When play began the day after the NHL trade deadline, New York islanders were four points behind the Ottawa Senator. The Ottawa Senator owned the final wild card spot at the Eastern Conference. There were also four teams between the island and Sen.
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Fast forward to Wednesday, and the gap between the islanders and another playoff berth is just one point. Can they pull this off?
The first team in their way is the Vancouver Canucks, who visited UBS Arena on Wednesday night (7:30pm, ESPN+). The Canucks are fighting for their own playoff berth and are about to catch a resurrected St. Louis blues team that has started a fire since the deadline. So this game is not a gim to the host.
Things become more difficult after that. The next five games are playoff-bound teams, including the Tampa Bay Lightning (twice!), the Carolina Hurricanes, the Minnesota Wilds and the Washington Capitals. They get a one-game rest against Nashville predators, then close with Metro Division enemies, including the New York Rangers, the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, the Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jacket.
The roads will be tough, but many people have counted this team before in their own danger. Stathleet’s prediction gives the island a 24.3% chance of proving the two are wrong again.
There is less than a month left until April 17th, the final day of the regular season. We’ll help you track everything with the NHL Playoff Watch. As you cross the final stretch, we will provide details of all the playoff races along with teams jogging for a position in the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
Note: The potential for the playoffs is via Sta Threat.
Jump destination:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s score
Expanding ranking
No. 1 pick race
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs WC1 Ottawa Senator
A2 Florida Panthers vs A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs WC2 Montreal Canadian
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Star vs C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Wednesday’s Game
Note: All Times et. All games that are not on a TNT or NHL network can be streamed on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
New York Islanders Vancouver Canucks, 7:30pm
Chicago Blackhawks’ New Jersey Devils, 7:30pm (TNT)
Dallas stars in the Edmonton Oilers at 10pm TNT
Anaheim Duck Boston Bruins, 10pm
Tuesday Scoreboard
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Buffalo Sabres 3, Ottawa Senator 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 7, Philadelphia Flyers 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Pittsburgh Penguin 1
Nashville Predator 3, Carolina Hurricane 1
St. Louis Blues 6, Montreal Canadiens 1
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Minnesota Wild 1
Winnipeg Jets 3, Washington Capitals 2 (OT)
Colorado Avalanche 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
Calgary Flames 4, Seattle Kraken 3 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 3, New York Rangers 1
Expanding ranking
Atlantic Division
Playoff Hockey Challenge
Choose the winner and win the Stanley Cup champion! Create a bracket
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 102.8
Next game: @SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 102.8
Next Game: vs. UTA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 100.5
Next Game: vs. UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 79
Regulation victory: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 92.5
Next game: @det (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 75
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 87.9
Next game: @ phi (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 38.6%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 72
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 83.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 3.4%
Tragic number: 20
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 78.6
Next game: @ana (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 0.2%
Tragic number: 15
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 75.0
Next Game: vs.MTL (Thursday)
Playoff chance: ~0%
Tragic number: 14
Metro Division
Points: 103
Regulation victory: 40
Playoff position: M1
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 119.0
Next game: @min (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M2
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 103.9
Next Game: vs.MTL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 92.3
Next game: @chi (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 96.4%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 86.7
Next Game: vs. van (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 30.9%
Tragic number: 24
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 31
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 84.3
Next game: @ana (Friday)
Playoff chance: 16.4%
Tragic number: 20
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 85.5
Next Game: vs. van (Friday)
Playoff chances: 16.2%
Tragic number: 23
Points: 69
Regulation victory: 20
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 77.5
Next game: @buf (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 73.0
Next Game: vs.MTL (Thursday)
Playoff chance: ~0%
Tragic number: 9
Central part
Points: 102
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 116.2
Next game: vs. NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C2
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 110.1
Next game: @edm (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C3
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 103.6
Next Game: vs. LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 96.8
Next Game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 91.4%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 83
Regulation victory: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 93.2
Next game: @nsh (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 81.5%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 75
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 86.6
Next game: @TB (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 4.1%
Tragic number: 15
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 71.6
Next Game: vs. STL (Thursday)
Playoff chance: ~0%
Tragic number: 2
Points: 51
Regulation victory: 18
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 58.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 0%
Tragic number: e
Pacific Sector
Points: 94
Regulation victory: 40
Playoff position: P1
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 108.6
Next game: @chi (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 104.3
Next game: @col (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 101.9
Next Game: vs. Dal (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.0%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 79
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 92.5
Next Game: vs. Dal (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 18.1%
Tragic number: 21
Points: 78
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 90.1
Next game: @nyi (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 5.9%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 68
Regulation victory: 22
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 79.7
Next Game: vs. Bos (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10
Points: 66
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 75.2
Next Game: vs.EDM (Thursday)
Playoff chance: ~0%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 55.1
Next Game: vs. Tor (Thursday)
Playoff chance: 0%
Tragic number: e
Note: “X” means that the team has won the playoff berth. “E” means that a team has been removed from playoff competition.
No. 1 pick race
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The NHL uses draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so teams finishing at the last place are not guaranteed to choose No. 1. As of 2021, teams can raise up to 10 spots if they win the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the first place pick. Click here to learn more about the process. Matthew Schaefer, the defender of OHL’s Erie Otters, is number one on the draft board.
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 51
Regulation victory: 18
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 66
Regulation victory: 24
Points: 68
Regulation victory: 22
Points: 69
Regulation victory: 20
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 72
Regulation victory: 25
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 31
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 25
Points: 75
Regulation victory: 24
Points: 78
Regulation victory: 25
Points: 79
Regulation victory: 26
