At the beginning of the 2024-25 NHL season, there were predictions that the Detroit Red Wings, a team with a rich history in the league, would return to the playoffs.
While they are still mathematically in contention with less than two weeks remaining in the season, their playoff chances are decreasing daily.
On Friday night, they are scheduled to play against the Carolina Hurricanes, offering them an opportunity to close the gap with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, who are currently battling for the final wild-card spot.
Currently, the Red Wings have 75 points, six points behind the Canadiens, and are tied with Montreal in regulation wins with 26.
The schedule ahead for the Red Wings after the Hurricanes game is exceptionally challenging. Their remaining games are against teams currently holding playoff spots: two games against the Florida Panthers, one against the Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Although some of these teams may have already secured their playoff berths and might ease up, it`s far from an ideal end-of-season schedule for a team trying to break into the playoffs.
However, a victory on Friday could significantly boost the Red Wings` morale and rally fan support. The question is, can they achieve this crucial win?
With the regular season concluding on April 17, we are providing ongoing coverage of the NHL playoff race. We will continue to update you on playoff scenarios and the teams vying for a better position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff odds are provided by Stathletes.
Current Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference
- A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
- A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
- M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
- M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
- C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
- C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
- P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Friday`s Games
Note: All times Eastern Time. Games not on TNT or NHL Network are available on ESPN+ (blackout restrictions apply).
- Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.
- Chicago Blackhawks at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/NHLN)
- Minnesota Wild at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday`s Scoreboard
- Montreal Canadiens 4, Boston Bruins 1
- Ottawa Senators 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1
- Colorado Avalanche 7, Columbus Blue Jackets 3
- St. Louis Blues 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4 (OT)
- Dallas Stars 5, Nashville Predators 1
- Los Angeles Kings 4, Utah Hockey Club 2
- Calgary Flames 4, Anaheim Ducks 1
- Winnipeg Jets 4, Vegas Golden Knights 0
- Edmonton Oilers 3, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded Standings
Atlantic Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Toronto Maple Leafs | 96 | 38 | A1 | 7 | 105.0 | vs. CBJ (Saturday) | 100% | N/A |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 93 | 38 | A2 | 7 | 101.7 | @ BUF (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Florida Panthers | 92 | 35 | A3 | 7 | 100.6 | @ OTT (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Ottawa Senators | 86 | 31 | WC1 | 7 | 94.0 | vs. FLA (Saturday) | 99.6% | N/A |
| Montreal Canadiens | 81 | 26 | WC2 | 7 | 88.6 | vs. PHI (Saturday) | 61.1% | N/A |
| Detroit Red Wings | 75 | 26 | N/A | 8 | 83.1 | vs. CAR (Friday) | 2.4% | 11 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 70 | 26 | N/A | 8 | 77.6 | vs. TB (Saturday) | 0.1% | 6 |
| Boston Bruins | 69 | 23 | N/A | 6 | 74.4 | vs. CAR (Saturday) | ~0% | 1 |
Metro Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Washington Capitals | 105 | 41 | M1 | 7 | 114.8 | vs. CHI (Friday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Carolina Hurricanes | 96 | 41 | M2 | 8 | 106.4 | @ DET (Friday) | 100% | N/A |
| New Jersey Devils | 87 | 35 | M3 | 6 | 93.9 | vs. NYR (Saturday) | 99.7% | N/A |
| New York Rangers | 79 | 32 | N/A | 7 | 86.4 | @ NJ (Saturday) | 24.1% | 13 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 77 | 24 | N/A | 8 | 85.3 | @ TOR (Saturday) | 10.5% | 13 |
| New York Islanders | 74 | 25 | N/A | 8 | 82.0 | vs. MIN (Friday) | 2.7% | 10 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 72 | 20 | N/A | 6 | 77.7 | @ DAL (Saturday) | 0.1% | 4 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 71 | 20 | N/A | 6 | 76.6 | @ MTL (Saturday) | ~0% | 3 |
Central Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Winnipeg Jets | 108 | 41 | C1 | 6 | 116.5 | @ UTA (Saturday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Dallas Stars | 104 | 41 | C2 | 7 | 113.7 | vs. PIT (Saturday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Colorado Avalanche | 98 | 39 | C3 | 5 | 104.4 | @ STL (Saturday) | 100% | N/A |
| St. Louis Blues | 91 | 30 | WC1 | 5 | 96.9 | vs. COL (Saturday) | 97.5% | N/A |
| Minnesota Wild | 89 | 33 | WC2 | 6 | 96.0 | @ NYI (Friday) | 92.1% | N/A |
| Utah Hockey Club | 80 | 26 | N/A | 6 | 86.3 | vs. WPG (Saturday) | 0.1% | 4 |
| e – Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 | N/A | 6 | 66.9 | vs. MTL (Sunday) | 0% | E |
| e – Chicago Blackhawks | 52 | 18 | N/A | 7 | 56.9 | @ WSH (Friday) | 0% | E |
Pacific Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Vegas Golden Knights | 98 | 42 | P1 | 7 | 107.2 | @ CGY (Saturday) | 100% | N/A |
| Los Angeles Kings | 95 | 38 | P3 | 7 | 103.9 | vs. EDM (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Edmonton Oilers | 93 | 32 | P2 | 7 | 101.7 | @ LA (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Calgary Flames | 84 | 27 | N/A | 7 | 91.8 | vs. VGK (Saturday) | 9.7% | 10 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 81 | 26 | N/A | 7 | 88.6 | vs. ANA (Saturday) | 0.7% | 7 |
| e – Anaheim Ducks | 74 | 23 | N/A | 7 | 80.9 | @ ANA (Saturday) | 0% | E |
| e – Seattle Kraken | 70 | 26 | N/A | 6 | 75.5 | @ SJ (Saturday) | 0% | E |
| e – San Jose Sharks | 50 | 14 | N/A | 7 | 54.7 | vs. SEA (Saturday) | 0% | E |
Note: An `x` denotes a clinched playoff berth, and an `e` signifies playoff elimination.
Race for the No. 1 Pick
The NHL Draft Lottery determines the first-round order, meaning the last-place team isn`t guaranteed the top pick. Since 2021, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery, limiting No. 1 pick eligibility to the bottom 11 teams. Details on the lottery process are available here. Matthew Schaefer, an OHL Erie Otters defenseman, is currently ranked No. 1 on the draft board.
Top Teams in the Draft Lottery Race
| Rank | Team | Points | Regulation Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | San Jose Sharks | 50 | 14 |
| 2. | Chicago Blackhawks | 52 | 18 |
| 3. | Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 |
| 4. | Boston Bruins | 69 | 23 |
| 5. | Seattle Kraken | 70 | 26 |
| 6. | Buffalo Sabres | 70 | 26 |
| 7. | Philadelphia Flyers | 71 | 20 |
| 8. | Pittsburgh Penguins | 72 | 20 |
| 9. | Anaheim Ducks | 74 | 23 |
| 10. | New York Islanders | 74 | 25 |
| 11. | Detroit Red Wings | 75 | 26 |
| 12. | Columbus Blue Jackets | 77 | 24 |
| 13. | New York Rangers | 79 | 32 |
| 14. | Utah Hockey Club | 80 | 26 |
| 15. | Vancouver Canucks | 81 | 26 |
| 16. | Calgary Flames | 84 | 27 |
