The New York Rangers, who dominated the regular season last year, are now in a precarious position, struggling to secure a playoff spot. It`s a stark contrast to the Stanley Cup contender expectations after their previous success.
Currently, the Rangers are six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. With only six games remaining, their path to the playoffs requires a near-perfect win streak and favorable outcomes from games involving the Canadiens.
Their upcoming schedule begins at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team already guaranteed a playoff berth but still motivated to climb higher in the Atlantic Division standings. Following the Lightning, the Rangers will face the Philadelphia Flyers at home, and then embark on a three-game road trip against the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers. They conclude the season with a final game against the Lightning.
To have a realistic shot at the playoffs, the Rangers must string together a series of wins. Meanwhile, the Canadiens face a slightly less demanding schedule to close out the season, including games against the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, and Carolina Hurricanes.
The question remains: Can the Rangers overcome these odds and make it to the postseason?
With the regular season concluding on April 17th, we will continue to provide updates on the NHL playoff race, detailing the battles for playoff spots and the competition for positioning 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 Minnesota Wild
- C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
- P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 St. Louis Blues
- P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Clinching Scenarios
The Edmonton Oilers will secure a playoff berth if they defeat the Anaheim Ducks, AND the Calgary Flames lose to the San Jose Sharks in regulation time.
The St. Louis Blues will clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Winnipeg Jets in regulation, AND the Flames are defeated by the Sharks in regulation time.
Monday`s Games
Note: All times Eastern Time. Games not on TNT or NHL Network are available on ESPN+ (blackout restrictions apply).
- Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
- St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m. (NHLN)
- Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 10:30 p.m.
- Seattle Kraken at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
- Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.
Sunday`s Scoreboard
- New York Islanders 4, Washington Capitals 1
- Minnesota Wild 3, Dallas Stars 2 (OT)
- Ottawa Senators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 0
- Detroit Red Wings 2, Florida Panthers 1
- Buffalo Sabres 6, Boston Bruins 3
- Chicago Blackhawks 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
- Montreal Canadiens 2, Nashville Predators 1
- Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 2
Expanded Standings
Atlantic Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Toronto Maple Leafs | 98 | 39 | A1 | 6 | 105.7 | @ FLA (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Tampa Bay Lightning | 94 | 38 | A2 | 6 | 101.4 | @ NYR (Monday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Florida Panthers | 92 | 35 | A3 | 5 | 98.0 | vs. TOR (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| Ottawa Senators | 90 | 33 | WC1 | 5 | 95.8 | @ CBJ (Tuesday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Montreal Canadiens | 85 | 28 | WC2 | 5 | 90.5 | vs. DET (Tuesday) | 79.2% | N/A |
| Detroit Red Wings | 79 | 28 | N/A | 6 | 85.2 | @ MTL (Tuesday) | 5.4% | 6 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 74 | 27 | N/A | 6 | 79.8 | vs. CAR (Tuesday) | 0.1% | 1 |
| e – Boston Bruins | 71 | 24 | N/A | 4 | 74.6 | @ NJ (Tuesday) | 0% | E |
Metro Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Washington Capitals | 107 | 42 | M1 | 5 | 114.0 | vs. CAR (Thursday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Carolina Hurricanes | 96 | 41 | M2 | 6 | 103.6 | @ BUF (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| New Jersey Devils | 89 | 36 | M3 | 5 | 94.8 | vs. BOS (Tuesday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| New York Rangers | 79 | 32 | N/A | 6 | 85.2 | vs. TB (Monday) | 8.5% | 6 |
| New York Islanders | 78 | 27 | N/A | 6 | 84.2 | @ NSH (Tuesday) | 2.5% | 5 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 77 | 24 | N/A | 6 | 83.1 | vs. OTT (Tuesday) | 4.5% | 4 |
| e – Pittsburgh Penguins | 74 | 21 | N/A | 4 | 77.8 | vs. CHI (Tuesday) | 0% | E |
| e – Philadelphia Flyers | 71 | 20 | N/A | 5 | 75.6 | @ NYR (Wednesday) | 0% | E |
Central Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Winnipeg Jets | 108 | 41 | C1 | 5 | 115.0 | vs. STL (Monday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Dallas Stars | 105 | 41 | C2 | 5 | 111.8 | vs. VAN (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Colorado Avalanche | 98 | 39 | C3 | 4 | 103.0 | vs. VGK (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| St. Louis Blues | 93 | 31 | WC1 | 4 | 97.8 | @ ANA (Monday) | 99.5% | N/A |
| Minnesota Wild | 91 | 33 | WC2 | 4 | 95.7 | vs. SJ (Wednesday) | 86.4% | N/A |
| Utah Hockey Club | 82 | 27 | N/A | 5 | 87.3 | vs. SEA (Tuesday) | 0.2% | 1 |
| e – Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 | N/A | 5 | 66.0 | vs. NYI (Tuesday) | 0% | E |
| e – Chicago Blackhawks | 54 | 19 | N/A | 5 | 57.5 | @ PIT (Tuesday) | 0% | E |
Pacific Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x – Vegas Golden Knights | 102 | 43 | P1 | 5 | 108.6 | @ COL (Tuesday) | 100% | N/A |
| x – Los Angeles Kings | 97 | 39 | P3 | 6 | 104.7 | vs. SEA (Monday) | 100% | N/A |
| Edmonton Oilers | 93 | 32 | P2 | 6 | 100.3 | @ ANA (Monday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Calgary Flames | 85 | 27 | N/A | 6 | 91.7 | @ SJ (Monday) | 12.6% | 6 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 83 | 27 | N/A | 5 | 88.4 | @ DAL (Tuesday) | 1.4% | 2 |
| e – Anaheim Ducks | 74 | 23 | N/A | 6 | 79.8 | vs. EDM (Monday) | 0% | E |
| e – Seattle Kraken | 72 | 27 | N/A | 5 | 76.7 | @ LA (Monday) | 0% | E |
| e – San Jose Sharks | 50 | 14 | N/A | 6 | 54.0 | vs. CGY (Monday) | 0% | E |
Note: An `x` indicates a clinched playoff berth. An `e` indicates elimination from playoff contention.
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. Full details on the process are available here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman from the OHL`s Erie Otters, is currently projected as the No. 1 draft prospect.
| Rank | Team | Points | Regulation Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose Sharks | 50 | 14 |
| 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 54 | 19 |
| 3 | Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 |
| 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 71 | 20 |
| 5 | Boston Bruins | 71 | 24 |
| 6 | Seattle Kraken | 72 | 27 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 74 | 21 |
| 8 | Anaheim Ducks | 74 | 23 |
| 9 | Buffalo Sabres | 74 | 27 |
| 10 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 77 | 24 |
| 11 | New York Islanders | 78 | 27 |
| 12 | Detroit Red Wings | 79 | 28 |
| 13 | New York Rangers | 79 | 32 |
| 14 | Utah Hockey Club | 82 | 27 |
| 15 | Vancouver Canucks | 83 | 27 |
| 16 | Calgary Flames | 85 | 27 |
