NHL playoff watch: Clinching scenarios on 14-game Thursday
One week from tonight, the 2025-26 NHL common season will conclude, with the Stanley Cup playoffs starting on April 18.
Before the playoffs start, your entire bracket should be decided — and far stays to be sorted between at times.
Thursday’s slate of 14 video games will do an awesome deal in serving to that course of alongside. Here are the groups whose postseason fates will be solidified by the tip of the night:
The Pittsburgh Penguins enter the night within the No. 2 seed within the Metro Division, with a magic variety of two. They want a win of any sort over the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+), or a regulation loss by the Columbus Blue Jackets towards the Buffalo Sabers (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and a lack of any sort by the New York Islanders towards the Toronto Maple Leafs (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+) to clinch a playoff spot.
Likewise, the Boston Bruins enter the night with a magic variety of two and an opportunity to clinch their very own spot. The B’s do not play Thursday, however they will earn the “X” within the standings if the Blue Jackets lose in regulation, the Isles lose in regulation and the Detroit Red Wings lose to the Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+) in regulation.
The Presidents’ Trophy may also be received Thursday. If the Colorado Avalanche get a win of any selection over the Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+), or the Carolina Hurricanes lose in regulation to the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+), the No. 1 general seed will belong to Colorado.
The idle Edmonton Oilers also can clinch a playoff berth if the Anaheim Ducks defeat the San Jose Sharks in any trend (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and the Utah Mammoth defeat the Nashville Predators in regulation (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+), and with any outcome within the Winnipeg Jets–St. Louis Blues recreation (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+) aside from a regulation win for the Jets.
The Mammoth will clinch a spot in the event that they defeat the Preds in regulation and the Ducks beat the Sharks in any trend.
On the opposite aspect of the ledger, the Seattle Kraken are teetering on the sting of mathematical elimination. They have to win towards the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and want the Predators to lose the Mammoth in regulation; If both of these issues does not occur, the Kraken are formally out.
Every crew has 5 or fewer video games remaining earlier than the common season concludes April 16, and we’ll enable you to preserve observe of all of it right here on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the ultimate stretch, we’ll present particulars on all of the playoff races — together with the groups jockeying for place within the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff likelihood is 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 Buffalo Sabers vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers
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
Thursday’s video games
Note: All occasions ET. All video games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (native blackout restrictions apply).
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders6:45 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabers7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens7 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils7 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues8 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks8:30 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars9 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)
Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche9 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Utah Mammoth9 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks10 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken10 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings10:30 p.m.
Wednesday night time’s scoreboard
Buffalo Sabers 5, New York Rangers 3
Washington Capitals 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 0
Edmonton Oilers 5, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded standings
Note: An “x” with a crew’s title means the membership has clinched a playoff spot; a “y” signifies that they’ve clinched the division; a “z” signifies that they’ve clinched the very best report within the convention. 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 primary spherical, so the crew that finishes in final place just isn’t assured the No. 1 choice. As of 2021, a crew 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, until it lands within the high 5.
