SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: A must-win for the Penguins?

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Sunday, April 2, 2023

The Sidney Crosby era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey has been synonymous with success. The Pens missed the playoffs in Sid's rookie campaign of 2005-06 but have made it every season since, a streak of 16 straight springs with playoff hockey in Western PA. That run has included three Stanley Cups and one loss in the Stanley Cup Final.

Could the streak be coming to an end this season?

The Penguins enter today's game against the Boston Bruins (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+) one point ahead of the Florida Panthers with a game in hand, but four points behind Matthew Tkachuk & Co. in the regulation wins column.

After the matchup with the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Penguins take on the Philadelphia Flyers (who are not great but always play the Penguins tough), followed by the playoff-bound New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild. Thereafter, the final trio of contests does get a bit easier, with the lottery-bound Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets on the docket to close out the season.

For comparison, the Panthers take on the Blue Jackets tonight, followed by three lottery teams (Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals), before closing out against the playoff-bound Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes.

Although today's games are not must-wins for either club, the points have become all too important to squander as the final matchups are played. As it stands now, the Penguins have a 66% chance of making the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight's model, compared with 38% for the Panthers.

Today's clinching scenarios

1. The Edmonton Oilers clinch a playoff spot if they get at least one point vs. the Anaheim Ducksor if the Nashville Predators lose to the St. Louis Blues in any fashion.

2. The Minnesota Wild clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashionor if they get a point against the Golden Knights and the Predators lose to the Blues in any fashion.

3. The Los Angeles Kings clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Seattle Kraken in regulation and there is any result other than a regulation win for the Predators in that game;or if they defeat the Kraken in overtime or a shootout and the Predators lose to the Blues in any fashion.

4. The Dallas Stars clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Colorado Avalanche in regulationor they defeat the Avs in OT or a shootout and there is any result other than a regulation win for the Predators in their game.

5. The Tampa Bay Lightning clinch a playoff spot if they beat the New York Islanders in any fashion;or if they get one point against the Isles and the Florida Panthers lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets in any fashion;or if the Buffalo Sabres lose to the Philadelphia Flyers in any fashion and the Panthers lose to the Blue Jackets in regulation.

As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2023 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight.

Jump ahead:

Current playoff matchups

Today's games

Last night's scores

Expanded standings

Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 Pittsburgh Penguins

A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 New York Islanders

M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers

Western Conference

C1 Minnesota Wild vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken

C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Saturday's games

Note: All times Eastern. All games not on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT or NHL Network are available via NHL Power Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).

St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators, 1 p.m. (NHLN)

Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)

Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.

Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.

New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.

New Jersey Devils at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m.

San Jose Sharks at Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m.

Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m.

Los Angeles Kings at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.

Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.

Friday's scoreboard

Watch "In the Crease" on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Buffalo Sabres 3, New York Rangers 2 (OT)

Winnipeg Jets 6, Detroit Red Wings 2

Calgary Flames 5, Vancouver Canucks 4 (OT)

Dallas Stars 4, Arizona Coyotes 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

p - Boston Bruins

Points: 121

Regulation wins: 49

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 133

Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 37

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 109

Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 94

Regulation wins: 36

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 6

Points pace: 101

Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 83

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 90

Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 38%

Tragic number: 12

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 88

Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 5%

Tragic number: 12

Ottawa Senators

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 86

Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 2%

Tragic number: 10

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 82

Next game: @ TOR (Sunday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 6

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 66

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 71

Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 8

Points pace: 114

Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 102

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 112

Next game: @ CHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 99

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 6

Points pace: 107

Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 94

Next game: @ TB (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 90%

Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 92

Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 66%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 83

Next game: vs. NYR (Sunday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 6

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 79

Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 1%

Tragic number: 4

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 54

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 60

Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Central Division

Minnesota Wild

Points: 97

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 106

Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ COL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 94

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 8

Points pace: 104

Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 6

Points pace: 94

Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 61%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 91

Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 9%

Tragic number: 12

St. Louis Blues

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 83

Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 4

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 67

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 72

Next game: @ SEA (Monday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 54

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 59

Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 99

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 108

Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 97

Regulation wins: 40

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 6

Points pace: 105

Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 8

Points pace: 100

Next game: vs. LA (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 92

Next game: vs. ANA (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 31%

Tragic number: 11

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 82

Next game: vs. LA (Sunday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 2

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 57

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 62

Next game: @ ARI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 56

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 61

Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

P -- Clinched Presidents' Trophy; Y -- Clinched division; X -- Clinched playoff berth; E -- Eliminated from playoff contention

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can 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. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Connor Bedard, who has been lauded as a generational talent.