The big move was in the Western wild-card race, as the Nashville Predators<\/a> reclaimed the final playoff position with a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks<\/a>. Here’s how that race looks right now:<\/p>\n The East is a bit more jumbled — also due to the fact that the New York Islanders<\/a>, in third place in the Metro Division, are just a point ahead of the four teams battling for the second wild-card spot.<\/p>\n Here’s the lay of the land as the games of Sunday begin:<\/p>\n Who will emerge from these packs? Time is running out for teams to finalize their big run.<\/p>\n Every team has seven or fewer games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.<\/p>\n Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.<\/p>\n Jump ahead:<\/p>\n Current playoff matchups<\/a><\/p>\n Today’s schedule<\/a><\/p>\n Last night’s scores<\/a><\/p>\n Expanded standings<\/a><\/p>\n Race for No. 1 pick<\/a><\/p>\n Eastern Conference<\/p>\n A1 Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a>vs. WC1 Boston Bruins<\/a><\/p>\n A2 Montreal Canadiens<\/a> vs. A3 Buffalo Sabres<\/a><\/p>\n M1 Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators<\/a><\/p>\n M2Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a>vs. M3New York Islanders<\/a><\/p>\n Western Conference<\/p>\n C1 Colorado Avalanche<\/a> vs. WC2Nashville Predators<\/a><\/p>\n C2 Dallas Stars<\/a> vs. C3 Minnesota Wild<\/a><\/p>\n P1 Edmonton Oilers<\/a>vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth<\/a><\/p>\n P2 Anaheim Ducks<\/a>vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights<\/a><\/p>\n Today’s games<\/p>\n Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+<\/a> (local blackout restrictions apply).<\/p>\n Minnesota Wild<\/a> at Detroit Red Wings<\/a>, 1 p.m. (TNT)<\/p>\n Florida Panthers<\/a> at Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a>, 3 p.m.<\/p>\n Boston Bruins<\/a> at Philadelphia Flyers<\/a>, 3:30 p.m. (TNT)<\/p>\n Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> at Ottawa Senators<\/a>, 5 p.m.<\/p>\n New Jersey Devils<\/a> at Montreal Canadiens<\/a>, 7 p.m.<\/p>\n Washington Capitals<\/a> at New York Rangers<\/a>, 7 p.m. (ESPN)<\/p>\n St. Louis Blues<\/a> at Colorado Avalanche<\/a>, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)<\/p>\n Last night’s scoreboard<\/p>\n New York Rangers<\/a> 4, Detroit Red Wings<\/a> 1<\/p>\n Minnesota Wild<\/a> 4, Ottawa Senators<\/a> 1<\/p>\n Colorado Avalanche<\/a> 2, Dallas Stars<\/a> 0<\/p>\n Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> 3, Boston Bruins<\/a> 1<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> 9, Florida Panthers<\/a> 4<\/p>\n Montreal Canadiens<\/a> 4, New Jersey Devils<\/a> 3 (SO)<\/p>\n Washington Capitals<\/a> 6, Buffalo Sabres<\/a> 2<\/p>\n Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> 4, New York Islanders<\/a> 3<\/p>\n Winnipeg Jets<\/a> 2, Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> 1<\/p>\n Utah Mammoth<\/a> 7, Vancouver Canucks<\/a> 4<\/p>\n Los Angeles Kings<\/a> 7, Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> 6 (OT)<\/p>\n Vegas Golden Knights<\/a> 5, Edmonton Oilers<\/a> 1<\/p>\n Calgary Flames<\/a> 5, Anaheim Ducks<\/a> 3<\/p>\n Nashville Predators<\/a> 6, San Jose Sharks<\/a> 3<\/p>\n Chicago Blackhawks<\/a> 4, Seattle Kraken<\/a> 2<\/p>\n Expanded standings<\/p>\n Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” means that the club has been mathematically eliminated. Teams clinch a playoff spot when their magic number reaches zero, and are mathematically eliminated when their tragic number reaches zero.<\/p>\n Atlantic DivisionMetro DivisionCentral DivisionPacific DivisionRace for the No. 1 pick<\/p>\n
The Preds — on a 7-3-0 streak — hold the second wild card with 81 points and 26 regulation wins through 76 games. They are five back of the Utah Mammoth<\/a> for the first wild card.
The Los Angeles Kings<\/a> are tied in the points column, with 81 through 76 games, but are well behind in the regulation wins tally, with 19. There are not enough games left for the Kings to pass the Preds in RW, so they will need to be ahead of Nashville in points.
The Sharks are now two back of the Preds’ and Kings’ pace in points but have a game in hand. They have 24 regulation wins; if they are tied with Nashville in RW, the next tiebreaker is regulation and overtime wins, where they have an edge 34-31.
Finally, the Winnipeg Jets<\/a> remain in the mix, three points back of the Kings and Wild, and with an equal number of RW to Nashville (26).
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The Ottawa Senators<\/a> sit in WC1 position, with 88 points and 29 RW through 76 games. They host the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> on Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+), who would be their first-round opponent if the standings hold from now through April 16.
Next up are the Detroit Red Wings<\/a>, who also have 88 points through 76 games, but are four back in the RW column. They welcome the Minnesota Wild<\/a> to Detroit on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, TNT).
The Philadelphia Flyers<\/a> are the hottest of the teams in the race, having gone 7-3-0 in their last 10, and also have 88 points through 76 games. However, they are nine back in the RW column, so will need to be ahead outright in points to earn the spot. The Flyers host the Boston Bruins<\/a> (owners of the first wild card) on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
The Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> were one of the best stories of the second half of the season but have hit a rough stretch, going 3-6-1 in their last 10. They have 88 points through 77 games, with 27 RW, and are idle on Sunday.
Some thought the Washington Capitals<\/a> were throwing in the towel on the season by trading veteran defenseman John Carlson<\/a>. Nevertheless, they’ve charged back into the picture with a 6-2-2 record in their last 10, pulling within a point of the four teams with 88. The Caps’ edge is that they already have 33 RW (tied with the Senators), should the tiebreaking get to that point. Washington visits the New York Rangers<\/a> on Sunday (7 p.m., ESPN).
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Current playoff matchups<\/p>\n