With the regular season winding down, every game seems to take on greater importance. But tonight's slate offers one contest that stands out above the rest.
The Winnipeg Jets host the Calgary Flames (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), holding a two-point lead in the standings, and a four-game edge in regulation wins. The two teams have split the season series thus far; the Flames won 3-2 in Calgary on Nov. 12, and the Jets won 3-2 in Winnipeg on Jan. 3.
After this game, the Jets host the Nashville Predators (whose wild-card hopes are quickly dwindling) and San Jose Sharks before closing out with road games against the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. The Flames head to British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Canucks, then host the Predators and Sharks to close out their season.
As of now, the Jets have a 79% chance to make the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight, while the Flames are at 12%.
As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2023 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight.
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 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 New York Islanders
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Florida Panthers
M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Wednesday's games
Note: All times Eastern. All games not on ESPN, TNT or NHL Network are available via NHL Power Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Tuesday's scoreboard
Watch "In the Crease" on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)
Florida Panthers 2, Buffalo Sabres 1
Detroit Red Wings 5, Montreal Canadiens 0
New Jersey Devils 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Nashville Predators 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2 (OT)
St. Louis Blues 4, Philadelphia Flyers 2
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Calgary Flames 3
Seattle Kraken 5, Vancouver Canucks 2
Edmonton Oilers 3, Los Angeles Kings 1
Colorado Avalanche 4, San Jose Sharks 3 (OT)
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
p - Boston Bruins
Points: 125
Regulation wins: 50
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 133
Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Toronto Maple Leafs
Points: 102
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 109
Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Tampa Bay Lightning
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 102
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Florida Panthers
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 92
Next game: vs. OTT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 76%
Tragic number: N/A
Buffalo Sabres
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 87
Next game: @ DET (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 7
Ottawa Senators
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 85
Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 3
Detroit Red Wings
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84
Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 2
e - Montreal Canadiens
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 69
Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Metropolitan Division
x - Carolina Hurricanes
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 116
Next game: @ NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - New Jersey Devils
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 111
Next game: vs. CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - New York Rangers
Points: 101
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 108
Next game: vs. TB (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
New York Islanders
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 92
Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 77%
Tragic number: N/A
Pittsburgh Penguins
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 90
Next game: vs. MIN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 44%
Tragic number: 8
e - Washington Capitals
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 82
Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 76
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - Columbus Blue Jackets
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 60
Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
x - Colorado Avalanche
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Dallas Stars
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 104
Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Minnesota Wild
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 5
Points pace: 104
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Winnipeg Jets
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 95
Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 79%
Tragic number: N/A
Nashville Predators
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 92
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 8%
Tragic number: 7
e - St. Louis Blues
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 83
Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - Arizona Coyotes
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 70
Next game: @ SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 60
Next game: @ VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
x - Vegas Golden Knights
Points: 104
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 4
Points pace: 109
Next game: vs. LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Edmonton Oilers
Points: 101
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 4
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
x - Los Angeles Kings
Points: 100
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 4
Points pace: 105
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Seattle Kraken
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 100
Next game: vs. ARI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Calgary Flames
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Points pace: 92
Next game: @ WPG (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 12%
Tragic number: 6
e - Vancouver Canucks
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 80
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - San Jose Sharks
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 64
Next game: vs. COL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
e - Anaheim Ducks
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 60
Next game: vs. EDM (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
P -- Clinched Presidents' Trophy; Y -- Clinched division; X -- Clinched playoff berth; E -- Eliminated from playoff contention
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. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Connor Bedard, who has been lauded as a generational talent.
1. Anaheim Ducks
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 13
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
3. Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 17
4. San Jose Sharks
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 16
5. Montreal Canadiens
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
6. Arizona Coyotes
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
7. Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
8. Vancouver Canucks
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22
9. Washington Capitals
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
10. St. Louis Blues
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
11. Detroit Red Wings
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
12. Buffalo Sabres
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
13. Ottawa Senators
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
15. Nashville Predators
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
16. Calgary Flames
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29