Who's in 2024 NHL playoffs? Bracket, first-round matchups, final standings

The final day of the 2023-24 NHL regular season began Thursday with the board of governors approving the sale of the Arizona Coyotes and the franchise's move to Salt Lake City.

It ended with the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights and the Los Angeles Kings learning their first-round opponents and completing the Stanley Cup playoff bracket.

The Golden Knights needed a win against the Anaheim Ducks to hang on to the third seed in the Pacific Division. But the Ducks won and the Kings rallied to beat the Chicago Blackhawks. That gave Los Angeles the third seed (they'll face the Edmonton Oilers again in the first round) and Vegas dropped to the second wild-card spot and a meeting with the Dallas Stars in a rematch of last season's Western Conference final.

The NHL playoff schedule is out and the quest for the Stanley Cup opens Saturday.

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: Sizing up the first-round series

Who's in the NHL playoffs?

The New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals clinched in the East.

The Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights clinched in the West.

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

• New York Rangers (M1) vs. Washington Capitals (WC2)

• Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New York Islanders (M3)

• Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (WC1)

• Boston Bruins (A2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

• Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (WC2)

• Winnipeg Jets (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)

• Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. Nashville Predators (WC1)

• Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: P - Pacific Division. C - Central Division. WC - wild card

Final NHL Eastern Conference standings 2023-24

Metropolitan Division

p-New York Rangers (114 points)

x-Carolina Hurricanes (111)

x-New York Islanders (94)

Atlantic Division

y-Florida Panthers (110)

x-Boston Bruins (109)

x-Toronto Maple Leafs (102)

Wild card

x-Tampa Bay Lightning (98)

x-Washington Capitals (91)

Eliminated teams

Detroit Red Wings (91), Pittsburgh Penguins (88), Philadelphia Flyers (87), l-Buffalo Sabres (84), l-New Jersey Devils (81), l-Ottawa Senators (78), l-Montreal Canadiens (76), l-Columbus Blue Jackets (66)

p-clinched Presidents' Trophy; x-clinched playoff spot; y-clinched division title; l-draft lottery team with chance of moving up to the No. 1 pick.

Final NHL Western Conference Standings 2023-24

Central Division

c-Dallas Stars (113)

x-Winnipeg Jets (110)

x-Colorado Avalanche (107)

Pacific Division

y-Vancouver Canucks (109)

x-Edmonton Oilers (104)

x-Los Angeles Kings (99)

Wild card

x-Nashville Predators (99)

x-Vegas Golden Knights (98)

Eliminated teams

St. Louis Blues (92), Minnesota Wild (87), l-Calgary Flames (81), l-Seattle Kraken (81), l-Arizona Coyotes (77), l-Anaheim Ducks (59), l-Chicago Blackhawks (51), l-San Jose Sharks (47)

x-clinched playoff spot; y-clinched division title; c-clinched conference title; l-draft lottery team with chance to move up to the No. 1 pick

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When do the Stanley Cup playoffs begin?

They'll begin on April 20. The last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is June 17.

Who won the NHL regular season awards?

Rocket Richard Trophy: Toronto's Auston Matthews with 69 goals

Art Ross Trophy: Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov with 144 points

Williams Jennings Trophy (fewest team goals allowed): Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket: First round matchups, final standings