Sports

NHL playoff watch: Ranking the top Stanley Cup contenders

After the 14 games of Showdown Saturday, a slightly smaller batch of teams is back at it Sunday.

One of those seven matchups features two recent Stanley Cup winners — the

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Philadelphia Flyers at Chicago Blackhawks, 3 p.m. (NHLN)
Buffalo Sabres at Winnipeg Jets, 3 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Florida Panthers, 6 p.m.
Nashville Predators at St. Louis Blues, 6 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Anaheim Ducks, 8 p.m.
Boston Bruins at Los Angeles Kings, 9 p.m.


Saturday’s scoreboard

New York Rangers 5, Vancouver Canucks 3
Dallas Stars 3 Philadelphia Flyers 2 (OT)
Minnesota Wild 4, Buffalo Sabres 1
St. Louis Blues 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Calgary Flames 4, New York Islanders 3 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 7, Carolina Hurricanes 2
Washington Capitals 6, Florida Panthers 3
Utah Hockey Club 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 4
Colorado Avalanche 5, Montreal Canadiens 4 (SO)
Ottawa Senators 3, New Jersey Devils 2
Nashville Predators 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2
Vegas Golden Knights 6, Detroit Red Wings 3
Edmonton Oilers 5, Seattle Kraken 4
San Jose Sharks 3, Boston Bruins 1


Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 101.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 101.9
Next game: vs. PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 13
Points pace: 101.0
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 13
Points pace: 93.9
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 96.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 13
Points pace: 89.1
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 45.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ UTA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 6%
Tragic number: 22

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 79.7
Next game: @ LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1.4%
Tragic number: 17

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 72.4
Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 14


Metro Division

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 119.5
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 13
Points pace: 104.6
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 92.4
Next game: vs. VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 95.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 18.9%
Tragic number: 22

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 86.8
Next game: vs. CBJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 26%
Tragic number: 25

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 84.4
Next game: @ NYI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 9.8%
Tragic number: 23

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 78.5
Next game: @ FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 16

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 75.1
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 13


Central Division

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 117.1
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 13
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: vs. MIN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 99.6
Next game: @ DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 93.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 91.2
Next game: vs. NSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 56.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 87.9
Next game: s. DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 12.2%
Tragic number: 21

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 71.3
Next game: @ STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 8

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 57.4
Next game: vs. PHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E


Pacific Division

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 13
Points pace: 107.0
Next game: vs. TB (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 101.9
Next game: vs. DAL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 14
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: vs. BOS (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 91.5
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 16.8%
Tragic number: 25

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 89.0
Next game: @ NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 21.4%
Tragic number: 22

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 80.8
Next game: vs. CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 16

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 75.1
Next game: @ CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 9

Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 55.1
Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An “x” means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An “e” means that the team has been 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 No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 31

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26