There are only 10 days left in the 2025-26 NHL regular season. Seven teams have clinched a playoff berth, and five teams have been mathematically eliminated.
As for the other 20, their postseason plans remain in the air — and there’s also the matter of final playoff seeding to sort out.
Tuesday is another relatively heavy day on the NHL calendar, with 11 games on the schedule. Here are the six that will have the biggest impact on the postseason picture:
Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
This isn’t completely a “loser leaves town” match, but we’re getting close to that point for both clubs. (And to think, both of them seemed like locks at various times this season.) Both teams are just two points behind the Senators for the final Eastern Conference wild card, but both trail Ottawa in regulation wins (the first tiebreaker) by more games than they have left. So, they will need to be ahead in points, which is a tall task given how they’ve both performed lately. A regulation loss by either will be a major swing.
Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks
10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Predators have been battling the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks for the second wild card in the West. Following Monday’s games, the Preds are a point behind the Kings with 82 points and 26 regulation wins through 77 games, with the Sharks (81 points, 25 RW through 76 games) right there.
On the other side, the Ducks are no longer the “surprising Ducks” anymore, and they still have a shot to claim the Pacific Division title. They enter Tuesday’s game tied with the Oilers in standings points, but with six fewer regulation wins (with fewer than six games remaining); they’ll need to finish with more points than Edmonton to take the crown.
Edmonton Oilers at Utah Mammoth
9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Speaking of the Oilers, they do hold the RW tiebreaker over the Ducks but would like to salt away the division title on points alone if possible. At stake for the division winner? A first-round matchup against these very same Utah Mammoth, who are poised to bring postseason hockey to the Beehive State for the first time in its 130-year history.
Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils
7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Like an RKO, the Flyers’ playoff push came “outta nowhere,” and they begin play Tuesday as the Metro Division’s No. 3 seed. But they are anything but secure in that spot with three teams within three points of them — all of which have higher regulation win totals. And though they are tied with the Senators in the potential wild-card race, they are 10 RW behind Ottawa. In other words, Philly needs all the standings points it can get.
As for the Devils, they have already reached 40 wins this season, but are on the edge of mathematical elimination thanks to too many regulation losses. Nevertheless, they would certainly relish a chance to submarine the playoff chances of their I-95 rivals.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
It has been a dramatic season for the Senators for various on- and off-ice reasons. But as of Tuesday, they are in a playoff spot thanks to a recent 6-3-1 run, and are in the driver’s seat when it comes to the regulation wins tiebreaker, with 34. Getting points here (via a win or overtime/shootout loss) would be a bonus, given that their four games after this one are against teams currently outside of playoff position (Panthers, Islanders, Devils, Maple Leafs).
The Lightning are tied with the Buffalo Sabres in standings points and two points ahead of the Montreal Canadiens atop the Atlantic Division; they are also two behind the Hurricanes for first in the East.
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Should the Atlantic Division champ overtake the Hurricanes — or the Bruins fall to the second wild card — this would be a first-round matchup. But even without that backdrop, this is a crucial set of points for both teams, as the Bruins can still theoretically catch the teams ahead of them in the division, and the Canes want to maintain their home-ice advantage for as long as possible this postseason; only the Colorado Avalanche outrank them right now.
Every team has six or fewer games remaining before the regular season concludes 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 details 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
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Buffalo Sabres vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Edmonton Oilers vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Anaheim Ducks vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Today’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Utah Mammoth, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
Last night’s scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
Winnipeg Jets 6, Seattle Kraken 2
San Jose Sharks 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2
Los Angeles Kings 3, Nashville Predators 2 (SO)
Expanded standings
Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” means that the club has been mathematically eliminated. Teams clinch a playoff spot when their magic number reaches zero, and are mathematically eliminated when their tragic number reaches zero.
Atlantic Division
Metro Division
Central Division
Pacific Division
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. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
