NHL playoff standings: Previewing all 13 games on Saturday

ByESPN Staff

Saturday, April 5, 2025 8:11PM

As is tradition, Saturday is absolutely loaded with NHL games. Hope you got a good night's sleep!

With 13 games on the schedule, it's best to go game-by-game to preview what's at stake for each team -- some in the playoff races, some who are jockeying for draft lottery position.

The Hudson River rivalry is always a must-watch for hockey fans, and the intensity ramps up when both teams are in the postseason mix. The Devils have the upper hand now -- they're eight points ahead of the Rangers at opening puck drop -- and these two points are crucial for the visiting Blueshirts, who are trying to catch the Canadiens for the second wild card.

In one possible future world, this will be a first-round matchup if the Panthers make it to the first position in the Atlantic. In another, it's a series in the second round if the order stays as is and these clubs win. For now, it's the final regular-season meeting between the division rivals. Unfortunately, fans won't get to enjoy any Tkachuk-on-Tkachuk battling, as Matthew remains out with a lower-body injury.

The Penguins remain mathematically alive for a playoff spot, although those hopes are fading quickly. They'll need to string together many wins -- and hope that all the teams above them start losing a lot more. The Stars have already punched their ticket to the playoffs, but can improve their seeding: As play begins Saturday, Dallas is four points behind Winnipeg for the No. 1 seed in the Central.

The Ducks are freshly eliminated from postseason contention and sit in the top 10 of the draft lottery order as play begins. The Canucks aren't entirely out of the playoff race, but their chances have decreased rapidly in recent weeks.

In the past three postseasons, these two clubs have met in the first round -- with the Oilers winning each series. Will they meet again in two weeks? And can the Kingsfinallywin a round against their Albertan rivals? This game could include some message sending.

Carolina clinched another spot in the postseason this week, and in all likelihood will be the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division (barring an epic collapse by the Capitals to boost them to first, or by themselves to drop to third). Meanwhile, the Bruins are likely going to miss the postseason, which would be the first time since 2015-16. On the bright side, they're currently fourth in the draft lottery order, a point ahead of the Kraken and Sabres and two up on the Flyers.

The Lightning have been one of the NHL's top teams since the March 7 trade deadline, charging into second place in the Atlantic. They enter Saturday night three points back of the Maple Leafs for first and one point ahead of the Panthers. As for Buffalo, it's (likely) another spring without the playoffs in western New York, and they currently sit sixth in the draft lottery order, one point ahead of the Flyers and two ahead of the Penguins.

One of a handful of teams that still has a legitimate shot at the second Eastern wild card, the Blue Jackets do need all the points they can get in the remaining schedule. Their 77 points are four behind the Canadiens as Saturday's slate begins. As for the Leafs, they hold a three-point lead over Tampa Bay; if they hold on to the top spot, it'll likely yield a first-round matchup against the Senators in a renewal of the Battle of Ontario.

Based on how these two teams finished last season, it would not have been surprising to learn that one of them held a wild-card spot at this juncture in 2024-25. But instead of the Flyers -- who stayed in the race until the end in 2023-24 -- it's the Canadiens, who finished with the fifth-fewest points last season. Jumping back to current events, Montreal holds the wild-card spot by two points over the Rangers and four over the Blue Jackets. Philadelphia is in the No. 7 spot in the draft lottery order, in the middle of a group of six teams within five points.

These two won't meet in the first round of the postseason, but could meet sometime down the road, given how hot both clubs have been as of late. St. Louis has jumped ahead of Minnesota for the first wild-card spot in the West, while Colorado appears pretty well ensconced as the No. 3 seed in the Central.

The fact that the Hockey Club is playing meaningful games this late into the season -- given where the previous version of the franchise was (geographically and emotionally) at this time last season -- is a win. And if they get on a heater and the Wild or Blues go into the dumpster, a playoff berth could be possible. As for the Jets, they are neck and neck with the Capitals to win the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top team this regular season -- and don't count out the Stars overtaking them.

A large lead atop the Pacific Division has diminished to three points for the Golden Knights, as those pesky Kings just keep winning games. However, if it comes down to the regulation wins tiebreaker, Vegas is up by four, with just seven games remaining for both. With 84 points, Calgary begins play Saturday five points back of Minnesota for the final wild-card spot (and likely a first-round matchup with the Jets).

Many of Saturday's games have major playoff implications. This one is a critical one for the draft lottery standings. San Jose is first, with 50 points and 14 regulation wins, but they are just two ahead of the idle Chicago Blackhawks, who have 52 and 18. The Kraken begin play in the No. 5 spot (70 points, 26 RW), right in that mass of six teams within five points. A win here by either team can impact the table.

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.