Tim KavanaghESPN.com7:00 AM ET8 minute read
Nikita Zadorov scores against Jets
Nikita Zadorov scores against Jets
The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, entering Thursday night’s massive 14-game table, each have 98 points atop the Central Division. According to research from ESPN Stats & Information, this is the second time in NHL history that the top three clubs in a division have all had the same number of points at this stage of a season (with all three completing 90% or more of their schedule). ).
(For the history buffs, the last time was 2016-17, when the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Edmonton Oilers all had 91 points through March 25, 2017.)
So which team will eventually emerge as the regular-season division champions? And will the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators attend the postseason party?
Importantly, the Avs have an extra game in hand for each. But if the points after Game 82 are equal for each team, the Stars now have an advantage in regular wins (35 versus 32 for the Avs and Wild).
After Thursday night’s game against the Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), the Avs complete their California road trip against the Los Angeles Kings (Saturday) and Ducks (Sunday) before heading to home games against the Oilers (April 11) and Jets (April 13). Finally, they will wrap up with an away game against the Preds on April 14th.
The Stars host the Flyers on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), then the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday before away games against the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues and one final game against the Blues to wrap things up.
Minnesota theoretically has Thursday’s most challenging opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), then hosts the Blues, travels to the Chicago Blackhawks and finishes with a home game against Winnipeg and an away game against Nashville.
Money Puck puts the Avs ahead with a 45.4% chance, followed by the Stars (37.1%) and Wild (17.5%).
How about those wildcards? The Jets, level on points with the Calgary Flames (but with a three-rules win advantage and a game in hand), end their season with games against the Preds, Sharks, Wild and Avs. The Preds, three points and five regular wins behind the Jets, have Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu), followed by Jets, Flames, Wild and Avs. FiveThirtyEight gives Winnipeg a 59% chance of getting a wild card, while the Preds have a 12% chance.
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 New York Islanders
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Florida Panthers
M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
The games on Thursday
Note: All times Eastern. All games not on ESPN, TNT, or NHL Network are available through NHL Power Play included with an ESPN+ subscription (local lockdown restrictions apply).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m
Buffalo Sabers at the Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m
Ottawa Senators vs Florida Panthers, 7 p.m
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m
Minnesota Wild at the Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m
Carolina Hurricanes at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)
New York Rangers at the St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m
Philadelphia Flyers at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m
Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m
Los Angeles Kings at the Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m
Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m
Arizona Coyotes at the Seattle Kraken, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)
Scoreboard from Wednesday
Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from each game.
New York Rangers 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 3
Calgary Flames 3, Winnipeg Jets 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Anaheim Ducks 1
Extended ranking
Atlantic Division
Points: 125
Regulation wins: 50
Playoff Placement: A1
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 133
Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 102
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff Placement: A2
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 109
Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff Placement: A3
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 101
Next game: @ NYI (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff Placement: toilet1
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: vs. OTT (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 76%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 6
Points Tempo: 87
Next game: @ DET (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 3%
Tragic number: 7
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 85
Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: <1%
Tragic number: 3
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 84
Next game: against BUF (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: <1%
Tragic number: 2
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 69
Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
metropolitan department
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff Placement: M1
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 116
Next game: @NSH (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff Placement: M2
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 111
Next game: vs. CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 103
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff Placement: M3
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 108
Next game: @ STL (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff Placement: toilet2
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 78%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 90
Next game: vs. MIN (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 43%
Tragic number: 8th
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 82
Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 76
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 60
Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
central department
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff Placement: C1
Remaining games: 6
Points Tempo: 106
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff Placement: C2
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 104
Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff Placement: C3
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 104
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff Placement: toilet2
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 94
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff Odds: 59%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: vs. AUTO (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 12%
Tragic number: 7
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 83
Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 70
Next game: @ SEA (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 60
Next game: @ VAN (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 104
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff Placement: P1
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 109
Next game: vs. LA (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 103
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff Placement: p2
Remaining games: 3
Points Tempo: 107
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 100
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff Placement: P3
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 105
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 100%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff Placement: toilet1
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 100
Next game: vs. ARI (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: >99%
Tragic number: N / A
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 3
Points Tempo: 92
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff Odds: 28%
Tragic number: 6
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 80
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 5
Points Tempo: 64
Next game: vs. COL (Thursday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff Placement: N / A
Remaining games: 4
Points Tempo: 59
Next game: @ ARI (Saturday)
Playoff Odds: 0%
Tragic number: E
P — Clinted Presidents’ Trophy; Y – bracketed division; 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 No.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: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30