The trade deadline for the 2025-26 NHL season was Friday at 3 p.m. ET, and although several deals weren’t announced until over an hour later, we can officially say that there won’t be any more. It was quite a wild deadline week, including Nazem Kadri heading back to the Colorado Avalanche, John Carlson joining the Anaheim Ducks, and the Buffalo Sabres adding a trio of veterans in Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn and Sam Carrick.
Now, the race for the playoffs is officially on!
In the Eastern Conference, two teams have reigned supreme for much of the season, and as play begins Saturday, the Tampa Bay Lightning (80 points in 60 games) and Carolina Hurricanes (86 in 62) remain the division leaders. The race is far from over for the Lightning, however, as the resurgent Sabres (80 in 62) are deadlocked with Tampa Bay in the points column, while the Detroit Red Wings (77 in 63) and Montreal Canadiens (76 in 61) aren’t far behind.
As for the Canes, their lead in the Metro Division is more substantial, as the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins both have 75 points, and the Isles have played two additional games.
The Eastern wild-card race includes the Canadiens and Boston Bruins in the coveted spots. The Columbus Blue Jackets — who added Conor Garland at the deadline — are a point back of the B’s, and the Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals are four points back.
Out West, six teams have a playoff chance percentage greater than 90%, per Stathletes: the three Central Division juggernauts — the Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars — along with the Utah Mammoth, Vegas Golden Knights and Ducks.
You’ll notice the Edmonton Oilers aren’t in that cohort: Connor McDavid & Co. have an 85% chance of qualifying, and the San Jose Sharks are just behind at 74.8%. Interestingly, the team currently in the second wild-card spot in the West, the Seattle Kraken, has a much lower projection at 33.1%.
Though it’s unlikely that the West’s top three will be caught, the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators both have 64 points, putting them just three behind the Kraken for that second wild card.
Every team has about 20 games left before the season concludes on April 16, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide detail on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Saturday’s schedule
Friday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC1 Montreal Canadiens
A2 Buffalo Sabres vs. A3 Detroit Red Wings
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Boston Bruins
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Islanders
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Seattle Kraken
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Vegas Golden Knights vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Saturday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins, 12:30 p.m. | ABC
New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils, 3 p.m. | ABC
Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres, 5:30 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, 5:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. | NHLN
Utah Mammoth at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Los Angeles Kings, 7 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames, 10 p.m.
New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.
Friday’s scoreboard
Florida Panthers 3, Detroit Red Wings 1
Colorado Avalanche 5, Dallas Stars 4 (SO)
Vancouver Canucks 6, Chicago Blackhawks 3
Carolina Hurricanes 6, Edmonton Oilers 3
Anaheim Ducks 6, Montreal Canadiens 5 (SO)
Minnesota Wild 4, Vegas Golden Knights 2
St. Louis Blues 3, San Jose Sharks 2 (OT)
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 22
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 105.8
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: @ NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 91.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 21
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 73.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 21
Points pace: 98.1
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 60%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 92.8
Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 56.5%
Tragic number: 38
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Tragic number: 30
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 30
Metro Division
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 113.7
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 21
Points pace: 100.8
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 78.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 97.6
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 49.8%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 96.8
Next game: vs. UTA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 56%
Tragic number: 41
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 17.7%
Tragic number: 34
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10%
Tragic number: 36
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 84.7
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 75.3
Next game: @ NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 25
Central Division
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 21
Points pace: 125.0
Next game: vs. MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 113.7
Next game: vs. CHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 84
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: @ COL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 92.6
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 84.7
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.4%
Tragic number: 37
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 80.7
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.4%
Tragic number: 35
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.6%
Tragic number: 30
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 74.1
Next game: @ DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 29
Pacific Division
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 96.6
Next game: vs. STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 92.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 93.7
Next game: vs. EDM (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 98.2%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 88.5
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 85%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 21
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 33.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 22
Points pace: 88.8
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 74.8%
Tragic number: 42
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 86.0
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 6.3%
Tragic number: 39
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 73.9
Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 30
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 59.5
Next game: @ WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 18
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can 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. Sitting atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 22
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
