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SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: Last stand for the Detroit Red Wings?

ByESPN Staff ESPN logo

Friday, April 4, 2025

At the start of the 2024-25 NHL season, some predicted that the Detroit Red Wings -- with one of the proudest histories among the league's 32 clubs -- would make their triumphant return to the postseason field.

Although they remain mathematically in the race with less than two weeks to go, their chances are getting slimmer by the day.

Friday night, they'll host the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+), with a chance to inch their way closer to the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, who have been ping-ponging the final wild-card spot back and forth in recent days.

As the games get underway, the Red Wings' 75 points are six behind both the Canadiens, and their 26 regulation wins are tied with Montreal.

Things only get harder for Dylan Larkin & Co. after the game against the Canes. Their remaining schedule featuresonly games against teams currently in playoff position: the Florida Panthers twice, Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs. Perhaps the teams that have clinched a playoff berth will take a proverbial foot off the gas pedal, but this is not exactly an ideal closing schedule for a team on the outside looking in on the playoffs.

But if the Red Wings are going to make a run, a win on Friday will go a long way (at least emotionally) to rally support. Can they do it?

With the regular season ending April 17, we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:

Current playoff matchups

Today's schedule

Yesterday's scores

Expanded standings

Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators

A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers

M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens

M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues

C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild

P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Friday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.

Chicago Blackhawks at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/NHLN)

Minnesota Wild at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday's scoreboard

Montreal Canadiens 4, Boston Bruins 1

Ottawa Senators 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1

Colorado Avalanche 7, Columbus Blue Jackets 3

St. Louis Blues 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4 (OT)

Dallas Stars 5, Nashville Predators 1

Los Angeles Kings 4, Utah Hockey Club 2

Calgary Flames 4, Anaheim Ducks 1

Winnipeg Jets 4, Vegas Golden Knights 0

Edmonton Oilers 3, San Jose Sharks 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 105.0

Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 93

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 101.7

Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 92

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 100.6

Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 86

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 94.0

Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.6%

Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 88.6

Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 61.1%

Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 83.1

Next game: vs. CAR (Friday)

Playoff chances: 2.4%

Tragic number: 11

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 77.6

Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0.1%

Tragic number: 6

Boston Bruins

Points: 69

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 74.4

Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)

Playoff chances:0%

Tragic number: 1

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 105

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 114.8

Next game: vs. CHI (Friday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 106.4

Next game: @ DET (Friday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 6

Points pace: 93.9

Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.7%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 86.4

Next game: @ NJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 24.1%

Tragic number: 13

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 85.3

Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 10.5%

Tragic number: 13

New York Islanders

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 82.0

Next game: vs. MIN (Friday)

Playoff chances: 2.7%

Tragic number: 10

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 72

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 77.7

Next game: @ DAL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0.1%

Tragic number: 4

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 76.6

Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)

Playoff chances:0%

Tragic number: 3

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 108

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 116.5

Next game: @ UTA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 104

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 113.7

Next game: vs. PIT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 39

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 5

Points pace: 104.4

Next game: @ STL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 91

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 5

Points pace: 96.9

Next game: vs. COL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 97.5%

Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 89

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 6

Points pace: 96.0

Next game: @ NYI (Friday)

Playoff chances: 92.1%

Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 86.3

Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0.1%

Tragic number: 4

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 66.9

Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 52

Regulation wins: 18

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 56.9

Next game: @ WSH (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 42

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 107.2

Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 95

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 103.9

Next game: vs. EDM (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 93

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 101.7

Next game: @ LA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 91.8

Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 9.7%

Tragic number: 10

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 88.6

Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0.7%

Tragic number: 7

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 80.9

Next game: @ ANA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 75.5

Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 50

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 54.7

Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)

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.