NHL playoff watch: Will the Oilers win the Pacific Division crown?

11 hours ago 4

ESPN staffMar 18, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Based on how things have been trending for the past several weeks, hockey fans should get ready for the fourth straight edition of the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs; the clubs have been passing the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds back and forth in recent days.

But what if one of those teams moves out of that second slot into first?

It could be the Kings, who have a game in hand on the Vegas Golden Knights. And it also could be the Oilers, who we know are capable of going on a heater from time to time. Edmonton's mission begins Tuesday night against the Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET, ESPN), a team they have beaten in both previous meetings this season.

Beyond the game against Utah, the Oilers face opponents currently in playoff position in six of their final 14 games. This run includes one game against the Golden Knights and two against the Kings, matchups that take on extra meaning if the standings remain close. Of the other eight games, three are against the already-eliminated San Jose Sharks and two are against the soon-to-be eliminated Seattle Kraken.

Speaking of the standings, the Golden Knights are currently in the top spot with 86 points and 36 regulation wins through 67 games, the Oilers have 82 and 28 through 67, and the Kings have 81 and 31 through 66.

There is a lot of runway left until April 17, the final day of the regular season, 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 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 New York Rangers
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

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

Tuesday's games

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

Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Calgary Flames at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
Utah Hockey Club at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Winnipeg Jets at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.

Monday's scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 3, Boston Bruins 2 (OT)
Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Philadelphia Flyers 0
New Jersey Devils 2, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Calgary Flames 2
Minnesota Wild 3, Los Angeles Kings 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Florida Panthers

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 14
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 101.6
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 101.6
Next game: vs. COL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 95.7
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 98.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 88.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 18%
Tragic number: 32

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: @ WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 11.5%
Tragic number: 29

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 2.1%
Tragic number: 24

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 74.6
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 21

Metro Division

Washington Capitals

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 117.5
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 105.3
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 13
Points pace: 95.1
Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 94.6%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 86.8
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 44%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: vs. FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 15.3%
Tragic number: 29

New York Islanders

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 84.5
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 15.1%
Tragic number: 29

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 78.4
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 21

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 76.1
Next game: @ WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 19

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 14
Points pace: 118.2
Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 14
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: @ TOR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 14
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. SEA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 91.1%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 88.0
Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 44.5%
Tragic number: 29

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 86.9
Next game: @ EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 24.5%
Tragic number: 29

Nashville Predators

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 72.1
Next game: vs. STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 18

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 60.0
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 7

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 105.3
Next game: vs. BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 100.4
Next game: vs. UTA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 16
Points pace: 100.6
Next game: @ CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 89.3
Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 22%
Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 88.2
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 18.3%
Tragic number: 31

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 79.6
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 23

Seattle Kraken

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 76.0
Next game: @ CHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 19

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 54.3
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 1

Note: 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.