Tim KavanaghESPN.com6 minutes read
On Wednesday, we debated whether the Buffalo Sabers or the Washington Capitals — who played each other that night — could earn a playoff spot. Prior to this game, the Sabers’ playoff odds were 16% per FiveThirtyEight.
The Caps would win that night’s game via shootout, and the Sabers would lose Friday’s game to the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. Your playoff chances are now 7%.
If there’s a way for Buffalo to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11, it starts with Sunday’s matchup against the Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). So far this season, the Bruins have won two games cleanly (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 tough one based on what we saw against Philly on Friday.
After Sunday, six of the Sabers’ last 13 games will be played against teams currently in the playoff position. They will also face their wildcard counterparts – the Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators – once a piece.
So this is not an impossible task, but certainly a difficult one. The good news: The Sabers will play a game against the basement-dwelling Columbus Blue Jackets on the final day of the season, so they’re in a good position if they just happen to need an extra two points to get them into the postseason.
As we enter the final stages of the regular season, it’s time to review all of the playoff races — along with the teams competing for spots in the 2023 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff odds are FiveThirtyEight.
Jump further:
Current playoff matches
Today’s games
Last night’s results
Extended ranking
Race for number 1
Current playoff matches
east 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 games on Sunday
Note: All times Easter. All games not on ESPN, TNT, or NHL Network are available through NHL Power Play included with an ESPN+ subscription (local lockdown restrictions apply).
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabers, 1 p.m
Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild, 2 p.m. (NHLN)
Columbus Blue Jackets at the Vegas Golden Knights, 4 p.m
Nashville Predators vs. 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 from Saturday
Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from each game.
Colorado Avalanche 5, Detroit Red Wings 1
Boston Bruins 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Winnipeg Jets 3, Nashville Predators 2 (OT)
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 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks 3, Los Angeles Kings 2 (SO)
Arizona Coyotes 4, Chicago Blackhawks 2
New York Islanders 4, San Jose Sharks 1
Extended ranking
Atlantic Division
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff Placement: A1
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 131
Next game: @ BUF (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff Placement: A2
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 111
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff Placement: A3
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 105
Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: @ DET (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 63%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 87
Next game: vs. BOS (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 7%
Tragic number: 22
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 84
Next game: @ PIT (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 1%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 83
Next game: against FLA (Monday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 19
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 70
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 6
metropolitan department
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff Placement: M1
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 118
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 95
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff Placement: M2
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 113
Next game: @TB (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff Placement: M3
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 107
Next game: against NSH (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff Placement: toilet1
Remaining games: 11
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: S. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds: 63%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff Placement: toilet2
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 93
Next game: vs. OTT (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 60%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 86
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 5%
Tragic number: 19
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 74
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 10
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 59
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
central department
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff Placement: C1
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 104
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff Placement: C2
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 104
Next game: against CHI (Monday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff Placement: C3
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 102
Next game: vs. WSH (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 98%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff Placement: toilet2
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 95
Next game: @ STL (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 71%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 15
Points Tempo: 93
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: 22%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 78
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 12
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 76
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 7
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 64
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff Placement: P1
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 107
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff Placement: p2
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 105
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff Placement: P3
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 101
Next game: against SJ (Monday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff Placement: toilet1
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 99
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff Odds: 89%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 90
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 21%
Tragic number: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Points Tempo: 78
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 12
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Points Tempo: 67
Next game: vs. VAN (Sunday)
Playoff Odds:
Tragic number: 1
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 12
Points Tempo: 61
Next game: @EDM (Monday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
X – Safe place in the playoffs; E – Eliminated from playoff competition
Race for number 1
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so whichever team finishes last isn’t guaranteed to be number 1. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if they win the lottery, leaving only 11 teams qualified for the number 1 draw. All details about the process can be found here. This summer’s #1 draft board pick is Connor Bedard, who has been hailed 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:
