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SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: Must-win game for the Predators?

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Back on March 16, we considered the wild-card playoff chances of the Nashville Predators. At the time, they were four points behind the Winnipeg Jets and six points behind the Seattle Kraken.

Two and a half weeks later, the Preds are five points behind the Jets, and eight points behind the Kraken, and now there is clearly much less time to make up that ground.

If they are going to make a dramatic run into the postseason, their game tonight is close to a must-win. They'll host the Vegas Golden Knights (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), while rooting for the Vancouver Canucks against the Kraken (10 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). It gets complicated on Wednesday, as the Jets will host the Calgary Flames (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), a team that stands between the Preds and the two wild-card spots currently.

As of now, the Preds' playoff chances sit at 4%. Those aren't too high, but they're not 0% either. A win tonight would surely boost them.

Today's clinching scenario: The Colorado Avalanche will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the San Jose Sharks in any fashion,or if they get one point against the Sharks and the Flames lose to the Chicago Blackhawks in any fashion,or if the Predators lose to the Golden Knights in any fashion and the Flames lose to the Blackhawks 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 Dallas Stars vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken

C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets

P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Tuesday's games

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

Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.

Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.

Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.

Vegas Golden Knights at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Philadelphia Flyers at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.

Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.

Seattle Kraken at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Monday's scoreboard

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

Vegas Golden Knights 4, Minnesota Wild 3 (SO)

Dallas Stars 5, Nashville Predators 1

Seattle Kraken 8, Arizona Coyotes 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

p - Boston Bruins

Points: 125

Regulation wins: 50

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 5

Points pace: 133

Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 100

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 6

Points pace: 108

Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 37

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 5

Points pace: 102

Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 91

Next game: vs. BUF (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 57%

Tragic number: 10

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 89

Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 8%

Tragic number: 10

Ottawa Senators

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 85

Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 5

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 83

Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 4

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 66

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 70

Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 107

Regulation wins: 37

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 116

Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 104

Regulation wins: 36

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 5

Points pace: 111

Next game: vs. PIT (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 101

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 5

Points pace: 108

Next game: vs. TB (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 4

Points pace: 92

Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 72%

Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 86

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 5

Points pace: 92

Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 62%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 82

Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 2

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 77

Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 56

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 60

Next game: @ TOR (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Central Division

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 5

Points pace: 104

Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 5

Points pace: 104

Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 89

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 5

Points pace: 95

Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 69%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 91

Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 4%

Tragic number: 8

e - St. Louis Blues

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 82

Next game: vs. PHI (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 67

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 4

Points pace: 70

Next game: @ SEA (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 54

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 58

Next game: @ CGY (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 5

Points pace: 110

Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 100

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 5

Points pace: 107

Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 99

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 5

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 92

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 99

Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 93

Next game: vs. CHI (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 27%

Tragic number: 9

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 81

Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 59

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 64

Next game: vs. COL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 56

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 5

Points pace: 60

Next game: vs. EDM (Wednesday)

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.