Monday night delivered drama across the NHL, with the Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings securing the final three playoff spots. This eliminated five bubble teams, reshaping the postseason picture. Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton broke down offseason keys for those 16 non-playoff teams, highlighting draft picks, trades and cap space.
Tuesday features nine games, the finale for 10 teams. Playoff seeding, division titles and draft lottery positioning remain in play. While most spots are locked, tiebreakers like regulation wins (RW) could decide final orders.
Eastern conference: Wild-card clarity and division edges
The Boston Bruins host the New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. A Bruins win clinches the East’s first wild card, pitting them against the Buffalo Sabres. Any other result leaves it to the Ottawa Senators’ Wednesday game versus Toronto. The Devils sit 12th in lottery order, one point ahead of Nashville and three ahead of San Jose. Finishing 11th or better keeps No. 1 pick hopes alive, as teams can jump only 10 spots.
Carolina Hurricanes visit the New York Islanders at the same time. The Hurricanes clinched East No. 1 via Monday’s shootout loss. They play for momentum and stats. Islanders, eliminated, rank 13th in lottery; a win drops them to 15th max.
Montreal Canadiens face Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. Both playoff-bound. Philly locks No. 3 Metro seed versus Pittsburgh regardless. Montreal ties Tampa Bay in points for Atlantic home ice; Lightning play Rangers Wednesday.
Washington Capitals at Columbus Blue Jackets caps the 7 p.m. slate on ESPN. Philly’s Monday win ended higher stakes. It’s Alex Ovechkin’s potential last game, with his future unclear post-2025-26.
Pittsburgh Penguins visit St. Louis Blues at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN. Penguins face Flyers first round. Blues rank ninth in lottery, up to sixth possible. Their 31 RW beats most rivals except Florida.
These matchups underscore late-season intensity. Playoff teams tune up while lottery hopefuls maneuver. Regulation wins loom large in ties.
Western conference: Pacific scramble and wild-card tension
Anaheim Ducks travel to Minnesota Wild at 8 p.m. Ducks return to playoffs after late push. They hold third in Pacific with 90 points, 25 RW through 80 games. RW trumps Vegas or Edmonton in ties, beats Kings. Vegas leads at 93, Edmonton 91, Kings 89. Wild secure Central No. 3 versus Dallas Stars.
Winnipeg Jets at Utah Mammoth at 9 p.m. Jets fell Monday but fought to final week from basement. Eighth in lottery, down to sixth with losses. Mammoth lead Kings by one point, 10 RW edge. First wild card faces Pacific winner, second gets Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche at Calgary Flames at 9 p.m. Avs lock overall No. 1 seed, won Monday shootout over Oilers. Flames fourth in lottery; need losses and Rangers win to hit third.
Los Angeles Kings at Vancouver Canucks at 10 p.m. Kings back in postseason, risk fifth Oilers matchup. Trail Ducks by one, Edmonton by two (game in hand). RW loses ties, need points outright. Canucks own worst record for top draft odds, No. 3 worst.
Pacific chaos defines West. Ducks, Kings jockey amid RW tiebreakers. Wild cards hinge on Mammoth-Kings.
Current playoff matchups and lottery race
Eastern conference seeds shape up:
- Buffalo Sabres (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (WC1)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (A3)
- Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC2)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3)
Western:
- Colorado Avalanche (C1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (WC2)
- Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3)
- Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Utah Mammoth (WC1)
- Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs. Anaheim Ducks (P3)
Draft lottery adds intrigue. Canucks lead for No. 1 odds. Top prospect Gavin McKenna awaits. Eleven teams eligible; ties use RW.
| Team | Lottery rank | Key note |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | Worst record | Best No. 1 odds |
| New York Islanders | 13th | Win drops to 15th |
| St. Louis Blues | 9th | 31 RW strong tiebreaker |
| Calgary Flames | 4th | Needs help for 3rd |
For more on eliminated teams’ paths, check ESPN’s offseason preview (nhl-2026-offseason-schedule-keys-draft-picks-trades-free-agency-cap-space).
As detailed in our NHL playoff watch: Clinching scenarios on Thursday’s 14-game slate, final days clarify everything. And see NHL playoff watch: What’s at stake in Monday’s matchups for prior recap.
Looking ahead to playoffs and draft
Tuesday resolves seeds, RW ties. Regular season ends Thursday. Playoffs start weekend after, with Buffalo-Boston, Pittsburgh-Philly rivalries.
Avalanche top seed eyes Cup repeat push. Carolina’s East dominance sets stage. Lottery Tuesday shifts for non-playoff clubs.
Fans track via ESPN+ streams (local blackouts apply). Stathletes powers chances. Stakes high even in finales. What unfolds could spark postseason fireworks.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.