Tim KavanaughESPN.com8 minutes of reading
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers: Full Highlights
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers: Full Highlights
On Wednesday, we wondered if the Buffalo Sabers or Washington Capitals — who squared off tonight — could clinch a playoff spot. Prior to this game, FiveThirtyEight had the Sabers’ playoff odds at 16%.
The Caps would go on to win tonight’s game in shootouts and the Sabers would lose Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Their playoff chances are now 7%.
If there’s any way for Buffalo to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11, it starts with Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). So far this season, the Bruins have won two straight games (3-1 on Nov. 12 and 7-1 on March 2), while the Sabers won 4-3 in OT on New Year’s Eve. A win against the Bruins could be a tall order based on what we saw against Philly on Friday.
After Sunday, six of the Sabres’ final 13 games will be against teams currently in playoff position. They will also face their fellow wild-card contenders – the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators – once each.
So it’s not an impossible task, but it’s certainly difficult. The good news: The Sabers have a game on the final day of the season against the basement-dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets, so they’ll be in a good spot if they just happen to need two extra points to push them into the postseason.
As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check out all the playoff races — along with the teams vying for a position in the 2023 NHL Draft lottery.
Note: Playoff odds are via FiveThirtyEight.
Next:
Current playoff matches
Today’s games
Last night’s results
Advanced ranking
Race for the #1 pick
Current playoff matches
Eastern Conference
A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 Pittsburgh Penguins
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 New York Islanders
M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers
Western Conference
C1 Dallas Stars vs WC1 Seattle Kraken
C2 Colorado Avalanche vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
The Sunday games
Note: All times are Eastern. All non-ESPN, TNT or NHL Network games are available through NHL Power Play, which is included with an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres, 1 p.m
Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild, 2 p.m. (NHLN)
Columbus Blue Jackets at Vegas Golden Knights, 4 p.m
Nashville Predators at New York Rangers, 7 p.m
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues, 7 p.m
New Jersey Devils at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Ducks, 8 p.m
Scoreboard for Saturday
Watch “In the Crease” on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.
Colorado Avalanche 5, Detroit Red Wings 1
Boston Bruins 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Winnipeg Jets 3, Nashville Predators 2 (overtime)
Edmonton Oilers 6, Seattle Kraken 4
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Philadelphia Flyers 4 (OT)
Florida Panthers 4, New Jersey Devils 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Ottawa Senators 4 (SO)
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Montreal Canadiens 3
New York Rangers 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 0
Dallas Stars 6, Calgary Flames 5 (overtime)
Vancouver Canucks 3, Los Angeles Kings 2 (SO)
Arizona Coyotes 4, Chicago Blackhawks 2
New York Islanders 4, San Jose Sharks 1
Advanced ranking
Atlantic Division
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: A1
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 131
Next game: @ BUF (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 111
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A3
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 105
Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 92
Next game: @ THIS (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 63%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining games: 14
Dot rate: 87
Next game: vs BOS (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 7%
Tragic number: 22
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 84
Next game: @ PIT (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 1%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 83
Next game: vs FLA (Monday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 19
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 70
Next game: against tuberculosis (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 6
Capital Division
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M1
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 118
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 95
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M2
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 113
Next game: @ TB (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M3
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 107
Next game: vs NSH (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Remaining games: 11
Dot rate: 92
Next game: v. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances: 63%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 93
Next game: vs. THERE (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 60%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 86
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 5%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 74
Next game: vs FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 10
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 59
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 0%
Tragic number: e
Central Division
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C1
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 104
Next game: vs SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: C2
Remaining games: 14
Dot rate: 104
Next game: vs. CHI (Monday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: C3
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 102
Next game: vs WSH (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 98%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 95
Next game: @ STL (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 71%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 15
Dot rate: 93
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: 22%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 78
Next game: vs WPG (Sunday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 12
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 12
Dot rate: 76
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 7
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 64
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 0%
Tragic number: e
Pacific Division
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P1
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 107
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 105
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: P3
Remaining games: 12
Dot rate: 101
Next game: vs SJ (Monday)
Playoff Chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Remaining games: 13
Dot rate: 99
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff Chances: 89%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 12
Dot rate: 90
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 21%
Tragic number: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 14
Dot rate: 78
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 12
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 13
Dot rate: 67
Next game: vs VAN (Sunday)
Playoff Chances:
Tragic number: 1
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Remaining Games: 12
Dot rate: 61
Next game: @ EDM (Monday)
Playoff Chances: 0%
Tragic number: e
X — Playoff berth earned; E — Eliminated from playoff contention
Race for the #1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes last is not guaranteed the #1 pick. Starting in 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if they win the lottery, so only 11 teams can enter the lottery for the No. 1 pick. Full details of the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on this summer’s draft board is Connor Bedard, who is being lauded as a generational talent.
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 30
Notes on traded picks affecting the top 16: