With 30 NHL groups in motion Saturday, there was sure to be some motion in the standings as the 2026 Stanley Cup playoff bracket continues to take form.
While two extra groups punched their tickets — the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres — the standings shifts weren’t really all that extreme.
The massive transfer was in the Western wild-card race, as the Nashville Predators reclaimed the remaining playoff place with a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. Here’s how that race appears proper now:
The Preds — on a 7-3-0 streak — maintain the second wild card with 81 factors and 26 regulation wins by way of 76 video games. They are 5 again of the Utah Mammoth for the first wild card.
The Los Angeles Kings are tied in the factors column, with 81 by way of 76 video games, however are properly behind in the regulation wins tally, with 19. There will not be sufficient video games left for the Kings to go the Preds in RW, so they are going to have to be forward of Nashville in factors.
The Sharks are actually two again of the Preds’ and Kings’ tempo in factors however have a recreation in hand. They have 24 regulation wins; if they’re tied with Nashville in RW, the subsequent tiebreaker is regulation and additional time wins, the place they’ve an edge 34-31.
Finally, the Winnipeg Jets stay in the combine, three factors again of the Kings and Wild, and with an equal variety of RW to Nashville (26).
The East is a little more jumbled — additionally as a result of the proven fact that the New York Islanders, in third place in the Metro Division, are only a level forward of the 4 groups battling for the second wild-card spot.
Here’s the lay of the land as the video games of Sunday start:
The Ottawa Senators sit in WC1 place, with 88 factors and 29 RW by way of 76 video games. They host the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN+), who could be their first-round opponent if the standings maintain from now by way of April 16.
Next up are the Detroit Red Wings, who even have 88 factors by way of 76 video games, however are 4 again in the RW column. They welcome the Minnesota Wild to Detroit on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, TNT).
The Philadelphia Flyers are the hottest of the groups in the race, having gone 7-3-0 of their final 10, and still have 88 factors by way of 76 video games. However, they’re 9 again in the RW column, so will have to be forward outright in factors to earn the spot. The Flyers host the Boston Bruins (house owners of the first wild card) on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
The Columbus Blue Jackets had been considered one of the finest tales of the second half of the season however have hit a tough stretch, going 3-6-1 of their final 10. They have 88 factors by way of 77 video games, with 27 RW, and are idle on Sunday.
Some thought the Washington Capitals had been throwing in the towel on the season by buying and selling veteran defenseman John Carlson. Nevertheless, they’ve charged again into the image with a 6-2-2 document of their final 10, pulling inside a degree of the 4 groups with 88. The Caps’ edge is that they have already got 33 RW (tied with the Senators), ought to the tiebreaking get to that time. Washington visits the New York Rangers on Sunday (7 p.m., ESPN).
Who will emerge from these packs? Time is operating out for groups to finalize their massive run.
Every group has seven or fewer video games remaining earlier than the common season concludes April 16, and we’ll show you how to preserve observe of all of it right here on the NHL playoff watch on daily basis. As we traverse the remaining stretch, we’ll present particulars on all the playoff races — together with the groups jockeying for place in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are high by way of Stathletes.
Jump forward:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Montreal Canadiens vs. A3 Buffalo Sabres
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Islanders
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
Today’s video games
Note: All instances ET. All video games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (native blackout restrictions apply).
Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings, 1 p.m. (TNT)
Florida Panthers at Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 p.m.
Boston Bruins at Philadelphia Flyers, 3:30 p.m. (TNT)
Carolina Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators, 5 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Washington Capitals at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Last evening’s scoreboard
New York Rangers 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Minnesota Wild 4, Ottawa Senators 1
Colorado Avalanche 2, Dallas Stars 0
Tampa Bay Lightning 3, Boston Bruins 1
Pittsburgh Penguins 9, Florida Panthers 4
Montreal Canadiens 4, New Jersey Devils 3 (SO)
Washington Capitals 6, Buffalo Sabres 2
Carolina Hurricanes 4, New York Islanders 3
Winnipeg Jets 2, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
Utah Mammoth 7, Vancouver Canucks 4
Los Angeles Kings 7, Toronto Maple Leafs 6 (OT)
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Edmonton Oilers 1
Calgary Flames 5, Anaheim Ducks 3
Nashville Predators 6, San Jose Sharks 3
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Seattle Kraken 2
Expanded standings
Note: An “x” with a group’s title means the membership has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” signifies that the membership has been mathematically eradicated. Teams clinch a playoff spot when their magic quantity reaches zero, and are mathematically eradicated when their tragic quantity reaches zero.
Atlantic Division
Metro Division
Central Division
Pacific Division
Race for the No. 1 decide
The NHL makes use of a draft lottery to find out the order of the first spherical, so the group that finishes in final place just isn’t assured the No. 1 choice. As of 2021, a group can transfer up a most of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so solely 11 groups are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 decide. Full details on the process can be found here. Atop draft boards for this summer season is Gavin McKenna, a ahead for Penn State.
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ decide belongs to the Bruins, except it lands in the high 5.
