PWHL Playoff Tracker - It's Getting Tight

With nine games remaining for most teams, the PWHL playoff picture is starting to take shape — but the middle of the standings is still very much in flux.

Minnesota and Boston sit tied at the top with 42 points, Montreal close behind at 40. That top three has created a bit of separation, but not enough to feel safe yet — especially with how many three-point games are still on the table.

The real tension sits below them. Toronto, Ottawa, and New York are all fighting for what is realistically one or two remaining spots, while Vancouver and Seattle are running out of time.

A couple of important dynamics:

1. Toronto has fewer games left

They have less runway — which makes their games more valuable, but also more dangerous.

2. Ottawa’s OT profile is wild

Seven OT wins, only one OTL — they’ve been living in that middle ground. That’s helped them stay alive, but they’re not banking many 3-point games, which can hurt in separation scenarios.

3. New York has the cleanest path

The Sirens have nine games left and more opportunity to rack up points. But they have the least margin for error, with fewer points now, and a recent string of losses.

Minnesota (42), Boston (42), Montréal (40) have not clinched yet — but here’s the reality: the cutoff is likely going to land somewhere in the mid-to-high 40s, and all three are already within striking distance of that. It would take a significant collapse for any of them to fall out. So the real question isn’t if they make it — it’s who finishes where, and who gets to select their first-round playoff matchup.

And the path is easier when you note that the top three don’t just need points — they benefit from the schedule below them. Every head-to-head game between Toronto, Ottawa and New York guarantees dropped points somewhere in the race.

A team is eliminated when they cannot catch fourth place (right now, we'll use Toronto [31 pts] as the working cutoff team).

Last-place Seattle could be the first to fall. Their max is 46 points, meaning the Torrent is eliminated if/when Toronto reaches 47 points.

Vancouver is eliminated when fourth place hits 52 points. They have more room than Seattle, but they likely need 20+ points out of 27 available and need help, so they’ll be alive mathematically longer than they are realistically.

For the bubble teams, their recent play shows:

The Sceptres are taking points off top teams and not bleeding regulation losses –they’re stabilizing — not dominating, but hard to bury.

Ottawa has been more volatile. They’re still living in OT land, and when it breaks, it breaks badly (that NY loss). Translation: They’re surviving, not controlling. 

New York had a huge win over Ottawa but they’re not stringing results together, and they’ve dropped multiple games against non-elite teams. Injuries are also a factor for their playoff hopes. They’re the most dangerous… and the least reliable. 

The playoff race is no longer just about how many points teams need — it’s about where those points are coming from. 

The middle of the standings is starting to turn on itself. With Toronto, Ottawa and New York playing each other in quick succession, points aren’t being gained cleanly — they’re being traded back and forth, keeping all three teams within reach. But the moment one team strings together two regulation wins — or another slips — the race breaks open.

That combination is likely to accelerate both the playoff picture and the start of the Gold Plan race.