While the Devils aren't heading into the postseason as a top contender, they've made plenty of strides since last season when they finished the year 38-39. The biggest addition this offseason was hiring new coach Sheldon Keefe.

The Stanley Cup playoffs has always been a tough road to navigate. What has changed repeatedly over the decades is the format that determines the NHL's postseason winner. Current

The playoff picture will likely change on a daily basis, so CBS Sports will have you covered with our NHL playoff race tracker. It will be updated daily to show where each potential playoff team sits in the standings as the postseason draws near. The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs.

The Buffalo Sabres failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for an NHL-record 14th consecutive season. The Sabres (35-36-6) were eliminated from contention when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Tuesday. They haven't qualified since 2010-11 after reaching the playoffs in four of six seasons.

With the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres were mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They

The Sabres extended their playoff drought, which is the longest in NHL history and ties them with the NFL’s New York Jets for the longest current run of seasons since qualifying for the postseason.