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SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: The implications of Penguins-Capitals

ByESPN staff ESPN logo

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Gone are the days when the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals were battling atop the Metropolitan Division.

But believe it or not, with the Capitals clinging to the East's second wild-card spot, the Penguins aren't entirely out of the running to make the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Heading into Thursday's clash between the clubs (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), the Penguins are three points behind the Capitals in the standings, with one more regulation win. Notably, Washington has a game in hand on Pittsburgh (and the other teams vying for the wild card).

After the game against the Capitals, the Penguins will face teams currently in playoff position in four of their final six contests -- and the two teams that aren't currently in playoff position are in the aforementioned "vying for the wild card" cohort: the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders, both of whom are currently ahead of the Pens.

Washington's post-Pittsburgh schedule includes dates against four current playoff teams in its final seven, as well as games against the Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres (who remain mathematically in the wild-card race as well), and the nearly eliminated Ottawa Senators.

Stathletes gives the Capitals a 53.7% chance of earning a playoff spot of any variety (whether as a wild card or the No. 3 seed in the Metro), while the Penguins are at 10.4%. It appears there is some juice left in the Alex Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby rivalry!

As we traverse the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2024 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:

Current playoff matchups

Thursday's schedule

Wednesday's scores

Expanded standings

Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs

M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals

M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers

Western Conference

C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings

C2 Colorado Avalanche vs. C3 Winnipeg Jets

P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC1 Nashville Predators

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights

Thursday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available via NHL Power Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.

Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.

Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.

New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.

St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)

Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.

Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.

Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday's scoreboard

Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 1

New York Rangers 4, New Jersey Devils 3

Dallas Stars 5, Edmonton Oilers 0

Los Angeles Kings 5, Seattle Kraken 2

Vancouver Canucks 2, Arizona Coyotes 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Boston Bruins

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 111

Next game: @ CAR (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Florida Panthers

Points: 99

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 6

Points pace: 107

Next game: @ OTT (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 95

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 104

Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 91

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 100

Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 90

Next game: vs. NYR (Friday)

Playoff chances: 47.0%

Tragic number: 14

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 83

Next game: vs. PHI (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0.7%

Tragic number: 7

Ottawa Senators

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 78

Next game: vs. FLA (Thursday)

Playoff chances:0%

Tragic number: 4

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 70

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 78

Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)

Playoff chances:0%

Tragic number: 4

Metropolitan Division

x - New York Rangers

Points: 106

Regulation wins: 40

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 114

Next game: @ DET (Friday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 101

Regulation wins: 39

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 110

Next game: vs. BOS (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 83

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 6

Points pace: 90

Next game: @ BUF (Friday)

Playoff chances: 53.3%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 91

Next game: vs. PIT (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 53.7%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 89

Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 34.6%

Tragic number: 13

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 86

Next game: @ WSH (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 10.4%

Tragic number: 11

New Jersey Devils

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 82

Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0.3%

Tragic number: 6

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 62

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 68

Next game: vs. NYI (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Central Division

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 105

Regulation wins: 37

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 113

Next game: @ CHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 100

Regulation wins: 39

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 109

Next game: @ MIN (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 40

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 105

Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 98

Next game: vs. STL (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 98.3%

Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 92

Next game: @ NSH (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 3.5%

Tragic number: 9

Minnesota Wild

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 90

Next game: vs. COL (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 1.9%

Tragic number: 8

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 67

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 73

Next game: vs. VGK (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 49

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 54

Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 102

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 6

Points pace: 110

Next game: @ LA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 95

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 105

Next game: vs. COL (Friday)

Playoff chances: 99.9%

Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 92

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 7

Points pace: 101

Next game: @ ARI (Friday)

Playoff chances: 99.6%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 89

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 7

Points pace: 97

Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 96.8%

Tragic number: N/A

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 82

Next game: @ ANA (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Calgary Flames

Points: 73

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 81

Next game: @ WPG (Thursday)

Playoff chances:0%

Tragic number: 1

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 54

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 6

Points pace: 58

Next game: vs. SEA (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 42

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 47

Next game: vs. LA (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

p -- clinched Presidents' Trophy

y -- clinched division

x -- clinched playoff berth

e -- 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 draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Macklin Celebrini, a freshman at Boston University.