Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 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.
Don’t try to sell Eastern Conference teams that their battles for positioning are trivial. They may snarl at you. But there’s no denying that the Western Conference features the juiciest, most desperate battles for playoff spots.
Tuesday puts said juicy battles on display in an all-you-can-watch buffet. Here are the most important games on a day brimming with them:
- It’s unlikely that the Wild or Oilers fall too far, but Minnesota winning in regulation would make Edmonton at least a tiny bit less comfortable.
- With the Kings fading lately, a game against the Blackhawks is one of those contests you just have to win. On Monday, the Kings learned that Drew Doughty’s season is over after wrist surgery.
- Out East, the Lightning (vs. the Stars) and Bruins (vs. the Blues) struggle for positioning against quality West teams. So the Stars can be sure that they’re facing a focused Lightning opponent, and one that badly wants to get back on track.
- After jarring downs, the Golden Knights have enjoyed at least a few recent ups. The Canucks may not view themselves as mere spoilers, but for Vegas, this is just as much a game they have to have as the Kings vs. the Blackhawks.
Beyond those more do-or-die West games, there’s plenty of intrigue out East, including a game that could influence a battle for the Metro title between the Rangers and Hurricanes.
Hockey fans won’t lack for viewing options, or suspense.
IF PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY (sorted by points percentage)
ATLANTIC DIVISION Panthers vs. Capitals Maple Leafs vs. Lightning
METROPOLITAN DIVISION Hurricanes vs. Bruins Rangers vs. Penguins
CENTRAL DIVISION Avalanche vs. Stars Wild vs. Blues
PACIFIC DIVISION Flames vs. Predators Oilers vs. Kings
TODAY’S KEY GAMES
Blues vs. Bruins, 7 p.m. ET Hurricanes vs. Rangers, 7 p.m. ET Oilers vs. Wild, 8 p.m. ET Kings vs. Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. ET Lightning vs. Stars, 9:30 p.m. ET Golden Knights vs. Canucks, 10 p.m. ET
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via MoneyPuck)
Panthers - clinched Maple Leafs - clinched Lightning - 100% Bruins - 100% Red Wings - eliminated Sabres - eliminated Senators - eliminated Canadiens - eliminated
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via MoneyPuck)
Hurricanes - clinched Rangers - clinched Penguins - 100% Capitals - 99.98% Islanders - 0% Blue Jackets - 0% Flyers - eliminated Devils - eliminated
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via MoneyPuck)
Avalanche - clinched Wild - 100% Blues - 99.98% Predators - 91.6% Stars - 85.3% Jets - 0.5% Blackhawks - eliminated Coyotes - eliminated
PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via MoneyPuck)
Flames - 100% Oilers - 98.3% Kings - 76.3% Golden Knights - 42.6% Canucks - 5.6% Ducks - eliminated Sharks - 0% Kraken - eliminated
DRAFT LOTTERY PICTURE (via Tankathon)
16.6% - Coyotes 12.1% - Canadiens 10.9% - Kraken 9.7% - Devils 8.5% - Flyers 7.6% - Senators 6.7% - Blackhawks (*conditional) 5.8% - Sabres 5.4% - Red Wings 4.5% - Sharks 3.1% - Ducks 2.7% - Blue Jackets 2.2% - Islanders 1.8% - Jets 1.4% - Canucks 1% - Golden Knights (*conditional)
ART ROSS TROPHY RACE
Connor McDavid, Oilers - 108 points Jonathan Huberdeau, Panthers - 104 Leon Draisaitl, Oilers - 101 Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs - 99 Johnny Gaudreau, Flames - 99 Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs - 90
ROCKET RICHARD RACE
Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs - 58 goals Leon Draisaitl, Oilers - 50 Chris Kreider, Rangers - 49 Alex Ovechkin, Capitals - 45 Connor McDavid, Oilers - 42 Kyle Connor, Jets - 42 Kirill Kaprizov, Wild - 42
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.