Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL writer for ESPN. He is a native of northern New York.
As we approach the first full week of April and the final weeks of the NHL 2021-22 season are being played, two specific playoff games have been the hottest: the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars’s almost daily flip-flops for the second wilderness in the Western Conference, and clubs that do not belong to the Florida Panthers that are playoffs from the Atlantic Division. Close
Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL writer for ESPN. He is a native of northern New York.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins all played on Monday – with the top two facing each other – and tonight, the Maple Leafs are two points ahead of the other two teams, with 95 points. In terms of tie break rules, the Maple Leafs have 39, the Bruins 35 and Lightning 32, so at the moment, the Bruins are No. 3 in the category, with Lightning in the top spot. These three teams will face each other once again: Friday is Lightning-Bruins. April 21 is the last Lightning-Maple Leafs game. and the Bruins and Leafs will play the last day of the regular season, April 29th. Apart from these games, the Lightning program has fewer opponents in the playoff mix than the others. six in 13 for Tampa Bay versus seven in 13 for Toronto and nine in 13 for Boston. How will it shake all this? We will monitor closely. As we enter the final straight of the regular season 2021-22, it’s time to check out all the playoffs – along with the teams vying for a place in the NHL 2022 draft. Note: The playoff odds are via FiveThirtyEight. The tragic numbers are courtesy of NHL Damian Echevarrieta. Jump forward: Current playoff matches Today’s Games Last night standings Extended standings Match for No. 1 selection
Current playoff matches
Eastern Conference Florida Panthers vs. A1 WC2 Washington CapitalsA2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Carolina Hurricanes vs. A3 Boston BruinsM1 New York Rangers vs. WC1 Tampa Bay LightningM2 M3 Pittsburgh Penguins Western Conference C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Vegas Golden KnightsC2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis BluesP1 vs. Calgary Flames WC1 Nashville PredatorsP2 vs. Los Angeles Kings P3 Edmonton Oilers
Today’s games
Note: All times Eastern. All off-market games are available on ESPN + Carolina Hurricanes at Buffalo Sabers, 7 p.m. Ottawa Senators at the Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. Toronto Maple Leafs at the Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. Red Wings, 7:30 p.m. Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. New York Islanders at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m. Edmonton Oilers in San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.
Last night’s scoreboard
Watch In the Crease on ESPN + for highlights from each game. Boston Bruins 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2 (OT) Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 2St. Louis Blues 5, Arizona Coyotes 1Calgary Flames 3, Los Angeles Kings 2
Extended rating
Atlantic Division
Points: 102 Regular win: 36 Playoff position: A1Other matches left: 13Next match: against TOR (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 100% Tragic number: N / A Points: 95 Regular Winnings: 39 Playoff Position: A2Manner Matches: 13Next Match: @ FLA (Tuesday) Playoff Odds:> 99% Tragic Number: N / A Points: 93 Regular win: 35 Playoff position: A3Other matches left: 13Next match: @ DET (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A
1 Relevant Points: 93 Regular win: 32 Playoff position: WC1Man left: 13Next match: @ WSH (Wednesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 61 Regular win: 19 Playoff position: N / AGOther: 12 Next game: against CAR (Tuesday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 2 Points: 61 Regular win: 15 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining: 13 Next game: against BOS (Tuesday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 3 Points: 56 Rules win: 21 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 14 Next match: @ MTL (Tuesday) Playoff opportunities: Tragic number: 1 Points: 49 Regular wins: 13 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 13 Next match: against OTT (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 0% Tragic number: E
Metropolitan Division
Points: 98 Regular win: 39 Playoff position: M1 Matches left: 13Next match: @ BUF (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 94 Regular wins: 36 Playoff position: M2Other games left: 12Next match: @ NJ (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 92 Regular wins: 33 Playoff position: M3 Games left: 12 Next game: against COL (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A This season will include 103 exclusive regular season games on ESPN, ESPN +, Hulu and ABC and more than 1,000 off-market games will be available on ESPN +.• How to watch • Subscribe to ESPN + • Broadcast the NHL on ESPN Points: 84 R just for this match: 28 Playoffs: WC2Man left: 13Next match: against TB (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 96% Tragic number: N / A Points: 73 Regular win: 30 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 14 Next match: @ DAL (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 3% Tragic number: 17 Points: 70 Regular wins: 22 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining: 12 Next game: @ PHI (Tuesday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 10 Points: 55 Regular win: 17 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining: 13 Next game: against CBJ (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 0% Tragic number: E Points: 54 Regular win: 16 Playoff position: N / AGRemaining: 13 Next game: against NYR (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 0% Tragic number: E
Central Division
Points: 104 Rules wins: 41 Playoff position: C1Man left: 13Next match: @ PIT (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 91 Regular win: 31 Playoff position: C2Man left: 14Next match: @ NSH (Tuesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 88 Regular win: 36 Playoff position: C3 Matches left: 13 Next match: against SEA (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 99% Tragic number: N / A
1 Relevant Points: 82 Regular win: 32 Playoff position: WC1Other matches: 14Next match: against MIN (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 87% Tragic number: N / A Points: 81 Regular win: 25 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 14 Next match: against NYI (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 80% Tragic number: 27 Points: 76 Regular win: 26 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 12 Next game: against DET (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 2% Tragic number: 18 Points: 59 Regular win: 15 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 12 Next match: against SEA (Thursday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 1 Points: 49 Regular wins: 16 Playoff position: N / AG Games left: 13 Next game: Playoff opportunities: 0% Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 91 Regular win: 36 Playoff position: P1 Matches left: 13 Next match: @ ANA (Wednesday) Playoff odds:> 99% Tragic number: N / A Points: 86 Regular win: 29 Playoff position: P2 Matches left: 10 Next match: against EDM (Thursday) Playoff odds: 79% Tragic number: N / A Points: 85 Wins of regulation: 32 Playoff position: P3 Games left: 12 Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday) Playoff odds: 88% Tragic number: D / Y This season will include 103 exclusive regular season games on ESPN, ESPN +, Hulu and ABC and more than 1,000 off-market games will be available on ESPN +.• How to watch • Subscribe to ESPN + • Broadcast the NHL on ESPN Points: 82 Regular wins: 31 Playoff position: WC2Other matches: 11Next match: vs. VAN (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 63% Tragic number: N / A Points: 74 Regular wins: 26 Playoff position: N / AGOther: 12 Next game: @ VGK (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 2% Tragic number: 16 Points: 68 Regular win: 19 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 11 Next match: against CGY (Wednesday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 8 Points: 66 Regular win: 20 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 14 Next match: against EDM (Tuesday) Playoff odds: Tragic number: 12 Points: 50 Regular win: 19 Playoff position: N / AG Remaining matches: 13 Next match: @ STL (Wednesday) Playoff odds: 0% Tragic number: E
Race for the No. 1 selection
The NHL uses a rough draw to determine the top spot in the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 pick. From 2021, a team can go up to 10 places if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 selection. Full details of the process can be found here. Points: 49 Regulatory wins: 13 Points: 49 Regulatory wins: 16 Points: 50 Regular wins: 19 Points: 54 Regular wins: 16 Points: 55 Regular wins: 17 Points: 56 Regulatory wins: 21 Points: 59 Regulatory wins: 15 Points: 61 Regular wins: 15 Points: 61 Regular wins: 19 Points: 66 Regular wins: 20 Points: 68 Regular wins: 19 Points: 70 Regular wins: 22 Points: 73 Regulatory wins: 30 Points: 74 Regular wins: 26 Points: 76 Regulatory wins: 26 Points: 81 Regulatory wins: 25
