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Tim KavanaghESPN.com
Heading into Monday’s slate of action around the NHL — featuring 14 games, nine of which started at 7 p.m. ET for some reason — we knew there would be significant fallout in the playoff races. And there certainly was.
Thanks to their win over the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins clinched a playoff spot; with the New York Islanders losing to the Buffalo Sabres, Boston jumps into the No. 3 seed in the East Division. Everyone in the East is chasing the Washington Capitals, who won a controversy-filled game against the New York Rangers. Our four East teams are set; now it’s just a matter of determining seeding. The Bruins will take on the Devils again Tuesday, while the Isles get a rematch against the Sabres.
Our other clinchers from Monday are the Edmonton Oilers after their win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Toronto Maple Leafs are all but set in the No. 1 spot in the North, and Edmonton is distancing itself in the No. 2 position. As for the other two, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens seem all but destined to make the playoffs, but they are tied in the points column after Monday (57); Winnipeg holds the head-to-head and regulation-wins tiebreakers over Montreal currently.
There were some eliminations from the playoff races Monday, as we officially said goodbye to the Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. All three clubs have some encouraging trends to build on, so we hope to see them back in the thick it in 2021-22.
Having reached the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2021 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Money Puck. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Race for No. 1 pick
East Division
0:18
Patrice Bergeron collects his 20th goal of the season as the Bruins blank the Devils to clinch their fifth straight playoff berth.
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: E1
Games left: 4
Next game: @ NYR (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: E2
Games left: 3
Next game: @ PHI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: E3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ NJ (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: E4
Games left: 4
Next game: @ BUF (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. WSH (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 53
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. PIT (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. BOS (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 35
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. NYI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
0:27
Aleksander Barkov rips a one-timer goal that lifts the Panthers to a 5-4 win over the Stars.
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. CHI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 2
Next game: vs. TB (May 8)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. DAL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: C4
Games left: 3
Next game: @ CBJ (May 5)
Playoff chances: 91.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ TB (May 5)
Playoff chances: 8.8%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ CAR (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Next game: @ CBJ (May 7)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. NSH (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
North Division
0:27
Jesse Puljujarvi scores on a one-timer as the Oilers defeat the Canucks 5-3.
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N1
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. MTL (May 6)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N2
Games left: 6
Next game: @ VAN (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ CGY (May 5)
Playoff chances: 99.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N4
Games left: 5
Next game: @ OTT (May 5)
Playoff chances: 95.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. WPG (May 5)
Playoff chances: 5.4%
Tragic number: 2
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. MTL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ EDM (May 6)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 4
West Division
0:25
Jonas Brodin rips the go-ahead goal late in the third period as the Wild defeat the Golden Knights 6-5.
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: W1
Games left: 5
Next game: @ MIN (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: W2
Games left: 6
Next game: @ SJ (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: W3
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. VGS (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: W4
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. ANA (May 5)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. LA (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 2
Points: 46
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ ARI (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 46
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. COL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: @ STL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Current playoff matchups
East Division
No. 1 Washington Capitals vs. No. 4 New York Islanders
No. 2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 3 Boston Bruins
Central Division
No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators
No. 2 Florida Panthers vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning
North Division
No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 4 Montreal Canadiens
No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Winnipeg Jets
West Division
No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 St. Louis Blues
No. 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild
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. New for 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.
Points: 35
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 46
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 46
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 53
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 23