It`s almost here: the Stanley Cup Playoffs are just around the corner, starting in only 11 days. While some wild-card races have become less competitive, there`s still a lot at stake, with many meaningful games scheduled for the rest of this week.
As the season winds down, understanding tiebreakers is crucial. If teams are tied in points, regulation wins (RW) are the first tiebreaker. If still tied, then regulation and overtime wins (ROW) become the next deciding factor.
In the Atlantic Division, Toronto and Tampa Bay are neck and neck for the division lead, currently tied in regulation wins. In the Eastern Conference wild-card race, Montreal has created some distance from the chasing pack, but they haven`t secured a playoff spot yet. The Canadiens are tied with Detroit in RW but are four points behind the Rangers.
Out West, the Central Division crown is hotly contested between Dallas and Winnipeg, with the Jets holding a narrow lead in regulation wins. For the Western wild card, Calgary remains in contention, four points behind Minnesota with five games left. However, considering the Wild`s significant advantage in regulation wins, the Flames are effectively five points out of a playoff spot.
With so much still to be decided, here are some crucial games with playoff implications to watch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, before the next playoff push update on Friday.
Tuesday: Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET
Riding a three-game win streak, the Ottawa Senators can clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2016-17 with a victory over the struggling Blue Jackets. Even with a point or no points in this game, the Senators could still clinch if the Detroit Red Wings lose in regulation to Montreal.
Looking upwards, a win against Columbus combined with a Florida Panthers loss to Toronto would put the Senators in a tie with Florida for third in the Atlantic. While the Panthers would still hold the tiebreaker, Ottawa could close in. Both teams will have four games remaining after Tuesday.
The Senators have been on fire since the trade deadline, boasting an 11-4-1 record and being the top team in the Eastern Conference in the past month. While scoring remains a challenge – no player averaging a point per game in that stretch – their 2.44 GAA is seventh-best in the league and second-best in the East during this period.
Tuesday: Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET
While all these teams are playoff-bound, seeding and first-round matchups are still up for grabs.
The Maple Leafs have only finished first in their division twice since 1967. While clinching the Atlantic title with these two games is not possible, securing four points would significantly boost their chances.
The Panthers are at risk of dropping into a wild-card spot, seemingly unfazed as they rest players before the playoffs. On a five-game losing streak and 5-8-1 since the trade deadline, Florida might be preparing for a deep playoff run or struggling after two consecutive Finals appearances.
Meanwhile, the Lightning have the best goals-against per game in the East over the past month, tied with Ottawa. Since the start of 2025, Tampa Bay is 25-14-4, second in the East by points. Nikita Kucherov is on a scoring tear, chasing the scoring title. Andrei Vasilevskiy`s stats are comparable to Vezina favorite Connor Hellebuyck; in fact, Vasilevskiy has more wins, shutouts, and a better GAA and save percentage than Hellebuyck since January 1st.
Could Tampa Bay, with their championship pedigree, be the team to beat in the East?
Tuesday: Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. ET
After narrowly missing the playoffs last season due to a tiebreaker, the Red Wings are currently on the outside looking in. Detroit can`t be officially eliminated in this game, but a regulation loss would severely hurt their chances, even with four games remaining.
Although Detroit has earned points in their last four games (winning three), this follows a 13-game stretch where they only won three times – a period they might regret unless they can rejoin the playoff race. A regulation win on Tuesday would be crucial, bringing them within four points of Montreal with a game in hand. They face Florida and Tampa Bay on the road later this week.
Montreal, on a five-game winning streak, needs to win this head-to-head before challenging road games against Ottawa and Toronto. The young Canadiens are not giving any hope to teams behind them and could solidify their playoff position with a win on Tuesday night.
Wednesday: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. ET
If Detroit limits Montreal to one or zero points on Tuesday, the Rangers could re-enter the playoff conversation on Wednesday. Holding a wild-card spot at the trade deadline, the Rangers` 5-8-2 record since then has put them in a precarious position.
New York enters this game on a two-game losing streak, having lost 4-0 to New Jersey and 5-1 at home to Tampa Bay. The Rangers could be within four points of a playoff spot after Wednesday`s game, but they would only have four games left with a challenging schedule ahead – road games against the Islanders, Hurricanes, and Panthers, and a final home game against the Lightning.
Tuesday: Vancouver Canucks at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET
Starting in the West, the Canucks, with only one win in their last five games, are concluding a disappointing season. In stark contrast to last season`s surprise success, 2024-25 has been a struggle. Eight points out of a playoff spot with five games remaining, Vancouver faces mathematical elimination with a regulation loss.
The Canucks will face a motivated Dallas Stars team, eager to respond to Winnipeg`s Monday win and keep pace in the Central Division race. With a 7-1-2 record in their last 10, the Stars need a win to get within three points of Winnipeg with four games left for both, setting up a crucial showdown in two days.
Tuesday: Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. ET
While not mathematically confirmed, Colorado is virtually locked into third place in the Central Division, seven points behind Dallas with four games left and five points ahead of St. Louis. They are just waiting to find out their first-round playoff destination.
This game is more significant for the Golden Knights, who can`t clinch the Pacific Division on Tuesday but could extend their lead over Los Angeles to seven points, with the Kings having five games remaining. Both teams are playing well, and Vegas, after two losses last week, bounced back with two 3-2 road wins against Calgary and Vancouver, solidifying their top spot.
Wednesday: San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. ET
Wednesday: Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m. ET
Minnesota`s decline began with Kirill Kaprizov`s injury in January, and worsened after Joel Eriksson Ek was injured on February 22. Since then, Minnesota is 9-10-3, a worse record than any other team currently in a playoff spot. Coupled with St. Louis`s strong performance, the Wild – once second in the Central – are now in the second wild-card spot, looking over their shoulders.
Sunday`s overtime win against Dallas was vital for the Wild to stay ahead of Calgary and end a four-game losing streak. But after Calgary`s win on Monday, the Wild are again under pressure.
On Wednesday night, both the Flames and Wild face non-playoff teams, and the outcomes will set the stage for a highly important Friday night matchup.
For the Flames, the best outcome is a win and a Wild loss, bringing Calgary within two points of the wild card with a game in hand. The worst case is a Wild win and a Flames loss, putting Calgary six points back with four games remaining.
Regardless, Calgary and Minnesota will play on Friday at the Saddledome in a game guaranteed to have playoff implications. This game could be Calgary`s chance to tie for the second wild card (though Minnesota likely holds the tiebreaker), or the Wild`s opportunity to clinch a playoff spot. What exactly is at stake will be determined by Wednesday night`s games.
Thursday: Winnipeg Jets at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET
After the holiday season, Dallas trailed the Jets by 10 points but has been the NHL`s best team since January 1, with a 28-9-4 record and a .732 points percentage. During this period, the Stars have the league`s best offense (3.59 goals per game) and a top-10 defense (2.56 goals per game).
Winnipeg has also been strong since January 1. They are the only other NHL team with a points percentage of .700 or better, with a 26-10-3 record. Yet, the Stars have been gradually closing the gap on Winnipeg.
Winnipeg halted St. Louis`s 12-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory on Monday, extending their lead over Dallas to five points again. The Stars have a chance to close the gap to two points on Tuesday, but either way, Thursday`s showdown is crucial.
Both teams will have four games remaining entering this matchup. Winnipeg could potentially clinch the division with a win, but Dallas could also move within one point of Winnipeg or even tie in the first tiebreaker, depending on Tuesday`s results (the Jets are likely to remain ahead in the second tiebreaker, ROW).
This will be the final season meeting between these two teams and should have a playoff atmosphere.
