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Tim KavanaghESPN.com
Three weeks from Saturday, all eight first-round matchups in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be set.
At this point, the Florida Panthers have clinched a spot (and are on their way to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference), while the Nashville Predators are in possession of the first Western Conference wild-card spot. So in theory, the game Saturday night between the two clubs is a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. How likely would this matchup be? Well, thanks to FiveThirtyEight, we have some projections: The Panthers have a 24% shot at reaching the Cup Final, while the Preds’ Cup Final chances are 6%.
Whether they play in June or not, there is the Saturday matchup to ponder. The two teams met once previously this season, a 6-4 win for the Predators in Sunrise, with Mikael Granlund scoring the game-winner with 5:31 remaining in the third period. Will we get that much offense and that close of a game Saturday evening in Smashville? We’ll be keeping an eye on this one.
As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s games
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Boston Bruins
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
C2 St. Louis Blues vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Today’s games
Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available on ESPN+
New Jersey Devils at Dallas Stars, 2 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins, 3 p.m. (ABC, ESPN+)
Florida Panthers at Nashville Predators, 6 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Calgary Flames at Seattle Kraken, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m.
New York Islanders at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.
Arizona Coyotes at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.
Last night’s scoreboard
Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.
Boston Bruins 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1 (OT)
Florida Panthers 4, Buffalo Sabres 3
New York Islanders 2, Carolina Hurricanes 1
St. Louis Blues 4, Minnesota Wild 3 (OT)
Colorado Avalanche 5, Winnipeg Jets 4 (OT)
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 11
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 95
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 11
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Next game: @ TB (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Metropolitan Division
Points: 100
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 6
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
Points: 108
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 11
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 84
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 88%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 95
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 70%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. ARI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 43%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 6%
Tragic number: 14
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 7
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team may 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.
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 31
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31