Sharks’ playoff hopes: Do they have a chance at Stanley Cup Playoffs?

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoff race is tightening up as postseason play begins April 18.

With the regular season at its end come April 16, some teams on the outskirts of the playoffs are already prepping for their offseason while others are still fighting for their Stanley Cup hopes.

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In the Western Conference, the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings are chasing a wild card spot, hoping to overtake the Nashville Predators, who sit in the second and final wild card spot.

It will come down to the final regular-season games.

Through 77 games, the Kings are 32-26-19 (83 points). The Sharks are right under them; through 76 games, they have a 37-32-7 record (81 points).

San Jose has a Wednesday night game against the Edmonton Oilers. That’s important for many reasons.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens’ Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals’ Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens’ Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 28: The Ottawa Senators’ Brady Tkachuk (7) battles along the boards with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Brandon Carlo in the second period at Scotiabank Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 28: The Nashville Predators’ Filip Forsberg hits the boards alongside the Dallas Stars’ Nils Lundkvist during the third period at the American Airlines Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 5: The Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk (left) and Tampa Bay Lightning’s Victor Hedman fight during the second period at Benchmark International Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 4: The St. Louis Blues’ Brayden Schenn fights with the Dallas Stars’ Justin Hryckowian during the second period at the American Airlines Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 1: Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman fight during the second period of the 2026 Stadium Series game at Raymond James Stadium.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan. 29: St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (left) fights Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer during the second period at Enterprise Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan. 27: Vancouver Canucks forward Evander Kane (91) fights with San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren during the second period at Rogers Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan. 15: Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) fights with Calgary Flames left wing Joel Farabee (86) during the second period at United Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan. 15: Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves (21) and Seattle Kraken center Ryan Winterton (26) fight during the third period at TD Garden.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Jan 10: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) checks Seattle Kraken right wing Kaapo Kakko (84) during the first period at Lenovo Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Dec. 30: Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies (23) fights with New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Dec. 20: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Nicolas Deslauriers (44) and New York Rangers left wing Brennan Othmann (78) are separated by officials and teammates after a fight during the second period at Madison Square Garden.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Dec 8: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua (81) and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier (24) fight during the third period at Scotiabank Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Dec. 4: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Bokondji Imama (14) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) fight in the first period at Benchmark International Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Dec. 1: New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (71) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) fight during the second period at Prudential Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 28: New Jersey Devils right wing Stefan Noesen (11) and Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 28: Philadelphia Flyers right wing Garnet Hathaway (19) checks New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) during the second period at UBS Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 28: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) checks Carolina Hurricanes center Justin Robidas (46) during the first period at Lenovo Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov 24: Members of the New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings fight at the end of the third period at Prudential Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 22: Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) and Edmonton Oilers center Trent Frederic (10) fight during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Utah Mammoth center Jack McBain (22) and Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) fight during the third period at Delta Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 16: The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings engage in a major scrum after their game at Madison Square Garden.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina’s Jalen Chatfield.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 6: Los Angeles Kings right wing Corey Perry (10) and Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) fight during the third period at Crypto.com Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 6: Buffalo Sabres center Josh Dunne (44) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov 4: New York Islanders and Boston Bruins players get in a scrum after Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) was roughed by Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov (91) during the second period.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 1: Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Mathieu Olivier (24) fights St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) in the first period at Nationwide Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov 1: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) hits St. Louis Blues right wing Jordan Kyrou (25) along the boards in the third period at Nationwide Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Nov. 1: Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Buffalo Sabres left wing Jordan Greenway (12) fight during the first period at KeyBank Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 24: Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley (64) fight in the first period at Canada Life Centre.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 23: Boston Bruins left wing Tanner Jeannot (84) fights with Anaheim Ducks left wing Ross Johnston (44) during the second period at TD Garden.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 21: Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) and Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby (83) fight during the third period at Bridgestone Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin’s helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 18: Tampa Bay Lightning center Curtis Douglas (42) and Columbus Blue Jackets center Mathieu Olivier (24) fight during the first period at Nationwide Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 16: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) checks Boston Bruins center Michael Eyssimont (81) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct 14: Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) checks Minnesota Wild center Yakov Trenin (13) during the first period at the American Airlines Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 11: Calgary Flames left wing Ryan Lomberg (70) and St. Louis Blues defenseman Tyler Tucker (75) fight during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 11: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) and Winnipeg Jets defenseman Luke Schenn (5) fight during the first period at Canada Life Centre.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 9: Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) checks San Jose Sharks center Philipp Kurashev (96) at center ice during the third period at SAP Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 9: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) and Ottawa Senators left wing Kurtis MacDermid (23) fight during the first period at Benchmark International Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 9: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) checks New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) during the third period at Lenovo Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 9: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) checks New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) as he goes after a loose puck during the second period at KeyBank Center.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct 7: Los Angeles Kings left wing Jeff Malott (39) points to Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog (92) after he finished fighting Josh Manson during the first period at Crypto.com Arena.

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NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Oct. 7: Chicago’s Nick Foligno fights with Florida’s A.J. Greer during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena.

More NHL: Can Sharks make the playoffs? Eyes are on San Jose as NHL season resumes

Sharks’ remaining games and playoff outlook

San Jose next plays the Edmonton Oilers, who are atop the Pacific Division, tied with the Vegas Golden Knights at 88 points but holding the tiebreaker edge. The Oilers can lead outright by gaining at least a point against the Sharks in their Wednesday matchup.

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If Edmonton loses in regulation, it will fall to second in the division, getting leaped by the Golden Knights. As for San Jose, its wild card hopes will still be alive and well.

The Sharks have won five of their previous six games, including a 3-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, April 6. Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith have contributed to the team’s success in major ways.

They are the key components to a productive young core that needs to keep it up in their remaining six games, which includes meetings with the Anaheim Ducks and a last-place Vancouver Canucks team. To conclude the season, the Sharks face the Predators in a huge matchup and the Blackhawks again, then the Winnipeg Jets.

But with the Kings still narrowly ahead, it’ll be a tough task for San Jose, a team that hasn’t had a postseason appearance since 2019.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can San Jose Sharks make 2026 NHL playoffs?