Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2018-19 NHL season. We’ll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who’s leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more.
Out east, all eyes will be on the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN), but in the Western Conference, a Central Division matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars has quite of bit of playoff intrigue.
The Avs visit the Stars knowing a win could put them in a good spot. The Stars sit in the first wild-card spot on 73 points, following by the Minnesota Wild in the final playoff seed on 72 points and the Avalanche sitting on the periphery with 70 points.
Given that the Wild are in Tampa to face the nearly-unbeatable Lightning, a win for the Avs, who meet the streaking Stars -- winners of their last three games -- would be a huge boost to their playoff chances if Tampa can take care of business a few states over in Florida.
“For us, it’s not really pressure,” Avs forward Sven Andrighetto told the Avs’ website on Wednesday. “It’s a position we want to be in. We’re playing meaningful hockey, hockey that matters. Every single point, every game matters... to make the playoffs or not.”
IF PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Lightning vs. Canadiens
Bruins vs. Maple Leafs
Capitals vs. Penguins
Islanders vs. Hurricanes
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Flames vs. Wild
Sharks vs. Golden Knights
Predators vs. Stars
Jets vs. Blues
TODAY’S GAMES WITH PLAYOFF CONTENDERS
Panthers at Bruins, 7 p.m. ET
Blue Jackets at Penguins, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN; live stream)
Islanders at Senators, 7:30 p.m. ET
Wild at Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sabres at Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. ET
Avalanche at Stars, 8:30 p.m. ET
Canucks at Oilers, 9 p.m. ET
Flames at Coyotes, 9 p.m. ET
Blues at Kings 10:30 p.m. ET
Canadiens at Sharks 10:30 p.m. ET
Here are today’s Stanley Cup Playoff clinching scenarios:
The Lightning will clinch a playoff berth:
• If they defeat the Wild in any fashion AND any of the following occurs:
• The Canadiens lose in regulation at the Sharks
• The Blue Jackets lose in regulation at the Penguins (NBCSN; live stream)
• Both Montreal and Columbus lose in any fashion
OR
• If they get one point against Minnesota and both Montreal and Columbus lose in regulation.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via Sports Club Stats)
Lightning - 100 percent
Bruins - 100 percent
Maple Leafs - 100 percent
Islanders - 98.6 percent
Capitals - 98 percent
Penguins - 90.6 percent
Hurricanes - 85.5 percent
Canadiens - 68.4 percent
Blue Jackets - 56 percent
Flyers - 2 percent
Sabres - 0.5 percent
Panthers - 0.5 percent
Rangers - 0 percent
Devils - 0 percent
Red Wings - 0 percent
Senators - 0 percent
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via Sports Club Stats)
Flames - 100 percent
Sharks - 100 percent
Jets - 99.9 percent
Predators - 99.8 percent
Golden Knights - 98.4 percent
Blues - 97.2 percent
Stars 82.8 percent
Avalanche - 45.6 percent
Wild - 41.8 percent
Coyotes 28 percent
Oilers - 3.5 percent
Canucks - 2.1 percent
Blackhawks - 0.9 percent
Ducks - 0 percent
Kings - 0 percent
JACK OR KAAPO? THE DRAFT LOTTERY PICTURE
Senators - 18.5 percent*
Red Wings - 13.5 percent
Kings - 11.5 percent
Devils - 9.5 percent
Ducks - 8.5 percent
Blackhawks - 7.5 percent
Canucks - 6.5 percent
Rangers - 6 percent
Oilers - 5 percent
Panthers - 3.5 percent
Sabres - 3 percent
Avalanche 2.5 percent
Coyotes - 2 percent
Flyers - 1.5 percent
Blue Jackets - 1 percent**
(*OTT’s 2019 first-round pick owned by COL)
(**CBJ’s 2019 lottery-protected first-round pick is owned by OTT. If top three, moves to 2020)
ART ROSS RACE
Nikita Kucherov, Lightning - 108 points
Patrick Kane, Blackhawks - 94 points
Connor McDavid, Oilers - 92 points
Sidney Crosby, Penguins - 86 points
Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche - 85 points
Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche - 84 points
ROCKET RICHARD RACE
Alex Ovechkin, Capitals - 46 goals
Leon Draisaitl, Oilers - 41 goals
Patrick Kane, Blackhawks - 40 goals
John Tavares, Maple Leafs - 37 goals
Brayden Point, Lightning - 37 goals
Jeff Skinner, Sabres - 36 goals
Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck