Surveying the scene after a wild Saturday
7:57 AM ET
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Tim KavanaghESPN.com
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- Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York.
The NHL’s 15-game slate Saturday was just as wild as we’d hoped, with six games requiring overtime or a shootout to decide the victor. And like a motion-sensing spotlight in an alley, the results of those games provided quite a bit of clarity to all of the playoff races.
The New York Islanders punched their ticket to the postseason with a 3-0 win over the New York Rangers. This was the final regular-season matchup between the clubs at Nassau Memorial Coliseum, and Semyon Varlamov put on a show for the limited capacity crowd, stopping all 28 shots he faced.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Ottawa Senators are now officially eliminated from the playoffs after an overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Though still in the midst of turning the roster over to a new wave of young players, the Sens were a tough out for the rest of the North Division this season, so the future is bright.
Having reached the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2021 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Money Puck. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Race for No. 1 pick
East Division
0:40
Penguins’ Bryan Rust scores the first two goals for the Penguins leading them to the 3-0 win over the Capitals.
Pittsburgh Penguins – x
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: E1
Games left: 4
Next game: @ PHI (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Washington Capitals – x
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: E2
Games left: 5
Next game: @ NYR (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
New York Islanders – x
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: E3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ BUF (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Boston Bruins
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: E4
Games left: 6
Next game: @ NJ (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
New York Rangers
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. WSH (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 1
Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. PIT (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
New Jersey Devils
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. BOS (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Buffalo Sabres
Points: 33
Regulation wins: 10
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. NYI (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
0:38
Erik Haula’s goal in overtime is the lone goal of the game as the Predators blank the Stars 1-0.
Carolina Hurricanes – x
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. CHI (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Florida Panthers – x
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. DAL (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Tampa Bay Lightning – x
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ DET (May 2)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Nashville Predators
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: C4
Games left: 4
Next game: @ CBJ (May 3)
Playoff chances: 82.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Dallas Stars
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: @ FLA (May 3)
Playoff chances: 17.8%
Tragic number: 7
Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: @ CAR (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 2
Detroit Red Wings
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. TB (May 2)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Columbus Blue Jackets
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. NSH (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
North Division
0:21
Connor McDavid scores the first goal of the game for the Oilers and Edmonton never looks back.
Toronto Maple Leafs – x
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N1
Games left: 5
Next game: @ MTL (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Edmonton Oilers
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N2
Games left: 7
Next game: @ VAN (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Winnipeg Jets
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N3
Games left: 6
Next game: @ OTT (May 3)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A
Montreal Canadiens
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N4
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. TOR (May 3)
Playoff chances: 95.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Calgary Flames
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. WPG (May 5)
Playoff chances: 5%
Tragic number: 4
Ottawa Senators
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. EDM (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Vancouver Canucks
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. WPG (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 8
West Division
0:30
Kevin Fiala’s goal in overtime propels the Wild to a 4-3 win.
Vegas Golden Knights – x
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: W1
Games left: 6
Next game: @ MIN (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Colorado Avalanche – x
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: W2
Games left: 7
Next game: @ SJ (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Minnesota Wild – x
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: W3
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. VGS (May 3)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
St. Louis Blues
Points: 53
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: W4
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. ANA (May 3)
Playoff chances: 94%
Tragic number: N/A
Arizona Coyotes
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. LA (May 3)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 5
San Jose Sharks
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. COL (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 2
Los Angeles Kings
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ ARI (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 5
Anaheim Ducks
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ STL (May 3)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Current playoff matchups
East Division
No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins
No. 2 Washington Capitals vs. No. 3 New York Islanders
Central Division
No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators
No. 2 Florida Panthers vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning
North Division
No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 4 Montreal Canadiens
No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Winnipeg Jets
West Division
No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 St. Louis Blues
No. 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. New for 2021, a team may move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here.
1. Buffalo Sabres
Points: 33
Regulation wins: 10
2. Anaheim Ducks
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
3. Vancouver Canucks
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
4. New Jersey Devils
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 14
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 11
6. Ottawa Senators
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 15
7. Los Angeles Kings
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 17
8. San Jose Sharks
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 14
9. Detroit Red Wings
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 15
10. Calgary Flames
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 19
11. Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
12. Arizona Coyotes
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 18
13. Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
14. Dallas Stars
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 16
15. New York Rangers
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 23