Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a every day look on the races for the 2026 NHL postseason.
There are 9 days left in the common season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are red-hot. The top three groups in every of the 4 divisions and the subsequent two highest-place finishers in every convention attain the playoffs.
Here is a look on the NHL standings and the whole lot else that would influence the playoff image.
Clinching eventualities
There aren’t any playoff clinching eventualities Wednesday.
On Tap
There are three video games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, all with playoff implications:
Buffalo Sabres at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, MSG)
The Sabres (47-23-8) can regain sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with a win in opposition to the Rangers (33-36-9) at Madison Square Garden. Buffalo is in a three-way tie for first with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. Each has 102 factors with 4 video games remaining. The Lightning and Canadiens don’t play Wednesday. The Rangers (33-36-9) try to shut robust. They have gained two in a row and 5 of six, all at residence. This is their closing residence recreation of the season.
Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, MNMT)
The Capitals (39-30-9) try to keep alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, however they’re virtually in absolute must-win territory. Washington is 5 factors out of a playoff spot with 4 video games remaining. They are chasing each the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division and the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card from the East. The Flyers and Senators every have 92 factors. The Capitals, with 87, additionally path the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings, every with 89. Rookie ahead Ilya Protas will make his NHL debut for the Capitals. The youthful brother of Washington ahead Aliaksei Protas was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League on Monday. Toronto (32-31-14) is residence after dropping three of 4 on a four-game highway journey.
Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SN1, TVAS)
Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini on reverse sides headline a key matchup in the Pacific Division. Linemates for Team Canada on the 2026 Winter Olympics, McDavid, the Oilers heart, and Celebrini, the Sharks heart, are the principle sights, however the standings take priority over the 2 names on the top of the marquee. The Oilers (39-29-10) are coming off a 6-5 extra time loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday and are tied for first in the Pacific with the Vegas Golden Knights, every with 88 factors and 4 video games to play, with Edmonton holding the regulation wins tiebreaker (30-28). The Sharks (37-32-7) are three factors behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card from the Western Conference, however San Jose has six video games remaining whereas Nashville has 4. The Los Angeles Kings are additionally in the Sharks’ approach with 83 factors and 5 video games left.
