As has felt like the case all season long, no one seems to want to grab a hold of the playoffs and take control. As a result, the San Jose Sharks, unbelievably, are still a factor in the playoff race today, even as the team also vies for a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. For Sharks fans, it’s the best of both worlds in some ways because you get the thrill of a playoff chase while still having the security of knowing that if your team falls just short, you have good odds of snagging a top ten pick in the upcoming draft. How often can you say something like that in any given season?

So, as the Sharks start this morning with just nine games left in the regular season, here’s how the team looks in both races.

San Jose Sharks playoff odds as of April 2, 2026

There were three games last night – two with Pacific Division implications. The St. Louis Blues pushed the Los Angeles Kings to overtime, but could not get the job done and allowed the Kings to get that extra point. As a result, the Kings claimed the two points. As Sharks fans know, the Sharks won in regulation over the Anaheim Ducks, getting the much needed two points and the regulation win.

As of this morning, the Kings’ win allows Los Angeles to hold on to the second wild card spot with 78 points. San Jose’s regulation win jumps the team to third in the wild card race with 77 points. The Nashville Predators also have 77 points but have played one more game than the Sharks, so the Preds are fourth in the race. The Winnipeg Jets and Seattle Kraken are still within striking distance.

Keep an eye on the RW column, also known as regulation wins. The Kings and Sharks have the best points percentage of teams not named the Utah Mammoth. The Sharks are well ahead of the Kings in regulation wins, so if it comes down to the tiebreaker, the Sharks have the advantage at this point.

Sharks Lottery draft pick odds April 2, 2026

Of course, the wins have also pushed the Sharks a bit further out of the lottery race. If it means that Macklin Celebrini and company learn what it’s like to experience an actual playoff race and how to win games when they count the most, then I think most fans will take that experience.

Just the same, it’s a good time to take a look at where the Sharks stand on the other side of the spectrum, the tankathon.

Crazily, a bit of a winning streak by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers or even the New York Rangers and the Sharks could find themselves with a nice consolation prize if the team misses the playoffs. Remember that any team can jump a maximum of ten spots in the draft lottery (the New York Islanders jumped from 10th to 1st last season), so the Sharks, at 22nd as of this morning, are close to the mix.

While I think most fans are rooting for the playoffs simply for the experience of it all, it’s nice to know that if the Sharks miss out, there might be a silver lining at the end of it all.

Games on the calendar today with playoff implications

The Sharks are back on the ice today, one of 14 games on the NHL calendar. This one has a little less riding on the line, as the Sharks play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Other games that affect the Western Conference wild card race include:

Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars 5 p.m. PT

Utah Mammoth at Seattle Kraken 7 p.m. PT

Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings 7:30 p.m. PT