Dallas is in. A win over Portland locked the franchise's first postseason trip since 2023 and set a team record for victories. Clinching does not freeze the remaining schedule. The Wings can still land across a wide seed range. The first-round format gives Games 1 and 3 at home to the higher seed. The next result can change the opponent and the series.

Minnesota has set the pace. Several other qualified teams are close enough that one strong week changes the bracket. Dallas has international duty coming and cannot treat the finish as paperwork. Rest, rotation, and home-court all have to be weighed in public, one game at a time.

Track losses as closely as wins. Uneven games played can hide how little separation is left. Watch which coaches shorten rotations and which protect players bound for Berlin. Dallas is in the playoffs. The seed is still open.