Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Maple Leafs eye sole possession of Atlantic lead

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2025 NHL postseason. There are 22 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.

On Tap

There are 10 games on the NHL schedule Thursday, each with playoff implications.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG-B)

Sidney Crosby will try to help keep the Penguins (29-33-11) in the postseason hunt when they meet the Sabres (29-35-6). The Pittsburgh captain has 79 points (25 goals, 54 assists) in 71 games and is one point from recording his 20th career point-per-game season, which would be an NHL record. Pittsburgh is six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference and have played three three more games than Montreal. The Sabres, 11 points behind the Canadiens, kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.

Ottawa Senators at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET: FDSNDETX, TSN5, RDS2)

The Senators (37-28-5) will continue their pursuit of their first playoff berth since 2017 when they visit the Red Wings (33-32-6). Ottawa holds the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of Montreal. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk needs one goal to become the third player in team history to have four consecutive 30-goal seasons, joining Dany Heatley (2005-09) and Marian Hossa (2000-04). This is as close to a must-win as it gets for the Red Wings (33-32-6), who are three points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East, with Montreal holding a game in hand.

Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN2, RDS)

The Canadiens (33-28-9) hold the second wild card in the East, four points behind the Senators and one point ahead of the New York Islanders and New York Rangers. They will be looking to strengthen their hold on that spot against the Flyers (28-36-9), who have allowed seven goals in each of their past two games. Montreal’s Lane Hutson needs one assist to become the fifth rookie defenseman in NHL history to record 50 assists in a season, joining Larry Murphy (60 in 1980-81), Chris Chelios (55 in 1984-85), Stefan Persson (50 in 1977-78) and Gary Suter (50 in 1985-86). Brad Shaw will make his debut as Philadelphia coach after John Tortorella was fired Thursday. The Flyers, who are 10 points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East, are 0-5-1 in their past six games with 10 goals in that span, and have not won in regulation since Feb. 25.

Utah Hockey Club at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET: FDSNSUN, Utah16, SNO, SN1)

Utah (32-28-11) has points in seven of its past 10 games (5-3-2), yet is eight points behind the surging St. Louis Blues, who hold the second wild card in the Western Conference. Utah does hold two games in hand. The Lightning (41-25-5) are two points behind the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, each tied for the Atlantic Division lead. Tampa Bay is the only team in the NHL with four players who have scored at least 30 goals: forwards Brayden Point (35), Jake Guentzel (34), Brandon Hagel (33) and Nikita Kucherov (31). Defenseman Ryan McDonagh will play in his 1,000th NHL game.

Washington Capitals at Minnesota Wild (7:30 p.m. ET; Disney+, MNMT, HULU, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SNP, SNE)

The story remains Alex Ovechkin, who needs six goals to pass Wayne Gretzky for the all-time League record, which is 894. The pursuit continues with the captain of the Capitals (47-15-9) bringing a five-game point streak (seven points; three goals, four assists) into the game against the Wild (40-27-5). Washington already has clinched a playoff berth and is one point ahead of the Winnipeg Jets in the battle for the Presidents' Trophy, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record in the NHL. Goals have been hard to come by for Minnesota, which has been held to two goals or fewer in seven of its past 10 games and holds a two-point lead on St. Louis Blues for the first wild card in the West with a game in hand.

St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET: FDSNMW, FDSNSO)

The Blues (38-28-7) have won seven in a row -- the longest current winning streak in the League -- and can pull into a tie with the Wild for the first wild card in the West. It has been a remarkable run considering St. Louis was 10 points behind Minnesota on March 14. Since the 4 Nations Face-Off ended on Feb. 20, the Blues are 13-2-2 and have averaged 4.06 goals per game, best in the League in that stretch. The Predators (27-36-8) are 21 points out of the second wild card in the West and can be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss of any kind.

Dallas Stars at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET: SNW, Victory+)

The Stars (46-21-4) complete their back-to-back games in Alberta with a visit to the Flames (34-25-11), less than 24 hours after a 4-3 victory at the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Forward Jason Robertson led the way with a natural hat trick for Dallas, which holds a five-point lead on the Colorado Avalanche for second place in the Central Division and has a six-game point streak (4-0-2). Finishing as the No. 2 seed in the division would give Dallas home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup First Round which, if the playoffs started today, would mean a matchup against Colorado. The Flames have won four straight since a 6-2 defeat at the Maple Leafs on March 17, and are four points behind the Blues for the second wild card in the West with three games in hand on St. Louis.

Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Avalanche (44-25-3) can move within three points of the Stars for second place in the Central and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The game features two of the hottest teams in the NHL: Colorado enters 11-1-1 in its past 13 games and Los Angeles (40-21-9) is 9-1-0 in its past 10. The Kings are second in the Pacific Division and can move within three points of the first-place Vegas Golden Knights with a victory. In the process, Los Angeles can extend its winning streak to five while Colorado tries to stretch its own to four. The Kings are 14-4-3 since Feb. 1, tied for the second-most victories in the League during that stretch.

Edmonton Oilers at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN, KING 5, KONG, SNP, SNE, SN1)

The Oilers (41-25-5) came up short despite a furious three-goal comeback in the third period of a 4-3 loss to the Stars on Wednesday, leaving them two points behind the Kings for second place in the Pacific. Los Angeles holds a game in hand on Edmonton. The Oilers once again will be missing centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl; McDavid sustained a lower-body injury during the second period of a 4-3 overtime loss to Winnipeg on March 20, and Draisaitl sustained an undisclosed injury during a 7-1 win against Utah on March 18. Goalie Stuart Skinner left the game against Dallas in the third period when he was inadvertantly kneed in the head by Stars forward Mikko Rantanen and was not expected to accompany the team to Seattle, coach Kris Knoblauch said. The Kraken (30-36-6) can be eliminated from playoff contention if the Blues win in any fashion and the Oilers win in regulation.

Toronto Maple Leafs at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA+, SNO)

The Maple Leafs (45-25-3) can break a first-place with with the idle Florida Panthers in the Atlantic Division with at least one point against the Sharks (19-42-9). Toronto is 4-1-0 in its past five games and has been led by center John Tavares, who has five goals in his past three games. Linemate William Nylander has been on a roll, too, with 19 points (seven goals, 12 points) in his past 13 games. The Sharks have been eliminated from playoff contention.

If playoffs started Thursday

Eastern Conference

(1A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators
(2A) Florida Panthers vs. (3A) Tampa Bay Lightning
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens
(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3M) New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers
(1C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC2) St. Louis Blues
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Colorado Avalanche

About last night

There were four games Wednesday, all with playoff implications:

Vancouver Canucks 5, New York Islanders 2: Kiefer Sherwood matched his single-game NHL career high with three points (two goals, one assists) for the Canucks (34-26-12), who moved within three points of the idle Blues for the second wild card in the West with a game in hand. The Islanders (32-29-10) remained one point behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East.

New Jersey Devils 5, Chicago Blackhawks 2: Dawson Mercer scored two goals for the Devils (38-28-7), who moved to within seven points of the Carolina Hurricanes for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Blackhawks (21-42-9) have been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention.

Dallas Stars 4, Edmonton Oilers 3: Jason Robertson scored a natural hat trick for the Stars (46-21-4), who closed to within six points of the Jets for first place in the Western Conference and Central Division and increased their lead over the third-place Avalanche to five points. The Oilers (41-25-5) remained two points behind the second-place Kings in the Pacific.

Anaheim Ducks 6, Boston Bruins 2: Leo Carlsson scored twice and John Gibson made 23 saves for the Ducks (31-32-8), who are 13 points behind the Blues for the second wild card in the West. Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored for the Bruins (30-34-9), who remained six points behind the Canadiens for the second wild card in the East.