NHL playoff watch: Where the races stand on zero-game FridayESPN staffApr 10, 2026, 07:00 AM ETMultiple Authors
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The NHL calendar takes a break on Friday, with zero games on the schedule. But, there were 14 games Thursday and another 15 on Saturday, so let’s get you caught up:
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In the Atlantic Division, the Buffalo Sabres are back on top, with 106 points and 41 regulation wins through 80 games; they are trailed by the Montreal Canadiens (104 points, 33 RW through 79 games) and Tampa Bay Lightning (102 points, 39 RW through 79 games). All of those RW give the Sabres a leg up on the other two clubs should they be tied in points at season’s end. The division winner will play one of the wild cards (at this point, it would be the Boston Bruins), while the teams in second and third would face one another.
Speaking of the Bruins, they hold the first wild-card spot, and are on the edge of clinching a playoff berth Saturday, with 96 points and 31 RW through 79 games. The Ottawa Senators are pulling away from the pack as the second wild card, with another win Thursday giving them 94 points and 36 RW through 79 games, and can also clinch on Saturday.
Over in the Metro Division, the Carolina Hurricanes have clinched the No. 1 seed, and are two points up on the Sabres in the race to clinch the East’s No. 1 overall seed; if they do, they’ll face off against the second wild card, the Senators. Beyond the Canes, the Pittsburgh Penguins received their ticket to the tourney with a win Thursday, and now wait to see who joins them as the No. 3 seed. Right now, that team is the Philadelphia Flyers, with 92 points and 25 RW through 79 games. The Flyers are one point up on the New York Islanders, two up on the Columbus Blue Jackets and three up on the Washington Capitals. Unfortunately for Philly, they would lose a regulation wins tiebreak to any of those teams, so getting some additional Ws is crucial.
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Out West, the Colorado Avalanche have clinched the Presidents’ Trophy as the top regular-season team; they sit at 114 points and 46 RW through 78 games, and can reach a max of 122 points if they win out. They’ll have home-ice advantage for as long as they remain in the playoffs. The Nos. 2 and 3 seeds behind them in the Central have also been locked in; the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild will square off in that first-round series, though the higher seed has yet to be determined. Heading into Saturday, Dallas holds a 106-102 edge in standings points.
Welcome the Utah Mammoth to the postseason for the first time in franchise history! They became the fourth Central clincher on Thursday night, with 90 points and 32 RW through 78 games. Their likely first-round matchup will be against the Pacific Division champ.
Speaking of which, the Edmonton Oilers are clinging to a narrow lead in that spot, with 90 points and 31 RW through 79 games. They are just ahead of the resurgent Vegas Golden Knights, who have 89 points and 28 RW through 79 games, and are undefeated in regulation since firing Bruce Cassidy and hiring John Tortorella. The Anaheim Ducks are a tiebreaker behind Vegas, with 89 points and 25 RW through 79 games. These teams have been flip-flopping down the stretch, and each has a chance to earn the top spot; the other two will face off in Round 1.
And then comes the second wild-card position, which may take until the final day of the season to sort out. Right now, it’s the Los Angeles Kings, with 85 points and 20 RW through 78 games. Given that low number of regulation wins, the Kings will lose a tiebreak to any of the other wild-card contenders:
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The Nashville Predators have 84 points and 27 RW through 79 games
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The Winnipeg Jets have 82 points and 28 RW through 78 games
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The San Jose Sharks have 81 points and 25 RW through 78 games
While a number of teams (and positions) are now locked in, much remains to be determined on Saturday and beyond.
Every team has four 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 Montreal Canadiens vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Edmonton Oilers vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Vegas Golden Knights vs. P3 Anaheim Ducks
Today’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
None!
Last night’s scoreboard
New York Islanders 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 3
Buffalo Sabres 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 0
Montreal Canadiens 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1
Ottawa Senators 5, Florida Panthers 1
Detroit Red Wings 6, Philadelphia Flyers 3
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, New Jersey Devils 2
Winnipeg Jets 5, St. Louis Blues 2
Carolina Hurricanes 7, Chicago Blackhawks 2
Dallas Stars 5, Minnesota Wild 4
Colorado Avalanche 3, Calgary Flames 1
Utah Mammoth 4, Nashville Predators 1
Anaheim Ducks 6, San Jose Sharks 1
Seattle Kraken 4, Vegas Golden Knights 3 (SO)
Los Angeles Kings 4, Vancouver Canucks 1
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; a “p” means they have clinched the top overall seed. 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 GameChancesPaceMaxTragicNumberMagicNumberp – 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.
