SPORTS

NHL playoff standings update: The Bedard race intensifies

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Friday, March 10, 2023

Tonight's NHL schedule is not one that will have an outsized influence on the playoff races -- the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Florida Panthers and the Anaheim Ducks head to Alberta to take on the Calgary Flames.

But all of these teams will play a role in the upcoming 2023 NHL draft lottery.

At this point, all four clubs are in the bottom 16, and eligible to move up in this summer's draft. As of 2021, teams can move up only 10 spots, so the Flames won't quite make it all the way to No. 1 should they win a drawing. As for the Panthers, their first-round pick belongs to the Montreal Canadiens as part of the trade for Ben Chiarot last season. For the Ducks and Blackhawks, however, a generational talent is atop the board for their potential selection should they win the lottery.

Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats is the eighth under-18 player in WHL history (and first in 24 years) to score 60 goals in a season, according to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects. He led Canada to a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship (scoring beauties such as this one), and has essentially been the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 draft class for the past few years. He's No.1 on the NHL central scouting bureau's ranks, along with those from The Athletic's Corey Pronmanand Scott Wheeler, Elite Prospects, Sportsnet, TSN, The Hockey Newsand Chris Peters of FloSports.

"He's almost magical," TSN's Craig Button told ESPN earlier this season. "I never thought I'd say that about him. He was quick and he was fast and he was allusive and everything. But he's got a magical quality to him."

Which team will get to draft him? Stay tuned the rest of the season to see which clubs put themselves in... ahem... the best position to win the 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 Edmonton Oilers

C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets

P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Seattle Kraken

Friday'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).

Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.

Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.

Thursday's scoreboard

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

New Jersey Devils 3, Washington Capitals 2 (SO)

Edmonton Oilers 3, Boston Bruins 2

Dallas Stars 10, Buffalo Sabres 4

Carolina Hurricanes 1, Philadelphia Flyers 0

New York Rangers 4, Montreal Canadiens 3 (SO)

New York Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 3 (OT)

Vegas Golden Knights 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (OT)

St. Louis Blues 4, San Jose Sharks 2

Arizona Coyotes 4, Nashville Predators 1

Los Angeles Kings 5, Colorado Avalanche 2

Ottawa Senators 5, Seattle Kraken 4

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Boston Bruins

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 42

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 19

Points pace: 134

Next game: vs. DET (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 86

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 18

Points pace: 110

Next game: vs. EDM (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 17

Points pace: 104

Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 90

Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 13%

Tragic number: 32

Florida Panthers

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 88

Next game: vs. CHI (Friday)

Playoff chances: 37%

Tragic number: 30

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 68

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 87

Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 8%

Tragic number: 30

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 67

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 86

Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 2%

Tragic number: 29

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 58

Regulation wins: 17

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 73

Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 18

Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 94

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 19

Points pace: 122

Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 18

Points pace: 115

Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 18

Points pace: 104

Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 15

Points pace: 93

Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 62%

Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 18

Points pace: 95

Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 72%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 69

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 16

Points pace: 86

Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 7%

Tragic number: 27

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 59

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 74

Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 19

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 47

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 60

Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 9

Central Division

Dallas Stars

Points: 83

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 17

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 17

Points pace: 102

Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 97%

Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 19

Points pace: 99

Next game: vs. ARI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 98%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 17

Points pace: 95

Next game: @ FLA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 58%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 69

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 20

Points pace: 91

Next game: @ LA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 25%

Tragic number: 34

St. Louis Blues

Points: 61

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 78

Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 22

Arizona Coyotes

Points: 56

Regulation wins: 18

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 71

Next game: @ COL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 15

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 49

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 63

Next game: @ FLA (Friday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 10

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 17

Points pace: 106

Next game: @ CAR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 16

Points pace: 104

Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99%

Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 17

Points pace: 101

Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 95%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 16

Points pace: 99

Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 98%

Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 90

Next game: vs. ANA (Friday)

Playoff chances: 33%

Tragic number: 30

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 59

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Points pace: 76

Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 20

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 11

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Points pace: 64

Next game: @ CGY (Friday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 10

San Jose Sharks

Points: 50

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 16

Points pace: 62

Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 7

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. As of 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. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Connor Bedard, who has been lauded as a generational talent.