NHL Playoff Standings: Atlantic Division Race

The NHL playoff picture is getting clearer as the regular season winds down. In the Atlantic Division, three teams are নিশ্চিত to make the playoffs, but their final ranking is still up in the air.

The stakes are high: the division winner will face a wild-card team in the first round, likely the Ottawa Senators. The second and third-place teams will play each other, with the second seed getting home-ice advantage.

As of Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs lead the division with 92 points. The Florida Panthers are close behind with 91 points but have played one fewer game than the Tampa Bay Lightning, who also have 91 points.

If teams are tied in points at the end of the season, regulation wins are the first tiebreaker. Currently, the Lightning have 37, the Leafs have 36, and the Panthers have 35.

Upcoming games are crucial. Florida plays Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. Toronto visits Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, and Tampa Bay plays at the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

The Panthers have key games remaining against both the Leafs and Lightning. Toronto will also face Tampa Bay in their final games.

Looking at the remaining schedules, the Leafs have the most challenging opponents, while the Lightning have the easiest path. The Panthers` schedule is in the middle.

Statistical projections favor the Lightning to win the division (44.5%), followed by the Panthers (33.9%) and Leafs (21.6%).

Will these predictions hold true? We will see.

With the playoffs approaching on April 17, the focus intensifies on both playoff spots and the NHL draft lottery for non-playoff teams.

Note: Playoff chances are based on Stathletes projections.

---

Current Playoff Matchups

Eastern Conference

• A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
• A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
• M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 New York Rangers
• 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

---

Sunday`s Games

Montreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers, 1 p.m. (NHL)
Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals, 3 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets, 3 p.m.
Utah Hockey Club at Chicago Blackhawks, 4 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins, 5 p.m.
New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Anaheim Ducks, 8 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m. (ESPN)

---

Saturday`s Scoreboard

Philadelphia Flyers 7, Buffalo Sabres 4
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, New York Islanders 3
St. Louis Blues 2, Colorado Avalanche 1
New Jersey Devils 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Nashville Predators 1
Ottawa Senators 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Los Angeles Kings 1
Detroit Red Wings 2, Boston Bruins 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Calgary Flames 2 (OT)
New York Rangers 6, San Jose Sharks 1
Dallas Stars 5, Seattle Kraken 1

---

Expanded Standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 103.3
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 103.6
Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 94.5
Next game: @ PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 30.0%
Tragic number: 19

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: 66
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 75.2
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10

---

Metro Division

x – Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 117.3
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 104.8
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
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: WC2
Games left: 8
Points pace: 85.3
Next game: vs. MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 33.1%
Tragic number: N/A

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: 10
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 14.4%
Tragic number: 18

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
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

---

Central Division

x – Winnipeg Jets

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 116.8
Next game: vs. VAN (Sunday)
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: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
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: 9
Points pace: 57.3
Next game: vs. UTA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

---

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: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: vs. SJ (Sunday)
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: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 5.8%
Tragic number: 13

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: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 6

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: 10
Points pace: 55.8
Next game: @ LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An `x` indicates a clinched playoff berth. An `e` indicates playoff elimination.

---

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. A team can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery. Matthew Schaefer is currently projected as the No. 1 draft pick.

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. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24

5. Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19

7. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20

8. Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23

10. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26

11. New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23

13. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

15. Calgary Flames

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26

16. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26