After the NHL trade deadline, the New York Islanders were struggling to secure a playoff spot, sitting four points behind the Ottawa Senators for the final wild card in the Eastern Conference, with four other teams in between.
However, as of Wednesday, the Islanders have significantly closed the gap, now being just one point away from a playoff position. The question is, can they actually make it to the playoffs?
Their immediate challenge is against the Vancouver Canucks, who will play at UBS Arena on Wednesday night. The Canucks are also vying for a playoff spot and are trying to overtake the St. Louis Blues, who have been playing exceptionally well recently. This upcoming game is expected to be a tough contest for the Islanders at home.
Looking ahead, the Islanders face a difficult schedule. Their next five games are against teams likely headed to the playoffs: the Tampa Bay Lightning (twice), Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Washington Capitals. Following these tough matchups, they have a game against the Nashville Predators before finishing the season against Metro Division rivals – the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Capitals again, and Columbus Blue Jackets. These divisional opponents will be highly motivated and unlikely to give the Islanders any easy wins.
Despite the challenging path, the Islanders have shown resilience in the past when many doubted them. Projections from Stathletes indicate they have a 24.3% chance of defying expectations and making the playoffs.
With less than a month remaining until the regular season ends on April 17th, the NHL playoff race is heating up. Updates will be provided on the playoff scenarios and the teams competing for better positions in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Current Playoff Matchups
Eastern Conference
- A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
- A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
- 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
Wednesday`s Games
Vancouver Canucks at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET
New Jersey Devils at Chicago Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
Boston Bruins at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m. ET
Tuesday`s Scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres 3, Ottawa Senators 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 7, Philadelphia Flyers 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
Nashville Predators 3, Carolina Hurricanes 1
St. Louis Blues 6, Montreal Canadiens 1
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Minnesota Wild 1
Winnipeg Jets 3, Washington Capitals 2 (OT)
Colorado Avalanche 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
Calgary Flames 4, Seattle Kraken 3 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 3, New York Rangers 1
Expanded Standings
Atlantic Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 89 | 35 | A1 | 11 | 102.8 | @ SJ (Thursday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Florida Panthers | 89 | 35 | A2 | 11 | 102.8 | vs. UTA (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 87 | 35 | A3 | 11 | 100.5 | vs. UTA (Thursday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Ottawa Senators | 79 | 28 | WC1 | 12 | 92.5 | @ DET (Thursday) | 97.9% | N/A |
| Montreal Canadiens | 75 | 24 | WC2 | 12 | 87.9 | @ PHI (Thursday) | 38.6% | N/A |
| Detroit Red Wings | 72 | 25 | N/A | 11 | 83.2 | vs. OTT (Thursday) | 3.4% | 20 |
| Boston Bruins | 69 | 23 | N/A | 10 | 78.6 | @ ANA (Wednesday) | 0.2% | 15 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 64 | 23 | N/A | 12 | 75.0 | vs. MTL (Thursday) | ~0% | 14 |
Metro Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals (x) | 103 | 40 | M1 | 11 | 119.0 | @ MIN (Thursday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 90 | 38 | M2 | 11 | 103.9 | vs. MTL (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| New Jersey Devils | 81 | 33 | M3 | 10 | 92.3 | @ CHI (Wednesday) | 96.4% | N/A |
| New York Islanders | 74 | 25 | N/A | 12 | 86.7 | vs. VAN (Wednesday) | 30.9% | 24 |
| New York Rangers | 74 | 31 | N/A | 10 | 84.3 | @ ANA (Friday) | 16.4% | 20 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 73 | 23 | N/A | 12 | 85.5 | vs. VAN (Friday) | 16.2% | 23 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 69 | 20 | N/A | 9 | 77.5 | @ BUF (Thursday) | 0.1% | 13 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 65 | 17 | N/A | 9 | 73.0 | vs. MTL (Thursday) | ~0% | 9 |
Central Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Jets (x) | 102 | 38 | C1 | 10 | 116.2 | vs. NJ (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Dallas Stars | 94 | 36 | C2 | 12 | 110.1 | @ EDM (Wednesday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Colorado Avalanche | 91 | 37 | C3 | 10 | 103.6 | vs. LA (Thursday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Minnesota Wild | 85 | 32 | WC1 | 10 | 96.8 | vs. WSH (Thursday) | 91.4% | N/A |
| St. Louis Blues | 83 | 28 | WC2 | 9 | 93.2 | @ NSH (Thursday) | 81.5% | N/A |
| Utah Hockey Club | 75 | 24 | N/A | 11 | 86.6 | @ TB (Thursday) | 4.1% | 15 |
| Nashville Predators | 62 | 23 | N/A | 11 | 71.6 | vs. STL (Thursday) | ~0% | 2 |
| Chicago Blackhawks (e) | 51 | 18 | N/A | 11 | 58.9 | vs. NJ (Wednesday) | 0% | E |
Pacific Division
| Team | Points | Regulation Wins | Playoff Position | Games Left | Points Pace | Next Game | Playoff Chances | Tragic Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | 94 | 40 | P1 | 11 | 108.6 | @ CHI (Friday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Los Angeles Kings | 89 | 35 | P3 | 12 | 104.3 | @ COL (Thursday) | 99.9% | N/A |
| Edmonton Oilers | 87 | 30 | P2 | 12 | 101.9 | vs. DAL (Wednesday) | 99.0% | N/A |
| Calgary Flames | 79 | 26 | N/A | 12 | 92.5 | vs. DAL (Thursday) | 18.1% | 21 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 78 | 25 | N/A | 11 | 90.1 | @ NYI (Wednesday) | 5.9% | 18 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 68 | 22 | N/A | 12 | 79.7 | vs. BOS (Wednesday) | 0.1% | 10 |
| Seattle Kraken | 66 | 24 | N/A | 10 | 75.2 | vs. EDM (Thursday) | ~0% | 4 |
| San Jose Sharks (e) | 47 | 14 | N/A | 12 | 55.1 | vs. TOR (Thursday) | 0% | 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 draft lottery determines the first-round order, meaning the last-place team isn`t guaranteed the top pick. Since 2021, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery, limiting No. 1 pick eligibility to the bottom 11 teams. Full details on the process are available. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman from the OHL`s Erie Otters, is currently projected as the No. 1 draft pick.
Top Teams in the Draft Lottery Race
- San Jose Sharks (47 Points, 14 Regulation Wins)
- Chicago Blackhawks (51 Points, 18 Regulation Wins)
- Nashville Predators (62 Points, 23 Regulation Wins)
- Buffalo Sabres (64 Points, 23 Regulation Wins)
- Philadelphia Flyers (65 Points, 17 Regulation Wins)
- Seattle Kraken (66 Points, 24 Regulation Wins)
- Anaheim Ducks (68 Points, 22 Regulation Wins)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (69 Points, 20 Regulation Wins)
- Boston Bruins (69 Points, 23 Regulation Wins)
- Detroit Red Wings (72 Points, 25 Regulation Wins)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (73 Points, 23 Regulation Wins)
