Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2025 NHL postseason.
There are 13 days left in the regular season and the races in each of the four divisions are tight. 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.
Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 5:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch a playoff berth:
If they get at least one point against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, MSG-B) OR either of the following occurs:
-- Any result in the New York Rangers-New Jersey Devils game (12:30 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS): other than a Rangers regulation win
-- The Montreal Canadiens lose to the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, NBCSP)
The Florida Panthers will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Ottawa Senators in any fashion (2 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, SCRIPPS)
OR
If they get one point against the Senators AND either of the following occurs:
-- The Rangers lose to the Devils in any fashion
-- The Canadiens lose to the Flyers in regulation
OR
If both of the following occur:
-- The Columbus Blue Jackets lose to the Toronto Maple Leafs in any fashion (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP, FDSNOH)
-- The Rangers lose to the Devils in regulation
WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Los Angeles Kings will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Edmonton Oilers in any fashion (4 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SNW, SNO, SNE)
AND
The Calgary Flames lose to the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashion (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, SCRIPPS)
OR
If they get one point against the Oilers AND the Flames lose to the Golden Knights in regulation
On Tap
There are 13 games on the NHL schedule for Saturday, 12 with playoff implications:
New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils (12:30 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)
The Rangers (36-32-7), who have won their past two games, are two points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. They own the first tiebreaker over the Canadiens, which is regulation wins (32/26). The Devils (40-29-7), who have also won their past two, are third in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the second-place Carolina Hurricanes.
Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators (2 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, SCRIPPS)
The Panthers (44-27-4) look to end a three-game skid (0-2-1), clinch a playoff berth in the East and possibly move back into second place in the Atlantic Division. They are one point behind the Lightning for second place. The Senators (40-29-6) are five points ahead of the Canadiens for the first wild card in the East.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Dallas Stars (3 p.m. ET: ABC, ESPN+, TVAS)
The Stars (50-21-4), who have won seven straight, are four points behind the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central Division and Western Conference with a game in hand. The Penguins (30-34-12), who are nine points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East, can be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose in regulation and Montreal gets one point against Philadelphia or if they lose in any fashion and the Canadiens win in any fashion.
Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks (4 p.m. ET; SNP, KCOP-13, Victory+)
The Canucks (34-28-13), who have lost three straight (0-2-1), are eight points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card in the West. The Ducks (33-34-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings (4 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SNW, SNO, SNE)
The Oilers (44-26-5) and Kings (43-23-9) seem destined to face each other in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season, but they are battling for home-ice advantage. Los Angeles is two points ahead of Edmonton for second in the Pacific Division and can clinch a playoff berth.
Carolina Hurricanes at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NESN)
The Bruins (30-37-9) have lost 10 straight (0-9-1) and can be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose in any fashion, or the Canadiens get one point against the Flyers or the Rangers defeat the Devils in any way. It would be the first time they have missed the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. The Hurricanes (46-25-4) are nine points ahead of the Devils for second place in the Metropolitan.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, MSG-B)
The Lightning (44-26-5) will look to hold onto second place in the Atlantic Division -- they have a one-point lead on the Panthers and are three points behind the first-place Maple Leafs. They could clinch a playoff berth before the game even starts. The Sabres (32-36-6) are 11 points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP, FDSNOH)
The Blue Jackets (34-31-9) are four points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East with a game in hand. The Maple Leafs (46-25-4), who have clinched a playoff berth, lead the Lightning by three points for first in the Atlantic.
Philadelphia Flyers at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, NBCSP)
The Canadiens (36-30-9) have won three in a row and are two points ahead of the Rangers for the second wild card in the East. The Flyers (31-36-9) have won three in a row but will be eliminated from playoff contention with any kind of loss.
Colorado Avalanche at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWM, ALT)
The Blues (42-28-7) look to make it 12 in a row and expand their two-point lead on the Wild for the first wild card in the West. The Avalanche (47-26-4), who have already clinched a playoff berth, are six points behind the Stars for second in the Central.
Winnipeg Jets at Utah Hockey Club (7 p.m. ET; Utah16, NHLN, SNW)
The Jets (52-20-4) have a one-point lead on the Washington Capitals in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the top team in the regular season. Winnipeg is four points ahead of Dallas for first in the Central. Utah (34-30-12) is nine points behind Minnesota for the second wild card in West.
Vegas Golden Knights at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, SCRIPPS)
The Flames (36-27-12) are valiantly fighting to stay alive in the West; they trail the Wild by five points for the second wild card with two games in hand. The Golden Knights (45-22-8) have a three-point lead on the Kings for first in the Pacific Division.
If playoffs started Saturday
Eastern Conference
(1A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators
(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Florida Panthers
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens
(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3M) New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) St. Louis Blues
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers
(1C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC2) Minnesota Wild
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Colorado Avalanche
About last night
There were three games on the NHL schedule Friday, all with playoff implications:
Detroit Red Wings 5, Carolina Hurricanes 3: Patrick Kane scored his 20th goal of the season, and the Red Wings (35-33-7) moved within four points of the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East. The Hurricanes (46-25-4), who have already clinched a playoff berth, remained nine points ahead of the Devils for second place in the Metropolitan.
Washington Capitals 5, Chicago Blackhawks 3: Alex Ovechkin scored twice to tie Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals. The forward has a chance to break the record Sunday when the Capitals (49-18-9) visit the New York Islanders. They trail the Jets by one point in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy. The Blackhawks (21-45-10) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
