NHL playoff standings: Canucks or Flames for last wild card?

ByESPN Staff

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 10:27AM

The Vancouver Canucks were the regular-season champions of the Pacific Division in 2023-24, and won their first-round playoff matchup against the Nashville Predators. The Calgary Flames finished 17 points out of a wild-card spot last season, and during last season and the offseason, traded away Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin,Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev.

One might say that expectations were different for the two clubs before the season, which is backed up by the preseason point total over/unders from ESPN BET: the Canucks were listed at 99.5, with the Flames at 81.5

Nevertheless, the two Western Canadian teams are battling for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with a little over a month left in the season. On Wednesday night, the they'll face off in Calgary (9 p.m. ET, ESPN+). Heading into the game, Calgary has 70 points and 24 regulation wins in 63 games, and Vancouver has 69 and 23 through 63. This will be the final head-to-match matchup between the clubs.

Of the Flames' remaining games beyond Wednesday, 10 out of 18 are against teams in a playoff position. For the Canucks, it's nine out of the final 17.

Stathletes projects the Flames to finish in that coveted wild-card position, with 89.6 points. Vancouver is projected at 88.1 points, behind Calgary and also the St. Louis Blues and Utah Hockey Club.

Given the tight margins, every game counts, particularly one against a fellow wild-card bubble team.

There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season April 17, and we'll help you keep track of it all on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:br/>Current playoff matchupsbr/>Today's schedulebr/>Yesterday's scoresbr/>Expanded standingsbr/>Race for No. 1 pick