Dallas Stars Aim for Central Division Championship

The Dallas Stars have already secured a playoff spot, being the third team to do so this season. Currently positioned to take the No. 2 seed in the Central Division, they are likely headed for a first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche.

However, the Stars are still in contention for the division title, which would grant them a first-round matchup against a wild-card team.

As of Monday night, the Stars trail the Winnipeg Jets by six points (106 to 100) but are only one regulation win behind (40 to 39). To close the gap with Winnipeg, a victory in Monday`s game against the Seattle Kraken is crucial. The Kraken were recently eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday night.

Looking ahead, only two of the Stars` remaining games are against current playoff teams, including a critical game against the Jets on April 10. In contrast, the Jets have five games against playoff teams remaining on their schedule.

While the Stars` chances of winning the division are not overwhelmingly high, with projections giving the Jets an 82.8% probability compared to the Stars` 17.2%, consistent wins against non-playoff teams and favorable outcomes in Winnipeg`s games could pave the way for a division title for Dallas.

With less than three weeks remaining until April 17, the NHL playoff race is heating up. Stay tuned for updates on all playoff scenarios and the teams vying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Current Playoff Matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

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Monday`s Games

Minnesota Wild at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Nashville Predators at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche, 8:30 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.

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Sunday`s Scoreboard

Montreal Canadiens 4, Florida Panthers 2
Buffalo Sabres 8, Washington Capitals 5
Winnipeg Jets 3, Vancouver Canucks 1
Utah Hockey Club 5, Chicago Blackhawks 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 1, Ottawa Senators 0 (OT)
Carolina Hurricanes 6, New York Islanders 4
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Anaheim Ducks 2
Los Angeles Kings 8, San Jose Sharks 1

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Expanded Standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 104.2
Next game: vs. FLA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 94.4
Next game: vs. BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 86.5
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 30%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 3.3%
Tragic number: 16

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 76.4
Next game: @ OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10

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Metro Division

x – Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 115.7
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: vs. WSH (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 7
Points pace: 92.9
Next game: vs. MIN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 85.3
Next game: vs. MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 33.1%
Tragic number: 17

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 19.6%
Tragic number: 19

New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 14.4%
Tragic number: 16

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 77.6
Next game: @ STL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: vs. NSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 7

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Central Division

x – Winnipeg Jets

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 117.5
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x – Dallas Stars

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 112.3
Next game: @ SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 8
Points pace: 103.1
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 96.4
Next game: @ NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 92.3%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Points pace: 95.1
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 94.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 86.4
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.4%
Tragic number: 8

e – Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 69.6
Next game: @ PHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e – Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 56.5
Next game: vs. COL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 110.1
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 100.0
Next game: @ VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. SEA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 5.8%
Tragic number: 11

Calgary Flames

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 7.3%
Tragic number: 14

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 4

e – Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: vs. DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e – San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 55.0
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An `x` means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An `e` means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

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Race for the No. 1 Pick

The NHL Draft Lottery determines the first-round order, meaning the last-place team isn`t guaranteed the top pick. Since 2021, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery, limiting eligibility for the No. 1 pick to the bottom 11 teams. More details on the process are available. Matthew Schaefer, an OHL Erie Otters defenseman, is currently projected as the No. 1 draft prospect.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23

4. Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

5. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19

7. Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

8. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23

10. New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25

11. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23

13. New York Rangers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25

15. Calgary Flames

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26

16. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26