NHL playoff watch standings update: Will the Carolina Hurricanes win the Metropolitan Division?

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo
Thursday, April 7, 2022

For months, the top two spots in the Eastern Conference have seemed like foregone conclusions: the Florida Panthers have been the cream of the Atlantic Division crop, while the Carolina Hurricanes have maintained position atop the Metro. At the vaunted "22 days remaining" mark of the regular season, the Panthers appear well on their way to cinching things up. The Canes? Not so much.



Carolina has gone 4-3-3 over its past 10 games, including a regulation loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday; granted, the Sabres have been a feisty bunch of late, but the Canes were a -290 favorite heading into the contest, per Caesars Sportsbook. That followed a stretch of 16 games in which the club went 5-5-3 in its 13 games against likely playoff teams.




So tonight's a big night for Sebastian Aho & Co. to get back on track, in a rematch against the Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Hulu). The good news is that their remaining schedule is on the lighter side, with only three out of 12 games against likely playoff teams; the bad news is that two of those three are against the New York Rangers, who are two points behind them in the standings and on a heater, going 9-3-1 in their past 13. The division title appears to be Carolina's for the winning; the Canes will just have to start doing more of that in the coming days.



As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.



Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.



Jump ahead:

Current playoff matchups

Today's games

Last night's scores

Expanded standings

Race for No. 1 pick





Current playoff matchups


Eastern Conference



A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals



A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Boston Bruins



M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning



M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins



Western Conference



C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars



C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues



P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators



P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings



Tonight's games


Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market games available on ESPN+



Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.



Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.



Nashville Predators at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.



Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.



Buffalo Sabres at Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m.



Seattle Kraken at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.



Toronto Maple Leafs at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m.



Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m.



Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.



Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.



Last night's scoreboard


Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.



Washington Capitals 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3



Detroit Red Wings 3, Winnipeg Jets 1



St. Louis Blues 4, Seattle Kraken 1



Vancouver Canucks 5, Vegas Golden Knights 1



Calgary Flames 4, Anaheim Ducks 2



Expanded standings


Atlantic Division




x - Florida Panthers


Points: 104



Regulation wins: 36



Playoff position: A1



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. BUF (Friday)



Playoff chances: 100%



Tragic number: N/A





Toronto Maple Leafs


Points: 96



Regulation wins: 39



Playoff position: A2



Games left: 12



Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Boston Bruins


Points: 93



Regulation wins: 35



Playoff position: A3



Games left: 12



Next game: @ TB (Friday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Tampa Bay Lightning


Points: 93



Regulation wins: 32



Playoff position: WC1



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. BOS (Friday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Detroit Red Wings


Points: 65



Regulation wins: 17



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 11



Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 1





e - Buffalo Sabres


Points: 63



Regulation wins: 20



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 11



Next game: @ CAR (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E





e - Ottawa Senators


Points: 58



Regulation wins: 22



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 13



Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E





e - Montreal Canadiens


Points: 49



Regulation wins: 13



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E



Metropolitan Division




Carolina Hurricanes


Points: 98



Regulation wins: 39



Playoff position: M1



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





New York Rangers


Points: 96



Regulation wins: 37



Playoff position: M2



Games left: 11



Next game: vs. PIT (Thursday)



Playoff chances: >99%




Tragic number: N/A





Pittsburgh Penguins


Points: 92



Regulation wins: 33



Playoff position: M3



Games left: 11



Next game: @ NYR (Thursday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Washington Capitals


Points: 86



Regulation wins: 29



Playoff position: WC2



Games left: 12



Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)



Playoff chances: 99%



Tragic number: N/A





New York Islanders


Points: 73



Regulation wins: 30



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 13



Next game: @ CAR (Friday)



Playoff chances: 1%



Tragic number: 13





Columbus Blue Jackets


Points: 72



Regulation wins: 23



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 11



Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 8





e - Philadelphia Flyers


Points: 55



Regulation wins: 17



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E





e - New Jersey Devils


Points: 54



Regulation wins: 16



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. MTL (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E



Central Division




x - Colorado Avalanche


Points: 106



Regulation wins: 42



Playoff position: C1



Games left: 12



Next game: @ WPG (Friday)



Playoff chances: 100%



Tragic number: N/A





Minnesota Wild


Points: 91



Regulation wins: 31



Playoff position: C2



Games left: 13



Next game: @ STL (Friday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





St. Louis Blues


Points: 90



Regulation wins: 37



Playoff position: C3



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. MIN (Friday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Nashville Predators


Points: 84



Regulation wins: 33



Playoff position: WC1



Games left: 13



Next game: @ OTT (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 94%



Tragic number: N/A





Dallas Stars


Points: 83



Regulation wins: 26



Playoff position: WC2



Games left: 13



Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 88%



Tragic number: N/A





Winnipeg Jets


Points: 76



Regulation wins: 26



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 11



Next game: vs. COL (Friday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 15





Chicago Blackhawks


Points: 59



Regulation wins: 15



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 1





e - Arizona Coyotes


Points: 49



Regulation wins: 16



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: vs. VAN (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E



Pacific Division




Calgary Flames


Points: 93




Regulation wins: 37



Playoff position: P1



Games left: 12



Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)



Playoff chances: >99%



Tragic number: N/A





Edmonton Oilers


Points: 87



Regulation wins: 32



Playoff position: P2



Games left: 11



Next game: @ LA (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 93%



Tragic number: N/A





Los Angeles Kings


Points: 86



Regulation wins: 29



Playoff position: P3



Games left: 10



Next game: vs. EDM (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 81%



Tragic number: N/A





Vegas Golden Knights


Points: 82



Regulation wins: 31



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 10



Next game: vs. ARI (Saturday)



Playoff chances: 41%



Tragic number: 19





Vancouver Canucks


Points: 76



Regulation wins: 27



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 11



Next game: @ ARI (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 3%



Tragic number: 15





Anaheim Ducks


Points: 68



Regulation wins: 19



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 10



Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 5





San Jose Sharks


Points: 67



Regulation wins: 20



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 13



Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)



Playoff chances: <1%



Tragic number: 10





e - Seattle Kraken


Points: 50



Regulation wins: 19



Playoff position: N/A



Games left: 12



Next game: @ CHI (Thursday)



Playoff chances: 0%



Tragic number: E



Race for the No. 1 pick


The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team may move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here.





1. Montreal Canadiens


Points: 49



Regulation wins: 13





2. Arizona Coyotes


Points: 49



Regulation wins: 16





3. Seattle Kraken


Points: 50



Regulation wins: 19





4. New Jersey Devils


Points: 54



Regulation wins: 16





5. Philadelphia Flyers


Points: 55



Regulation wins: 17





6. Ottawa Senators


Points: 58



Regulation wins: 22





7. Chicago Blackhawks


Points: 59



Regulation wins: 15





8. Buffalo Sabres


Points: 63



Regulation wins: 20





9. Detroit Red Wings


Points: 65



Regulation wins: 17





10. San Jose Sharks


Points: 67



Regulation wins: 20





11. Anaheim Ducks


Points: 68



Regulation wins: 19





12. Columbus Blue Jackets


Points: 72



Regulation wins: 23





13. New York Islanders


Points: 73



Regulation wins: 30





14. Winnipeg Jets


Points: 76



Regulation wins: 26





15. Vancouver Canucks


Points: 76



Regulation wins: 27





16. Vegas Golden Knights


Points: 82



Regulation wins: 31

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