NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (2024)

ESPN staffApr 18, 2024, 04:30 PM

Thursday is the final night of the 2023-24 NHL regular season, with the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs set to begin Saturday.

Although the identity of all 16 playoff teams is known, the eight matchups are not all locked in. So which games matter most?

Sadly for those with early bedtimes on the East Coast, the two games most vital to the playoff bracket have opening puck drop times with four digits in them.

The Vegas Golden Knights currently hold the Pacific Division's No. 3 seed, with 98 points and 34 regulation wins. They'll host the Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). One point behind them in the standings sit the Los Angeles Kings, though L.A. is ahead in regulation wins, the first tiebreaker. The Kings will host the Chicago Blackhawks (10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), in the swan song of Connor Bedard's rookie campaign.

Both teams are heavily favored to win. But, in the event the Knights only pick up one point to the Kings' two, the tiebreak would go to L.A.

As mentioned, the spot at stake between these two is the P3 position -- and a first-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers -- or the second West wild card, which yields a matchup with the Dallas Stars.

But it's not all about the postseason! The race for the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's regular-season scoring leader could be in play as well. Currently, Nikita Kucherov leads with 144 points. Skating against each other are the Nos. 2 and 3 players in the race, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid. The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers face off a little earlier (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), and while their playoff seeds are locked in, a scoring title for their franchise center would be a nice way for those teams to close out game No. 82. MacKinnon is six points behind, and McDavid 12 points behind; so, perhaps unlikely that they catch Kucherov, but not impossible.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Thursday's schedule
Wednesday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
A2 Boston Bruins vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New York Islanders

Western Conference

Thursday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available via NHL Power Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).

Seattle Kraken at Minnesota Wild, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday's scoreboard

Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 4
New York Islanders 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4
Dallas Stars 2, St. Louis Blues 1 (SO)
Arizona Coyotes 5, Edmonton Oilers 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (3)

y - Florida Panthers

Points: 110
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 110
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (4)

x - Boston Bruins

Points: 109
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 0
Points pace: 109
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (5)

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 0
Points pace: 102
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (6)

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 98
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (7)

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 91
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (8)

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 84
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (9)

e - Ottawa Senators

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 78
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (10)

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 76
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (11)

p - New York Rangers

Points: 114
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 114
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (12)

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 111
Regulation wins: 44
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 0
Points pace: 111
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (13)

x - New York Islanders

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 0
Points pace: 94
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (14)

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 0
Points pace: 91
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (15)

e - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 88
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (16)

e -Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 87
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (17)

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 81
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (18)

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 66
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (19)

y - Dallas Stars

Points: 113
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 113
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (20)

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 109
Next game: vs. VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (21)

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 1
Points pace: 106
Next game: vs. EDM (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (22)

x - Nashville Predators

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 99
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (23)

e - St. Louis Blues

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 92
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (24)

e - Minnesota Wild

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 88
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (25)

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 77
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (26)

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 52
Next game: @ LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (27)

y - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 109
Regulation wins: 44
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 110
Next game: @ WPG (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (28)

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 105
Next game: @ COL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (29)

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 1
Points pace: 99
Next game: vs. ANA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (30)

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 98
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (31)

e - Calgary Flames

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 80
Next game: vs. SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (32)

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 80
Next game: @ MIN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (33)

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 58
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

NHL playoff watch: Key games to watch on the final day (34)

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 48
Next game: @ CGY (Thursday)
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 Macklin Celebrini, a freshman at Boston University.