NHL . playoff watch rankings update

With less than four weeks left in the NHL’s 2021-22 regular season, one of the more exciting playoff races is for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Going into Sunday’s games, the Dallas Stars are one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights, with both teams kicking off tonight. FiveThirtyEight gives the Stars an 89% chance of making it to the knockout round, while the Knights have a 51% chance.

The Golden Knights are up first, heading to Vancouver to take on a Canucks team not entirely out of the wild card mix. In fact, it will be the first of three games against the Canucks in a quick succession; After tonight, they will play again on Wednesday, then again on April 12. This pre-season match between the two clubs was an attacking attack by the Knights, as they won again 7-4 on November 13

As for the Stars, the team they will face is not in the wild card mix, and in fact, the Seattle Kraken has been mathematically out of the playoffs since last week. The stars had Kraken’s incredible results in a January 12 game, taking home two points through a 5-2 win. But hey, this is the second night in a row for the Stars to visit, so maybe we’ll have a surprise.

As we enter the final stages of the 2021-22 regular season, it’s time to check out all the playoff races – along with the teams jockeying for a spot in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff opportunities are through FiveThirtyEight. The tragic numbers are thanks to Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump forward:
Current playoff matches
Today’s Game
Score of last night
Expanded leaderboard
Race for 1st place

Current playoff matches

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Hurricane M1 Carolina vs WC2 Washington Capitals
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Sunday game

Note: All Eastern time. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network and non-TNT games are available on ESPN+

Florida Panthers at Buffalo Sabers, 1 p.m
Detroit Red Wings at Ottawa Senators, 1 p.m
New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils, 4 p.m. (TNT)
Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Minnesota Wild at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Arizona Coyotes at the Chicago Blackhawks, 7 p.m
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks, 7pm
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 8pm
Dallas Stars at the Seattle Kraken, 9 p.m

Scoreboard of Saturday night

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

Florida Panthers 7, New Jersey Devils 6 (OT)
Colorado Avalanche 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
Boston Bruins 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Montreal Canadianiens 5, Tampa Bay Lightning 4 (SO)
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Philadelphia Flyers 3
Minnesota Wild 3, Hurricane No. 1 Carolina
Los Angeles Kings 3, Winnipeg Jets 2
St. Louis Blues 6, Calgary Flames 4
Dallas Stars 5, San Jose Sharks 4

Expanded leaderboard

Atlantic Division

Point: 100
Winning Rules: 35
Playoff position: A1
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @BUF (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: ninety three
Winning Rules: 38
Playoff position: A2
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ TB (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: ninety three
Winning Rules: 32
Playoff position: A3
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 91
Winning Rules: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ CBJ (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: sixty one
Winning Rules: 19
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 4

Point: sixty one
Winning Rules: 15
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ OTT (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 5

Point: 54
Winning Rules: 20
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 15
Next game: vs. DET (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: first

Point: 49
Winning Rules: 13
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff: 0%
Tragic numbers: E

Urban subdivision

Point: 98
Winning Rules: 39
Playoff position: M1
Remaining games: 13
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: ninety three
Winning Rules: 36
Playoff position: M2
Remaining games: 13
Next game: versus PHI (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 92
Winning Rules: 33
Playoff position: M3
Remaining games: twelfth
Next game: versus COL (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 84
Winning Rules: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. MIN (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 98%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 71
Winning Rules: 29
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 15
Next game: @ NJ (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 2%
Tragic numbers: 17

Point: 69
Winning Rules: 22
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Next game: vs. BOS (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 11

Point: 54
Winning Rules: 16
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 0%
Tragic numbers: E

Point: 53
Winning Rules: 17
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 0%
Tragic numbers: E

Central Division

Point: 104
Winning Rules: 41
Playoff position: C1
Remaining games: 13
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 89
Winning Rules: 30
Playoff position: C2
Remaining games: 15
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: eighty six
Winning Rules: 35
Playoff position: C3
Remaining games: 14
Next game: versus ARI (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 82
Winning Rules: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. MIN (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff: eighty seven%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 81
Winning Rules: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Remaining games: 15
Next game: @ SEA (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 89%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 76
Winning Rules: 26
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: twelfth
Next game: vs. DET (Wednesday)
Chance to kick playoff: 2%
Tragic numbers: 19

Point: 58
Winning Rules: 15
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Next game: versus ARI (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 3

Point: 47
Winning Rules: 16
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 0%
Tragic numbers: E

Pacific Division

Point: 89
Winning Rules: 35
Playoff position: P1
Remaining games: 14
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: > 99%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: eighty six
Winning Rules: 29
Playoff position: P2
Remaining games: 11
Next game: versus CGY (Monday)
Chance to kick playoff: 88%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 83
Winning Rules: thirty first
Playoff position: P3
Remaining games: 13
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 82%
Tragic numbers: N / A

Point: 80
Winning Rules: thirty first
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: twelfth
Next game: @ VAN (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 51%
Tragic numbers: 23

Point: seventy three
Winning Rules: 26
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 13
Next game: with. VGK (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 3%
Tragic numbers: 18

Point: 68
Winning Rules: 19
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: twelfth
Next game: versus EDM (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 11

Point: 66
Winning Rules: 20
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Chance to kick playoff:
Tragic numbers: 13

Point: 48
Winning Rules: 18
Playoff position: N / A
Remaining games: 14
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Chance to kick playoff: 0%
Tragic numbers: E

Race for 1st place

The NHL uses a draw to determine the top order of the first round, so the team that finishes last is not guaranteed the first choice. As of 2021, a team can move move up to a maximum of 10 slots if they win the draw, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for pick 1. Full details of the process can be found here.

Point: 47
Winning Rules: 16

Point: 48
Winning Rules: 18

Point: 49
Winning Rules: 13

Point: 53
Winning Rules: 17

Point: 54
Winning Rules: 16

Point: 54
Winning Rules: 20

Point: 58
Winning Rules: 15

Point: sixty one
Winning Rules: 15

Point: sixty one
Winning Rules: 19

Point: 66
Winning Rules: 20

Point: 68
Winning Rules: 19

Point: 69
Winning Rules: 22

Point: 71
Winning Rules: 29

Point: seventy three
Winning Rules: 26

Point: 76
Winning Rules: 26

Point: 80
Winning Rules: thirty first