Many playoff races are approaching the wire. And while the three top teams in the Atlantic division are expected to qualify for the postseason, the order in which they end remains a mystery.
What is at risk? The division winner will draw out a first-round matchup with the wildcard team, perhaps the Ottawa Senator. The second and third teams line up with each other as the second seed has a home ice advantage.
As Sunday’s game begins, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be number one, with 92 points in the rankings. The Florida Panthers were second, earning 91 standings points in one game (72) over the Tampa Bay Lightning (73).
Editor’s Pick
2 Related
By the end of the season, if there is a tie at the point, the first tie breaker is a regulation victory. Currently, lightning holds edges at 37, leaves have 36 and Panthers have 35.
Florida is the first of three clubs to host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday (1pm on the NHL Network). The Leafs will continue their West Coast road trip by visiting Anaheim’s ducks on Sunday (ET, ESPN+) and will perform on New York Islanders on Tuesday.
The Panthers have two games left against the Leafs (Toronto on Wednesday, April 8th, sunrise), one against the Lightning (April 15th in Tampa Bay). Toronto plays his final regular season game against Tampa Bay on April 9th in central Florida.
Overall, the Leaf has the toughest remaining schedule strength of the three teams (51.3% win rate, the toughest 11th in the league). The Panthers are next (49.5%, 21) and lightning is the easiest road (47.6%, 25th).
Stathless predicts that Lightning is the most likely to win the division (44.5%), followed by the Panthers (33.9%) and the Leafs (21.6%).
How does it all unfold? stay tuned.
It will take less than three weeks until April 17th, so 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 New York Rangers
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
Sunday 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.
Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens, 1pm (NHL)
Washington Capitals’ Buffalo Sabres, 3pm
Winnipeg Jets’ Vancouver Canucks at 3pm
Chicago Blackhawks Utah Hockey Club, 4pm
Ottawa Senator of Pittsburgh Penguins, 5pm
New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricane at 5pm
Anaheim Duck Toronto Maple Leafs, 8pm
San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings, 10pm (ESPN)
Saturday Scoreboard
Philadelphia Flyers 7, Buffalo Sabres 4
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, New York Islanders 3
St. Louis Blues 2, Colorado Avalanche 1
New Jersey Devils 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Nashville Predators 1
Ottawa Senator 3, Columbus Blue Jacket 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Los Angeles Kings 1
Detroit Red Wings 2, Boston Bruins 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Calgary Frame 2 (OT)
New York Rangers 6, San Jose Sharks 1
Dallas Star 5, Seattle Kraken 1
Expanding ranking
Atlantic Division
Playoff Hockey Challenge
Choose the winner and win the Stanley Cup champion! Create a bracket
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 103.3
Next game: @ana (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 103.6
Next Game: vs.MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 102.2
Next game: @nyi (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 94.5
Next game: @pit (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 75
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 85.4
Next game: @fla (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 28%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 83.1
Next game: @STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chance: 2.3%
Tragic number: 16
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 76.5
Next Game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9
Points: 66
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 75.2
Next game: @wsh (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10
Metro Division
Points: 103
Regulation victory: 40
Playoff position: M1
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 117.3
Next Game: vs. Buf (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 100%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: M2
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 104.8
Next game: vs. nyi (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Left game: 7
Point Pace: 92.9
Next game: vs. min (Monday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC2
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 85.3
Next game: vs. Min (Wednesday)
Playoff chance: 18.7%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 85.4
Next Game: Vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 28.7%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 84.3
Next game: @car (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 24.7%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 69
Regulation victory: 20
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 7
Point Pace: 75.4
Next Game: vs.NSH (Monday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 7
Central part
Points: 104
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 116.8
Next game: vs. van (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 100%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 100
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C2
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 112.3
Next game: @Sea (Monday)
Playoff chance: 100%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 103.1
Next Game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 96.4
Next game: @NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 96.5%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Left game: 7
Point Pace: 95.1
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 89.8%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 76
Regulation victory: 24
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 85.4
Next game: @chi (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 0.6%
Tragic number: 8
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 69.6
Next game: @phi (Monday)
Playoff chance: 0%
Tragic number: e
Points: 51
Regulation victory: 18
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 57.3
Next Game: vs. UTA (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 0%
Tragic number: e
Pacific Sector
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P1
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 110.1
Next Game: vs.EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 101.4
Next game: vs. SJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 100.0
Next game: @VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 95.9%
Tragic number: n/a
Points: 81
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 9
Point Pace: 91.0
Next game: @wpg (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 6.4%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 80
Regulation victory: 26
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 91.1
Next game: @col (Monday)
Playoff chance: 10.8%
Tragic number: 14
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. Tor (Sunday)
Playoff chance: 0.1%
Tragic number: 6
Points: 68
Regulation victory: 25
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 8
Point Pace: 75.4
Next Game: vs. Dal (Monday)
Playoff chance: 0%
Tragic number: e
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: n/a
Left game: 10
Point Pace: 55.8
Next game: @la (Sunday)
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.
•Men/Female NCAA: Hot, Cold Team»
•We asked: Best QB in College Football? »
• 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: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 51
Regulation victory: 18
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 66
Regulation victory: 24
Points: 68
Regulation victory: 25
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 69
Regulation victory: 20
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 26
Points: 74
Regulation victory: 25
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 75
Regulation victory: 24
Points: 76
Regulation victory: 24
Points: 80
Regulation victory: 26
Points: 81
Regulation victory: 26
