NHL playoff watch: Latest on the Eastern wild-card chaos

3 weeks ago 39

ESPN staffMar 28, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Heading into Friday's slate of six games, there are four teams within two points battling for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Three of those teams are in action Friday:

The Montreal Canadiens, who hold the playoff spot at the moment, visit the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Simultaneously, the Columbus Blue Jackets will host the Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
In the evening's nightcap, the New York Rangers will head to Orange County to take on the Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
The New York Islanders are idle, with their next game on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Obviously, every point matters when it comes to these teams. But two specific games down the stretch will have an outsized impact: Islanders-Rangers on April 10, and Islanders-Blue Jackets on April 17 (the final day of the regular season).

Stathletes gives the Canadiens an edge right now (43.7% chance to make the playoffs), followed by the Blue Jackets (18.5%), Islanders (18.4%) and Rangers (18.1%); Montreal also has the best chance among the four to reach the second round (11.2%). Stay tuned.

There are less than three weeks left until April 17 and we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft 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 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Friday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Utah Hockey Club at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
New York Rangers at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.

Thursday's scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 7, Pittsburgh Penguins 3
Ottawa Senators 4, Detroit Red Wings 3
Tampa Bay Lightning 8, Utah Hockey Club 0
Philadelphia Flyers 6, Montreal Canadiens 4
Minnesota Wild 4, Washington Capitals 2
St. Louis Blues 3, Nashville Predators 2
Dallas Stars 5, Calgary Flames 2
Colorado Avalanche 4, Los Angeles Kings 0
Seattle Kraken 6, Edmonton Oilers 1
San Jose Sharks 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 5 (SO)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: vs. UTA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 93.6
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 86.6
Next game: @ CAR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 43.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 4.5%
Tragic number: 18

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 77.5
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 13

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 76.2
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 14

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 117.3
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 103.9
Next game: vs. MTL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 93.2
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 98.5%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 18.4%
Tragic number: 22

New York Rangers

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ ANA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 18.1%
Tragic number: 20

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: vs. VAN (Friday)
Playoff chances: 18.5%
Tragic number: 23

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 11

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 74.2
Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 9

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 116.2
Next game: vs. NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 104.5
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 90.2%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 8
Points pace: 94.2
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 80.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ FLA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 4%
Tragic number: 11

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 70.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 58.1
Next game: vs. VGK (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: @ CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: vs. CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ CBJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 10.4%
Tragic number: 16

Calgary Flames

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 91.2
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Tragic number: 17

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. NYR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 8

Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 76.4
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 2

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 56.6
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.