NHL playoff watch: Clinching scenarios on 14-game ThursdayESPN staffApr 9, 2026, 07:00 AM ETMultiple Authors
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One week from tonight, the 2025-26 NHL regular season will conclude, with the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning on April 18.
Before the playoffs begin, the entire bracket must be determined — and much remains to be sorted between now and then.
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Thursday’s slate of 14 games will do a great deal in helping that process along. Here are the teams whose postseason fates can be solidified by the end of the evening:
The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the evening in the No. 2 seed in the Metro Division, with a magic number of two. They need a win of any kind over the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+), or a regulation loss by the Columbus Blue Jackets against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and a loss of any kind by the New York Islanders against the Toronto Maple Leafs (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+) to clinch a playoff spot.
Likewise, the Boston Bruins enter the evening with a magic number of two and a chance to clinch their own spot. The B’s don’t play Thursday, but they’ll earn the “X” in the standings if the Blue Jackets lose in regulation and the Isles lose in regulation or overtime/shootout.
The Presidents’ Trophy can also be won Thursday. If the Colorado Avalanche get a win of any variety over the Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+), or the Carolina Hurricanes lose in regulation to the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+), the No. 1 overall seed will belong to Colorado.
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On the other side of the ledger, the Seattle Kraken are teetering on the edge of mathematical elimination. They need to win against the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and need the Nashville Predators to lose to the Utah Mammoth in regulation (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+); if either of those things doesn’t happen, the Kraken are officially out.
Every team has five 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. 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.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Edmonton Oilers vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Anaheim Ducks vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Thursday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders, 6:45 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars, 9 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)
Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Utah Mammoth, 9 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday night’s scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres 5, New York Rangers 3
Washington Capitals 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 0
Edmonton Oilers 5, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded standings
Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot; a “y” means that they have clinched the division; a “z” indicates that they have clinched the best record in the conference. 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.
Atlantic Division
Enhanced standings: Atlantic DivisionTeamGPPTSRWSeedGRNext GameChancesPaceMaxTragicNumberMagicNumberx – Sabres
Metro Division
Enhanced standings: Metropolitan DivisionTeamGPPTSRWSeedGRNext GameChancesPaceMaxTragicNumberMagicNumbery – Hurricanes
Central Division
Enhanced standings: Central DivisionTeamGPPTSRWSeedGRNext GameChancesPaceMaxTragicNumberMagicNumberz – Avalanche
Pacific Division
Enhanced standings: Pacific DivisionTeamGPPTSRWSeedGRNext GameChancesPaceMaxTragicNumberMagicNumberOilers
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 draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
Draft lottery standingsTeamGPPTSRWPicktraded?1. Canucks
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
