As we approach Friday`s games, the battle for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference is incredibly tight, with only two points separating four teams.
Three of these teams are scheduled to play on Friday:
- The Montreal Canadiens, currently holding the wild-card spot, will play against the Carolina Hurricanes.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Vancouver Canucks.
- Later in the evening, the New York Rangers will visit the Anaheim Ducks.
- The New York Islanders will have a day off before their Saturday game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Every game is crucial for these teams. Two upcoming games are particularly important: Islanders versus Rangers on April 10th, and Islanders versus Blue Jackets on April 17th, the last day of the regular season.
According to Stathletes, the Montreal Canadiens are currently favored to make the playoffs with a 43.7% chance. The Blue Jackets (18.5%), Islanders (18.4%), and Rangers (18.1%) follow. Montreal also has the highest probability (11.2%) among these four teams to advance to the second round. The situation remains dynamic, so stay tuned.
With less than three weeks remaining until April 17th, we will continue to provide updates on the NHL playoff race, as well as the teams competing for a better position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Source for playoff probabilities: Stathletes.
Current Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators
- Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
- Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens
- Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
- Winnipeg Jets vs. St. Louis Blues
- Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche
- Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild
- Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers
Friday`s Games
Note: All times Eastern Time.
- Utah Hockey Club at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.
- Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
- Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
- New Jersey Devils at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
- Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
- New York Rangers at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
Thursday`s Scoreboard
Scores from games played on Thursday:
- Buffalo Sabres 7, Pittsburgh Penguins 3
- Ottawa Senators 4, Detroit Red Wings 3
- Tampa Bay Lightning 8, Utah Hockey Club 0
- Philadelphia Flyers 6, Montreal Canadiens 4
- Minnesota Wild 4, Washington Capitals 2
- St. Louis Blues 3, Nashville Predators 2
- Dallas Stars 5, Calgary Flames 2
- Colorado Avalanche 4, Los Angeles Kings 0
- Seattle Kraken 6, Edmonton Oilers 1
- San Jose Sharks 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 5 (Shootout)
Expanded Standings
Atlantic Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 90 | 35 | A1 | 10 | 102.5 | @ LA (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Florida Panthers | 89 | 35 | A2 | 11 | 102.8 | vs. UTA (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 89 | 36 | A3 | 10 | 101.4 | vs. NYI (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Ottawa Senators | 81 | 29 | WC1 | 11 | 93.6 | vs. CBJ (Saturday) | 98.1% | N/A |
| Montreal Canadiens | 75 | 24 | WC2 | 11 | 86.6 | @ CAR (Friday) | 43.7% | N/A |
| Detroit Red Wings | 72 | 25 | N/A | 10 | 82.0 | vs. BOS (Saturday) | 4.5% | 18 |
| Boston Bruins | 69 | 23 | N/A | 9 | 77.5 | @ DET (Saturday) | 0.1% | 13 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 66 | 24 | N/A | 11 | 76.2 | @ PHI (Saturday) | 0.1% | 14 |
Metro Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | 103 | 40 | M1 | 10 | 117.3 | vs. BUF (Sunday) | 100% | N/A |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 90 | 38 | M2 | 11 | 103.9 | vs. MTL (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| New Jersey Devils | 83 | 34 | M3 | 9 | 93.2 | @ WPG (Friday) | 98.5% | N/A |
| New York Islanders | 74 | 25 | N/A | 11 | 85.5 | @ TB (Saturday) | 18.4% | 22 |
| New York Rangers | 74 | 31 | N/A | 10 | 84.3 | @ ANA (Friday) | 18.1% | 20 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 73 | 23 | N/A | 12 | 85.5 | vs. VAN (Friday) | 18.5% | 23 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 69 | 20 | N/A | 8 | 76.5 | vs. OTT (Sunday) | 0.1% | 11 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 67 | 18 | N/A | 8 | 74.2 | vs. BUF (Saturday) | ~0% | 9 |
Central Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Jets | 102 | 38 | C1 | 10 | 116.2 | vs. NJ (Friday) | 100% | N/A |
| Dallas Stars | 98 | 38 | C2 | 10 | 111.6 | @ SEA (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Colorado Avalanche | 93 | 38 | C3 | 9 | 104.5 | vs. STL (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Minnesota Wild | 87 | 33 | WC1 | 9 | 97.7 | vs. NJ (Saturday) | 90.2% | N/A |
| St. Louis Blues | 85 | 29 | WC2 | 8 | 94.2 | @ COL (Saturday) | 80.3% | N/A |
| Utah Hockey Club | 75 | 24 | N/A | 10 | 85.4 | @ FLA (Friday) | 4% | 11 |
| Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 | N/A | 10 | 70.6 | vs. VGK (Saturday) | 0% | E |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 51 | 18 | N/A | 10 | 58.1 | vs. VGK (Friday) | 0% | E |
Pacific Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 94 | 40 | P1 | 11 | 108.6 | @ CHI (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Los Angeles Kings | 89 | 35 | P3 | 11 | 102.8 | vs. TOR (Saturday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Edmonton Oilers | 87 | 30 | P2 | 10 | 99.1 | vs. CGY (Saturday) | 98.2% | N/A |
| Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 26 | N/A | 10 | 91.1 | @ CBJ (Friday) | 10.4% | 16 |
| Calgary Flames | 79 | 26 | N/A | 11 | 91.2 | @ EDM (Saturday) | 16.9% | 17 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 70 | 23 | N/A | 11 | 80.9 | vs. NYR (Friday) | 0.1% | 8 |
| Seattle Kraken | 68 | 25 | N/A | 9 | 76.4 | vs. DAL (Saturday) | ~0% | 2 |
| San Jose Sharks | 49 | 14 | N/A | 11 | 56.6 | vs. NYR (Saturday) | 0% | E |
Note: `x` – clinched playoff berth, `e` – eliminated from contention.
Race for the No. 1 Pick
The NHL Draft Lottery determines the first-round order. A team can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery. Matthew Schaefer is currently ranked as the No. 1 draft prospect.
| Rank | Team | Points | Regulation Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | San Jose Sharks | 49 | 14 |
| 2. | Chicago Blackhawks | 51 | 18 |
| 3. | Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 |
| 4. | Buffalo Sabres | 66 | 24 |
| 5. | Philadelphia Flyers | 67 | 18 |
| 6. | Seattle Kraken | 68 | 25 |
| 7. | Pittsburgh Penguins | 69 | 20 |
| 8. | Boston Bruins | 69 | 23 |
| 9. | Anaheim Ducks | 70 | 23 |
| 10. | Detroit Red Wings | 72 | 25 |
| 11. | Columbus Blue Jackets | 73 | 23 |
| 12. | New York Rangers | 74 | 31 |
| 13. | New York Islanders | 74 | 25 |
| 14. | Utah Hockey Club | 75 | 24 |
| 15. | Calgary Flames | 79 | 26 |
| 16. | Vancouver Canucks | 80 | 26 |
