As of December 6th, the Minnesota Wild were 18-4-4, above the NHL rankings. Fast forward to Thursday, they have a tenuous hold to the wild lattice position at the Western Conference.
Is the future of the Wild playoffs dangerous?
Editor’s Pick
2 Related
Minnesota won 85 points and 32 regulations in 72 games, with the Vancouver Canucks (80 and 26-72 games) and Calgary Frame (79 and 26-70 games) still in a mix just ahead of the Red Hot St. Louis Blues (83 and 28-73 games).
The Wild Hosts will host the league-leading Washington Capitals on Thursday (ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+), followed by a home and home series with the New Jersey Devils. Their road trip continues against the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, before their home date with the Dallas Stars.
Perhaps the most notable of the remaining schedule are the games with Flames (April 11) and the Canucks (April 12), both of which are the scary “four-point games” as one team’s regulations wins have a huge impact. The stress levels in a hockey state will certainly rise as the pair’s game approaches.
Despite struggling to lurk for the wild, Sta Threat still likes their chances and gives them a 91.4% chance to make the playoffs.
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
Thursday’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).
Breaking news from Emily Kaplan
Download the ESPN app, enable Emily Kaplan news alerts and receive push notifications for the latest updates. Tap the alert bell in the top right corner to opt in. Click here for more information.
Pittsburgh Penguins of the Buffalo Sabres at 7pm
Ottawa Senator of the Detroit Red Wings at 7pm
Utah Hockey Club at Tampa Bay Lightning at 7pm
Montreal Canadian at Philadelphia Flyers, 7pm
Washington Capitals in Minnesota Wild, 7:30pm (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators at 8pm
Dallas stars at 9pm on the Calgary Flames
King of Los Angeles in Colorado Avalanche, 10pm (ESPN)
Edmonton Oilers in Seattle Kraken at 10pm
Toronto Maple Leafs in the San Jose Sharks, 10:30pm
Wednesday Scoreboard
Vancouver Canucks 5, New York Islander 2
New Jersey Devils 5, Chicago Blackhawks 3
Dallas Star 4, Edmonton Oilers 3
Anaheim Ducks 6, Boston Bruins 2
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: 98.1%
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: 47.7%
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: 5.2%
Tragic number: 20
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 77.5
Next game: @det (Saturday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 13
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 chance: 100%
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: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M3
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 93.2
Next game: @wpg (Friday)
Playoff chances: 94.6%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 85.5
Next game: @TB (Saturday)
Playoff chance: 24.5%
Tragic number: 22
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 31
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 84.3
Next game: @ana (Friday)
Playoff chance: 16.5%
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 chance: 13.1%
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 chance: 100%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C2
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 110.9
Next game: @CGY (Thursday)
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: 96.8%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 83
Regulation victory: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 93.2
Next game: @nsh (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 77.6%
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: 6.2%
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: 10
Point Pace: 58.1
Next Game:
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: 11
Point Pace: 100.5
Next game: @Sea (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 80
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 91.1
Next game: @CBJ (Friday)
Playoff chance: 8.2%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 79
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 12
Point Pace: 92.5
Next Game: vs. Dal (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 11.8%
Tragic number: 21
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 11
Point Pace: 80.9
Next Game: vs. Nyr (Friday)
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
Top stories of this week
You can access thousands of premium articles a year exclusively from top writers.
•NBA Breakout Star: Who got right? »
• Ranking of 32 NFL Teams for Free Agency Classes »
• Top NHL prospects in the NCAA Tournament are…»
Other ESPN+ Content»
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: 69
Regulation victory: 20
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 70
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: 79
Regulation victory: 26
Points: 80
Regulation victory: 26
