
Having wildcards in the league provides a wide range of benefits. Firstly, it lets more teams participate in the postseason. Many smaller teams that have strong fan bases often make it into wildcard situations, letting their fans experience the big postseason tournament and the higher quality of opposition.
It also benefits the sport as a whole. Allowing teams from a lower league position a step up lets their players compete on a bigger stage. This can help local talent and youth participation. Added to that is the financial boost to squads, as their television rights increase and merchandising or licensing opportunities go with it.
How Do Wildcards Work?
To understand the wildcard system, you must first understand the playoffs. This is where the top teams compete for the biggest prize in hockey: The Stanley Cup.
Under the current system, to date, no wildcard team has won the cup, though some have come very close and done extremely well. That said, in 2012, the Los Angeles Kings won the cup as the 8th seed (which is the functional equivalent of a Wild Card).
Playoffs are made of 16 teams, with eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. Around 50% of NHL teams make the playoffs, making them extremely competitive.
Teams gain entry by seeding. This comes from their regular performance in the division and their final standing. The NHL is split into two conferences, Eastern and Western. Each conference is split into two divisions, with eight teams per division. The top three teams from each division automatically qualify, and there are two wildcard teams from each conference.
Thus, there are always four wildcard teams in contention for the Stanley Cup.
Wildcards are selected based on their points total. Those non-division winners with the most points will take the wildcard spots. This happens regardless of their ranking in the division.
There is no bias given to what division a team is in when it comes to wildcards, so it is quite possible that both selections will come from one division. A division could have five selections in the playoffs, while another may have three.
Whoever wins the first round of the playoffs moves on to the second. This can often be tough for wildcards, as the higher-seeded team gets home ice advantage.
Once in the playoffs, there are four rounds in a best-of-seven series. These are played in a 2 2–1–1–1. The team with home ice advantage hosts games one, two, five and seven, with the rest hosted by the opposing team. Games five, six and seven will only be played if they are needed to determine the best-of-seven winner.
Examples of Wildcard Scenarios
While no team has won the Stanley Cup, there have been two teams that made it all the way to the finals. Most recently, the Florida Panthers managed to do it in 2023, and the Nashville Predators did it in 2017.
The 2022-23 playoffs ended just three days after the regular season. The Panthers qualified as wildcards alongside the New York Islanders from the Eastern Conference.
All eyes were on the Boston Bruins, who had finished with the most points and wins in a regular season, lifting the Presidents' Trophy. However, the Bruins exited in the first round, knocked out by a buoyant Panthers. Toronto and Carolina soon fell, taking them to a final against the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas won the series 4-1.
In 2017, the Nashville Predators made the playoffs for the ninth time in ten years, having missed the previous season. Nashville faced Chicago in the first round, followed by St. Louis and then Anaheim in the third. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators would face off in the finals, with Pittsburgh winning the series 4-2.
Conferences
The NHL has two conferences.
These are divided into the Eastern and Western conferences. Each of these is then broken down into two divisions. Conferences are the backbone of the NHL, allowing teams in a rough geographical location to play against each other.
Divisions
Each conference features two divisions. The Eastern Conference has both the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Division.
The Atlantic Division
The Atlantic Division has teams such as the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Montreal Canadiens. Teams are mainly in the North East of the country, meaning a high concentration of the original six who formed the league. However, there are teams from further south, such as the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, in this division.
The Metropolitan Division
The Metropolitan Division contains teams that are generally in the Northeast's bustling states, such as New York and Philadelphia. This close proximity has created some intense rivalries. It contains teams such as the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils.
The Central Division
The Western Conference contains the Central Division and the Pacific Division. The Central Division is made up of teams spread out across the middle of the United States. Thus, it has teams as far away from each other as the Winnipeg Jets in Canada to the Dallas Stars in the south.
The Pacific Division
The Pacific Division is made up of teams firmly situated on the Western side of the United States. The team furthest north is the Edmonton Oilers, with the farthest south being the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings.
Home Ice Advantage
Home ice advantage is the term given to the benefit of playing at a home ground. In the first two rounds, the teams with the highest regular-season standings get home ice advantage. Teams that have a better regular-season record will get home ice advantage in the final. This is regardless of the team's standing in their division.
Key Concepts to Help Understand Wildcards
When discussing the NHL, its terms and language can be confusing. Thus, we have broken down the key concepts into easily digestible chunks below.
Points and How They Are Earned
The NHL uses a points system to rank teams and determine qualification.
The following outcomes determine points in the competition:
- Win (Regulation or Overtime): 2 points
- Overtime/Shootout Loss: 1 point
- Regulation Loss: 0 points
At the end of the season, the total points for each team will determine the seeding.
Seeding
The total number of points is known as seeding. The more points a team has, the higher they are seeded. This is crucial for wildcard qualification.
Lower-seeded teams will always face the higher-seeded teams in the first round. This means the best teams get easier opposition, and wildcard teams must face tougher opponents.
However, as has been seen numerous times, being a higher seed does not always guarantee a win.
Who Does the Wild Card Play?
The Wild Card team with the lowest points will play the Division Winner with the highest points in the conference.
This where you have the case of a potential Crossover. Here, a Wild Card team from the Atlantic Division plays the winner of the Metropolitan Division.
Tiebreakers for Wildcard Spots
Occasionally, teams may end up with the same number of points, resulting in a draw. When teams are tied in their seeding, other criteria will be looked at. This may include the number of regulation and overtime wins, most overall wins, and the most points scored in games between the two teams, or the teams with the most outright goals.
Overtime
When it comes to overtime, in the playoffs, there are no shootouts. Instead, sudden death is added. These are 20-minute five-on-five periods which last until one team scores. Only two contests have ever reached six overtime periods, with none going beyond.
The Benefits of the Wildcard System
The wildcard system was introduced in the 2013-14 season. It brings plenty of benefits to the NHL.
Firstly, it increases the level of competition. Some teams that have not done well in recent years may end up facing the same opposition in their division. Gaining wildcard status is something to aim for, letting them take on new opposition from further afield. Non-division winners now have a playoff path.
Even if your favourite team is not a wildcard, watching their progress can enhance the path to the Stanley Cup. They create great underdog stories, often taking down far superior opposition. All of this adds much more excitement to the NHL.
Thus, the wildcard system is still a fairly new concept. Yet it has proved extremely popular, amping up the competition and excitement ever since it was created. Even if you are not a supporter of a wildcard team, choose one and watch their progress as the action unfolds.