NHL playoff watch: The key games to watch Sunday for the wild-card races

2 days ago 4

ESPN staffApr 6, 2025, 08:00 AM ET

A 13-game docket connected Saturday finished with immoderate large results:

Two teams, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings, clinched playoff berths.
Two teams, the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers, were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

It's a smaller batch of games connected Sunday, but determination are playoff implications successful most.

The New York Islanders big the Washington Capitals (12:30 p.m. ET, TNT), and portion attempting to clasp Alex Ovechkin disconnected the scoresheet, the Isles besides are trying to claw their mode backmost into the wild-card race. They statesman play 7 points backmost of the Montreal Canadiens for the last spot. The Canadiens sojourn the Nashville Predators (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
The last spot successful the West presently is held by the Minnesota Wild, who invited the Dallas Stars to the Twin Cities (3 p.m. ET, TNT). Minnesota is 4 points up of the idle Calgary Flames, and six points up of the Vancouver Canucks, who big the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). Dallas begins play 4 points backmost of the Winnipeg Jets for the West's apical wide seed.
Perhaps the biggest crippled of the time features the Columbus Blue Jackets heading to Canada's superior to instrumentality connected the Ottawa Senators (5 p.m., ESPN+). The Blue Jackets are six points down the Canadiens, portion the Senators are starting to look ahead to the No. 3-seeded Florida Panthers; they statesman the time 4 points back. Speaking of the Cats, they sojourn the Detroit Red Wings (5:30 p.m. ET, TNT), who are besides six points down the Canadiens for WC2.

For those acrophobic with draught lottery positioning, the Boston Bruins instrumentality connected the Buffalo Sabres (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and the Pittsburgh Penguins sojourn the Chicago Blackhawks (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

With the regular play ending April 17, we'll assistance you way it each with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the last stretch, we'll supply details connected each the playoff races, on with the teams jockeying for presumption successful the 2025 NHL draught lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

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 Minnesota Wild
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 St. Louis Blues
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Sunday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not connected TNT oregon NHL Network are available to watercourse connected ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Washington Capitals astatine New York Islanders, 12:30 p.m. (TNT)
Dallas Stars astatine Minnesota Wild, 3 p.m. (TNT)
Columbus Blue Jackets astatine Ottawa Senators, 5 p.m.
Florida Panthers astatine Detroit Red Wings, 5:30 p.m. (TNT)
Boston Bruins astatine Buffalo Sabres, 6 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins astatine Chicago Blackhawks, 6 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens astatine Nashville Predators, 7 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights astatine Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.

Saturday's scoreboard

New Jersey Devils 4, New York Rangers 0
Ottawa Senators 3, Florida Panthers 0
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Dallas Stars 3
Vancouver Canucks 6, Anaheim Ducks 2
Los Angeles Kings 3, Edmonton Oilers 0
Boston Bruins 5, Carolina Hurricanes 1
Buffalo Sabres 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2 (SO)
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 0
Montreal Canadiens 3, Philadelphia Flyers 2
St. Louis Blues 5, Colorado Avalanche 4
Utah Hockey Club 4, Winnipeg Jets 1
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Calgary Flames 2 (OT)
Seattle Kraken 5, San Jose Sharks 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 105.7
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: @ NYR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 99.3
Next game: @ DET (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 95.0
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 89.6
Next game: @ NSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 56.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 84.2
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 6.3%
Tragic number: 9

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 78.7
Next game: vs. BOS (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 4

e - Boston Bruins

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 107
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 115.5
Next game: @ NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 103.6
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 94.8
Next game: vs. BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 85.2
Next game: vs. TB (Monday)
Playoff chances: 24.4%
Tragic number: 9

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 84.2
Next game: @ OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 10.2%
Tragic number: 9

New York Islanders

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: vs. WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 3.2%
Tragic number: 8

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 78.8
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 2

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 115.0
Next game: vs. STL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 103.0
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 97.8
Next game: @ ANA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 94.8
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 86.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 87.3
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 4

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 66.9
Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 52
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 56.1
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 107.9
Next game: @ VAN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 104.7
Next game: vs. SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 100.3
Next game: @ ANA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 91.7
Next game: @ SJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 14.7%
Tragic number: 10

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 89.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1.1%
Tragic number: 7

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 79.8
Next game: vs. EDM (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 76.7
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 54.0
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An "x" means that the squad has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the squad has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draught lottery to find the bid of the archetypal round, truthful the squad that finishes successful past spot is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a squad tin determination up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, truthful lone 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details connected the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 connected the draught board.