NHL Playoff Behold Day-to-day: Key matchups of Saturday's 15-sport slate

7: 54 AM ET

Tim KavanaghESPN.com
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With the quit of the season coming near near, the NHL has provided us a treat: Saturday’s time table involves 15 video games — all people however the Winnipeg Jets could be in movement — including moderately a spread of matchups on which we’ll be keeping a shut test for playoff ramifications.

The New York Rangers‘ playoff hopes are serene flickering, and they also’ll build more fuel on that fireside with a rob in their sport in opposition to the New York Islanders. The Isles could be additional motivated as a consequence of here is the ideally suited time these two opponents will play at Nassau Coliseum sooner than the club moves to UBS Enviornment for 2021-22. In other places within the East, the No. 1-seeded Washington Capitals will host the No. 2-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins for the ideally suited sport of their season series. Each clubs hold clinched a playoff berth, but they continue to be in contention for that top online page online.

The serious matchup within the Central lately pits the Nashville Predators in opposition to the Dallas Stars (streaming continue to exist ESPN+). Dallas is two elements on the wait on of Nashville for the ideally suited postseason slot and needs the rob to tie the season series for tiebreaker capabilities down the line as properly.

The Calgary Flames‘ playoff possibilities took a success on Friday evening with the Montreal Canadiens‘ rob over the Jets, and they also’re going to hope to originate up some floor within the ideally suited sport of the 2021 Fight of Alberta series. The host Edmonton Oilers lead the series 5-4.

Within the West, we’re getting shut to total-or-die time for groups chasing the St. Louis Blues for the No. 4 online page online. The Blues themselves will rob on the No. 3-seeded Minnesota Wild (streaming continue to exist ESPN+), whereas the Arizona Coyotes host the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks talk over with the Colorado Avalanche.

Having reached the ideally suited stretch of the humble season, it is a ways time to examine in to your total playoff races — along with the groups jockeying for location within the 2021 NHL draft lottery.

Conceal: Playoff possibilities are by plan of Money Puck. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Soar forward:

Contemporary playoff matchups

Bound for No. 1 receive

East Division

Washington Capitals – x

Parts: 69

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff location: E1

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. PIT (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins – x

Parts: 69

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff location: E2

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: @ WSH (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

New York Islanders

Parts: 65

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff location: E3

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. NYR (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 99.7%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Boston Bruins

Parts: 64

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff location: E4

Video games left: 7

Subsequent sport: vs. BUF (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 99.8%

Tragic quantity: N/A

New York Rangers

Parts: 58

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: @ NYI (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0.5%

Tragic quantity: 5

Philadelphia Flyers

Parts: 51

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. NJ (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

New Jersey Devils

Parts: 39

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ PHI (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

Buffalo Sabres

Parts: 33

Regulation wins: 10

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: @ BOS (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

Central Division

Carolina Hurricanes – x

Parts: 73

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff location: C1

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. CBJ (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Florida Panthers – x

Parts: 71

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff location: C2

Video games left: 4

Subsequent sport: @ CHI (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning – x

Parts: 70

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff location: C3

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ DET (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Nashville Predators

Parts: 56

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff location: C4

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: vs. DAL (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 68.4%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Dallas Stars

Parts: 54

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ NSH (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 31%

Tragic quantity: 10

Chicago Blackhawks

Parts: 50

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. FLA (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0.6%

Tragic quantity: 6

Detroit Purple Wings

Parts: 43

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 4

Subsequent sport: vs. TB (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

Columbus Blue Jackets

Parts: 42

Regulation wins: 11

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: @ CAR (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

North Division

The Canadiens’ Cut Suzuki rankings within the first length, then provides the eventual sport winner within the third, serving to Montreal rob down Winnipeg 5-3.

Toronto Maple Leafs – x

Parts: 69

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff location: N1

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: vs. VAN (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Parts: 60

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff location: N2

Video games left: 8

Subsequent sport: vs. CGY (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Parts: 57

Regulation wins: 21

Playoff location: N3

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ OTT (Might perchance perchance even 3)

Playoff possibilities: 98.4%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Parts: 53

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff location: N4

Video games left: 7

Subsequent sport: vs. OTT (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 86.3%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Calgary Flames

Parts: 47

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 7

Subsequent sport: @ EDM (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 14.6%

Tragic quantity: 8

Ottawa Senators

Parts: 42

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ MTL (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: 1

Vancouver Canucks

Parts: 41

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 12

Subsequent sport: @ TOR (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0.8%

Tragic quantity: 12

West Division

Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar each get energy-play dreams within the first length, main the Avalanche to a 3-0 rob over the Sharks.

Vegas Golden Knights – x

Parts: 72

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff location: W1

Video games left: 7

Subsequent sport: @ ARI (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Colorado Avalanche – x

Parts: 68

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff location: W2

Video games left: 8

Subsequent sport: vs. SJ (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Minnesota Wild – x

Parts: 66

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff location: W3

Video games left: 7

Subsequent sport: vs. STL (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 100%

Tragic quantity: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Parts: 52

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff location: W4

Video games left: 8

Subsequent sport: @ MIN (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 90.6%

Tragic quantity: N/A

Arizona Coyotes

Parts: 49

Regulation wins: 18

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: vs. VGS (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 7.3%

Tragic quantity: 7

San Jose Sharks

Parts: 45

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 6

Subsequent sport: @ COL (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0.4%

Tragic quantity: 5

Los Angeles Kings

Parts: 44

Regulation wins: 17

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 8

Subsequent sport: @ ANA (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 1.7%

Tragic quantity: 8

Anaheim Ducks

Parts: 37

Regulation wins: 10

Playoff location: N/A

Video games left: 5

Subsequent sport: vs. LA (Might perchance perchance even 1)

Playoff possibilities: 0%

Tragic quantity: E

Contemporary playoff matchups

East Division

No. 1 Washington Capitals vs. No. 4 Boston Bruins

No. 2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 3 New York Islanders

Central Division

No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators

No. 2 Florida Panthers vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning

North Division

No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 4 Montreal Canadiens

No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Winnipeg Jets

West Division

No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 St. Louis Blues

No. 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild

Bound for the No. 1 receive

The NHL makes use of a draft lottery to resolve the expose on the head of the first round, so the crew that finishes in final location is rarely any longer assured the No. 1 need. New for 2021, a crew could well perchance switch up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so easiest 11 groups are eligible for the plan for the No. 1 receive. Fleshy information on the process could well presumably furthermore be realized here.