Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Lightning, Canadiens try to pull even with Sabres in Atlantic

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

There are eight days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are red-hot. 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 Pittsburgh Penguins will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the New Jersey Devils in any fashion (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN).

OR if they get one point vs. the Devils AND the Buffalo Sabres defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets in any fashion.

OR if the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion AND the Sabres defeat the Blue Jackets in regulation.

The Boston Bruins (idle) will clinch a playoff berth:

If the Maple Leafs defeat the Islanders in regulation AND the Philadelphia Flyers defeat the Detroit Red Wings in regulation AND the Sabres defeat the Blue Jackets in regulation.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the Presidents' Trophy:

If they defeat the Calgary Flames in any fashion (9 p.m. ET; KUS, KTVD, ALT, SNW).

OR if they get one point vs. the Flames AND the Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion.

OR if the Blackhawks defeat the Hurricanes in regulation.

The Edmonton Oilers (idle) will clinch a playoff berth:

If the Anaheim Ducks defeat the San Jose Sharks in any fashion AND the Utah Mammoth defeat the Nashvile Predators in regulation AND with any result in the Winnipeg Jets-St. Louis Blues game other than a Jets regulation win.

The Utah Mammoth will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Predators in regulation (9 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16) AND the Ducks defeat the Sharks in any fashion.

On Tap

There are 14 games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, each with playoff implications:

Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders (6:45 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TSN4)

In their first game under new coach Pete DeBoer, the Islanders (42-31-5) are desperate for points at UBS Arena, trailing the Ottawa Senators, who hold the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference, by three points with four games remaining for each team. The Blue Jackets, who hold a one-point lead on the Islanders, and Red Wings, who are tied with New York, each play Thursday as well. DeBoer, who took the Dallas Stars to the Western Conference Final last season, replaced Patrick Roy on Sunday. The Maple Leafs, (32-31-14), shut out 4-0 by the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, have been eliminated from postseason contention.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSG-B, SNP, SNO)

Coming off a dramatic 4-3 shootout win against the Red Wings on Tuesday, the Blue Jackets (39-27-12) have no time to relax in a road game against the Sabres (47-23-8) at KeyBank Center, needing need points to keep the Senators in sight for the second wild card. Columbus, 2-6-1 in its past nine games, is two points behind the Ottawa and one point ahead Detroit. The Sabres are looking to maintain hold of first place in the Atlantic Division following a 5-3 win at the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Buffalo is two points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Candiens, who play each other Thursday.  

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, The Spot)

The Lightning (48-24-6) travel to Bell Centre to face the Canadiens (46-22-10) with each team looking to keep pace with the Sabres, who lead the Atlantic by two points. Forward Cole Caufield needs one goal to become Montreal's first 50-goal scorer since Stephane Richer (1989-90) and the first to do it at home since Pierre Larouche in 1979-80.

Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, SCRIPPS) 

The final meeting of the season between the Tkachuk brothers, at Canadian Tire Centre, means more for Brady and the Senators (41-27-10), who are looking to catch the idle Bruins for the first wild card from the East. Ottawa trails Boston by four points wth the Bruins holding a game in hand. The Senators are two points ahead of the Blue Jackets and three ahead of the Red Wings, Islanders and Capitals for the second wild card. Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers (37-37-4), have been eliminated.

Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET: FDSNDET, NBCSP+, SNE)

This is a virtual must-have game for each team in this showdown at Little Caesers Arena. The Flyers (40-26-12), tied with the Canadiens for the second-best record in the League since March 1 (13-5-1) behind the Sabres (13-4-2), have charged into third place in the Metropolitan Division, four points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, but two points ahead of Columbus, which is on the outside of the playoff picture. The Red Wings (40-29-9), who are 2-6-1 in their past nine games, are three points behind the Senators for the second wild card but are also one point behind the Blue Jackets in that race and tied with the Islanders and Capitals. 

Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN)

The Penguins (40-22-16), 4-1-0 in their past five, are trying to clinch a playoff berth and keep hold of second place in the Metropolitan and the home-ice advantage that is the prize for doing so when they meet the Devils (40-35-3) at Prudential Center. Pittsburgh holds a four-point lead on rampaging Philadelphia and six points on Columbus. The Penguins can’t finish first in the Metro, an honor already claimed by the Hurricanes. The Devils were eliminated from playoff consideration with a 5-1 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday.

Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, TSN3)

These two teams are separated by two points as they each try to chase down the second wild card in the West at Enterprise Center. The Predators hold that playoff position, four points ahead of the Jets (34-31-12) and six ahead of the Blues (33-32-12). Winnipeg and St. Louis, each with a game in hand on Nashville, must climb past the Los Angeles Kings and the Sharks before catching the Predators.  

Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, CHSN)

The Hurricanes (50-22-6) have already clinched the Metropolitan title and are trying to maintain their cushion for first place in the East when they face the Blackhawks (28-36-14) at United Center. As the Eastern Conference champions, Carolina would face the second wild card. Carolina has 106 points, two more than the Atlantic Division-leading Sabres and four more than the Lightning and the Canadiens. Chicago has been eliminated from playoff contention. 

Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars (9 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

These two teams will meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but home ice remains up for grabs. The Stars (46-20-12) have the advantage, two points ahead of the Wild (45-21-12), who have won four straight and seven of their past 10. A Minnesota win at American Airlines Center would put each team at 104 points with three games remaining, but Dallas owns the regulation-win tiebreaker. A loss by the Wild would all but assure second place for the Stars, 3-5-2 in their past 10 games.

Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET: KUSA, KTVD, ALT, SNW)

The Avalanche (51-16-10), who can clinch the Presidents’ Trophy as the top team during the regular season, will face the second wild card from the Western Conference. But Colorado also has a chance to set the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques record for points in a season, potentially reaching 122 with five games remaining. Colorado had 119 points in 2021-22 and went on to win the Stanley Cup. That quest continues at Ball Arena against the Flames (32-36-9), who were eliminated from postseason contention with a 4-3 overtime loss at the Stars on Tuesday.

Nashville Predators at Utah Mammoth (9 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16)

The wild card teams from the West and Central Division foes get after it at Delta Center with the Mammoth (41-30-6) looking to clinch a playoff spot for the first time representing Utah and coming off a huge 6-5 overtime win against the Oilers on Tuesday. The Mammoth have a four-point edge on the Predators (37-31-10) and would take a stranglehold on the first wild card with a victory. Nashville could close the gap to two with a regulation win, but just as importantly will keep Los Angeles at least one point behind and San Jose at least two points in arrears. Winnipeg would be at least four points back with three games remaining. 

San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSCA, KCOP-13, TVAS)

The Sharks (37-33-7) are hoping for a win in this game at Honda Center and a regulation loss by the Predators to cut the deficit to one point in the race for the second wild card. With a Sharks win, a loss by the Kings would pull San Jose into a tie with Los Angeles, with San Jose currently holding a healthy advantage in the regulation-win tiebreaker (25-19). The Ducks (41-32-5), who have lost six straight (0-5-1), are a point behind the second-place Golden Knights and three points behind the Oilers, who lead the division following a 5-2 win at the Sharks on Wednesday. Los Angeles is four points behind Anaheim. 

Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, SCRIPPS, KONG, SNO, SNE, SN1)

The Golden Knights (36-26-16) have won four straight since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as coach on March 29, but they remain in a perilous spot entering this game against the Kraken (32-34-11) at Climate Pledge Arena. Vegas is two points behind idle Edmonton for first place in the Pacific Division and one point ahead of Anaheim; Los Angeles and San Jose remain within striking distance as well. The Kraken, who have lost six straight (0-5-1), would be eliminated from playoff hopes with an overtime or shootout loss along with one of three scenarios involving other teams (the Predators getting at least one point, a Kings win or a Sharks win).

Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SNP)

The Kings (32-26-19) are looking to jump back into the second wild card from the West with a win against the Canucks (22-47-8) at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles is one point behind Nashville for the second wild card in the West, being chased by San Jose and Winnipeg. The Kings have to keep winning because they will lose the regulation wins tiebreaker to any of those teams. Vancouver was the first team eliminated from playoff contention.

If playoffs started Wednesday

Western Conference

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

Eastern Conference

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

About last night

There were three games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, each with playoff implications:

Buffalo Sabres 5, New York Rangers 3: The Sabres took a step toward their first division title since 2009-10 with a come-from-behind victory at Madison Square Garden. The Sabres (48-23-8) have 104 points, two more than the Lightning and Canadiens; each of the three teams is in action Thursday. Buffalo’s veterans drove the victory Wednesday with Alex Tuch, Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker each scoring in the third period to erase a 3-2 deficit. Zucker scored the game-winning goal, his seventh this season, which ties his career high. The Rangers (33-37-9) have been eliminated.

Washington Capitals 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 0: The Capitals (40-30-9) moved to within three points of Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan, tied with the Islanders and one point behind Blue Jackets, with a win against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Center. Washington is three points behind Ottawa Senators for the second wild card from the East, but also has to pass Columbus, Detroit and the Islanders in that race. Logan Thompson made 22 saves for the Capitals, who shut out the Maple Leafs for the second time this season. Toronto (32-32-14) has been eliminated. 

Edmonton Oilers 5, San Jose Sharks 2: Connor McDavid had a hat trick and figured in each of the five goals scored by the Oilers (40-29-10) in a victory against the Sharks (37-33-10) at SAP Center that gave Edmonton sole possession of first place in the Pacific, two points clear of Vegas and three ahead of Anaheim; each of those teams has a game in hand. Macklin Celebrini scored for the Sharks and has 108 points (42 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games this season, the third-highest total for a teenager in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (137 in 1979-80) and Sidney Crosby (120 in 2006-07). The Sharks remain three points behind the Predators for the second wild card in the West and six points behind the Ducks for third place in the Pacific.