Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Sharks go for 5th straight win, host Predators in wild-card showdown

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2026 NHL postseason.

There are 13 days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are heating up. The top three teams in each of the four divisions and the next two highest-place finishers in each conference reach the playoffs.

Here is a look at the NHL standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

Clinching scenarios

EASTERN CONFERENCE

The Buffalo Sabres will clinch a playoff berth:
 
If they defeat the Washington Capitals in any fashion 
 
OR
 
If they get one point vs. the Capitals AND either of the following occurs:

1. The New York Rangers defeat the Detroit Red Wings in any fashion

2. The Minnesota Wild defeat the Ottawa Senators in regulation
 
OR
 
* If the Rangers defeat the Red Wings in regulation

The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch a playoff berth:
 
If they defeat the Boston Bruins in any fashion
 
OR
 
If they get one point vs. the Bruins AND either of the following occurs:

1. The Rangers defeat the Red Wings in any fashion

2. The Wild defeat the Senators in regulation
 
OR
 
If the Rangers defeat the Red Wings in regulation  

The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch the Metropolitan Division:
 
If they defeat the New York Islanders in regulation AND with any result in the Pittsburgh Penguins-Florida Panthers game other than a Penguins regulation win
 
OR
 
If they defeat the Islanders in overtime or shootout AND the Panthers defeat the Penguins in any fashion
 
OR
 
If they get one point vs. the Islanders AND the Panthers defeat the Penguins in regulation

On Tap

There are 15 games on the NHL schedule Saturday, all with playoff implications:

Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers (12:30 p.m. ET; ABC, SNP, SNW) 

The Red Wings (40-27-8) have an opportunity to move into the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with some help. Detroit has 88 points, which is tied with the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. The Senators have the upper hand with 33 regulation wins, which is the first tiebreaker; the Red Wings have 29. Detroit, which has not qualified for the postseason since 2015-16, has seven games left, including four at home. The Rangers (31-36-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Minnesota Wild at Ottawa Senators (1 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN5, FDSNNO, FDSNWIX) 

The Senators (39-26-10) control their own fate for the second wild card in the East with the most regulation wins of those still in contention. They have seven games left in the regular season and have a game in hand on the Blue Jackets and Flyers. The Wild (42-21-12) have already clinched a playoff berth and are all but locked into third place in the Central Division. Minnesota trails the Dallas Stars by six points for second with seven games to play and is 12 points ahead of the Utah Mammoth, who hold the first wild card in the Western Conference. 

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars (3 p.m. ET; ABC, SNP, SNW) 

The Stars (45-19-12) can still catch the Avalanche (49-15-10) for first place in the Central and West; they trail Colorado by six points with six games to play. The Avalanche have two games in hand. Each has already clinched a playoff berth, and the division winner will face the West second wild card in the first round.

Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning (5 p.m. ET; The Spot, NESNplus) 

The Bruins (43-25-8) are 6-2-2 in their past 10 games and have a six-point cushion for the first wild card in the East and only trail the Montreal Canadiens by four points for third in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens, however, have a game in hand. Tampa Bay (47-22-6) is tied in points with the Buffalo Sabres for first in the Atlantic. The Lightning have a game in hand.  

Florida Panthers at Pittsburgh Penguins (5 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SCRIPPS) 

Pittsburgh (38-22-16) is trying to fend off the New York Islanders, Columbus and Philadelphia for second in the Metropolitan. The Penguins are three points up on the Islanders with a game in hand, and four ahead of the Blue Jackets and Flyers. Florida (37-35-3) is on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention after winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons. 

Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG, SNE, CITY, TVAS) 

The Canadiens (44-21-10) have won seven in a row and can still win the Atlantic; they are just two points back of Lightning and Sabres. Forward Cole Caufield is one shy of 50 goals this season and would be the first Montreal player to score 50 goals since Stephane Richer’s 51 in 1989-90. The Devils (39-34-2) are eight points back of the second wild card in the East with seven games remaining.

Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSG-B) 

The Sabres (46-22-8) are on the verge of ending the longest playoff drought in NHL history (14 seasons) and can do so in style should they win the Atlantic. Buffalo failed to clinch a berth with a 4-1 loss at Ottawa on Thursday but would have a spot secured before the puck is dropped at Capital One Arena if Detroit loses in regulation. The Capitals (38-29-9) are 6-2-2 in their past 10 games to stay in the hunt; they trail the Senators by three points for the second wild card in the East. 

New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN)

The Hurricanes (48-21-6) are looking to be the top seed in the East and are trying to fend off the Lightning, Sabres and Canadiens. Colorado may be out of reach for Carolina to catch in the Presidents’ Trophy race but can still secure home-ice advantage through the first three rounds of the playoffs. The Islanders (42-30-5) failed to pad their lead for third place in the Metropolitan with a 4-1 loss to the Flyers on Friday. They are just one point ahead of Columbus and Philadelphia, who each have a game in hand. 

Winnipeg Jets at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, SNW) 

Counted out by most a few weeks ago, the Jets (32-31-12) have 76 points and are just three back in the West wild-card race. They are chasing four teams, however; the San Jose Sharks hold the tiebreaker for the second wild card, but the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings also have 79 points, and the St. Louis Blues hold the tiebreaker on Winnipeg with three more regulation wins. The Blue Jackets (38-26-12) are in a logjam for the second wild card in the East and only trail the Islanders by one point for third in the Metropolitan. Columbus is trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20. 

Utah Mammoth at Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET; SNP, Utah16) 

The Mammoth (39-30-6) are closing in on a playoff berth in their season in Utah with a five-point lead on the Sharks, Predators and Kings for the first wild card in the West. The Canucks (22-45-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention. 

Toronto Maple Leafs at Los Angeles Kings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSC, SNO, CBC) 

The Kings (30-26-19) are even with the Predators and Sharks in the race for the second wild card in the West but have just 19 regulation wins, so they will need to pass both in points to clinch a playoff berth for a fifth consecutive season. The Maple Leafs (32-31-13) have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, SCRIPPS) 

It had looked as though the Golden Knights (34-26-16) and Oilers (39-28-9) were destined to collide in the first round of the playoffs, but that may not be the case. Edmonton is on a five-game winning streak and has moved into first in the Pacific Division, tied in points with the Anaheim Ducks but with six more regulation wins. Vegas is three points back with six games to play and won its first two games since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as coach Monday. 

Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; KTTV, Victory+, CITY, SN1) 

The Ducks (41-30-5) are on the verge of clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2017-18. Anaheim lost ground on Edmonton for first in the Pacific by losing its past four games (0-3-1). The Flames (31-36-8) are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention. 

Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSCA) 

If Macklin Celebrini can drag the Sharks (36-31-7) into the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19, it would increase his chances to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. The 19-year-old forward has 105 points (40 goals, 65 assists) in 74 games. San Jose and Nashville (35-31-9) are tied in points with Los Angeles in the battle for the second wild card in the West. The Sharks have won four straight and have a game in hand on both the Predators and Kings. 

Chicago Blackhawks at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, CHSN, KONG) 

The Kraken (32-31-11) are in must-win territory if they want to remain in the playoff race. Seattle has lost its past two games and is four points back of the second wild card in the West. Chicago (27-35-14) was eliminated from playoff contention with a 3-1 loss at Edmonton on Thursday.

If playoffs started Saturday

Eastern Conference

(1A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
(2A) Buffalo Sabres vs. (3A) Montreal Canadiens
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Ottawa Senators
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) New York Islanders

Western Conference

(1P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth
(2P) Anaheim Ducks vs. (3P) Vegas Golden Knights
(1C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) San Jose Sharks
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild

About last night

There were two games on the NHL schedule Friday, each with playoff implications:

Philadelphia Flyers 4, New York Islanders 1: Matvei Michkov had a goal and two assists for the Flyers (38-26-12) in an important divisional win that pulled them within a point of the Islanders for third in the Metropolitan. Phildelphia is tied in points with Ottawa, Detroit and Columbus for the second wild card in the East but has the fewest regulation wins of those four teams (24).

St. Louis Blues 6, Anaheim Ducks 2: Dylan Holloway scored twice, and Robert Thomas had a goal and two assists to help the Blues (32-31-12) move within three points of the second wild card in the West. The Ducks dropped to second in the Pacific with six fewer regulation wins than Edmonton. Each has six regular-season games remaining.