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SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: The Kings' case to win the West

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

The Los Angeles Kings have been one of the NHL's hottest teams recently, earning at least one point in each of their past 12 games (10-0-2), putting themselves two points and one regulation win behind the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights heading into tonight's game against the Calgary Flames (9 ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). How likely are they to eclipse the Knights and earn the West's No. 1 seed?

After tonight's matchup, they'll face the Edmonton Oilers twice, and they'll also play the Knights, Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche. They'll also twice play the Vancouver Canucks -- who are on a recent heater of their own, despite their spot in the standings -- and close out the season against the lowly Anaheim Ducks.

It's a tough schedule, but the Knights also face a tough path; they have two games apiece against the Minnesota Wild and Kraken, along with the game against L.A. and a showdown with the Dallas Stars, along with contests against the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators.

Money Puck gives Vegas the edge here, with a 61% chance to win the Pacific, compared with 31.7% for the Kings.

As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2023 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight.

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 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 Pittsburgh Penguins

A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 New York Islanders

M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers

Western Conference

C1 Minnesota Wild vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken

C2 Colorado Avalanche vs. C3 Dallas Stars

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets

P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Tuesday's games

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

Nashville Predators at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m.

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

Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.

Vancouver Canucks at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.

Dallas Stars at Chicago Blackhawks 8:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.

Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)

Winnipeg Jets at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Monday's scoreboard

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

Montreal Canadiens 4, Buffalo Sabres 3 (SO)

Ottawa Senators 5, Florida Panthers 2

New York Islanders 5, New Jersey Devils 1

Minnesota Wild 5, Seattle Kraken 1

Colorado Avalanche 5, Anaheim Ducks 1

Edmonton Oilers 5, Arizona Coyotes 4

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

y - Boston Bruins

Points: 119

Regulation wins: 49

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 9

Points pace: 134

Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 97

Regulation wins: 37

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 9

Points pace: 109

Next game: vs. FLA (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 8

Points pace: 100

Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 88

Next game: @ TOR (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 21%

Tragic number: 14

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 9

Points pace: 87

Next game: vs. NYR (Friday)

Playoff chances: 5%

Tragic number: 14

Ottawa Senators

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 85

Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 3%

Tragic number: 12

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 24

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 10

Points pace: 81

Next game: vs. PIT (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 10

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 66

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 73

Next game: @ PHI (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 1

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 10

Points pace: 117

Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 100

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 111

Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 9

Points pace: 108

Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 7

Points pace: 93

Next game: @ WSH (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 88%

Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 9

Points pace: 92

Next game: @ DET (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 82%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 84

Next game: vs. NYI (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 1%

Tragic number: 11

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 68

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 10

Points pace: 77

Next game: vs. MTL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 7

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 53

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 10

Points pace: 60

Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Central Division

Minnesota Wild

Points: 95

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 8

Points pace: 105

Next game: @ COL (Wednesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 94

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 9

Points pace: 106

Next game: vs. MIN (Wednesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 92

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 9

Points pace: 103

Next game: @ CHI (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 8

Points pace: 94

Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 79%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 10

Points pace: 91

Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 9%

Tragic number: 16

St. Louis Blues

Points: 72

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 9

Points pace: 81

Next game: vs. VAN (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 6

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 67

Regulation wins: 20

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 7

Points pace: 73

Next game: vs. DAL (Friday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 54

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 9

Points pace: 61

Next game: vs. DAL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 9

Points pace: 110

Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 9

Points pace: 108

Next game: @ CGY (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 93

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 8

Points pace: 103

Next game: @ VGK (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:>99%

Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 88

Regulation wins: 31

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 9

Points pace: 99

Next game: vs. ANA (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 99%

Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 81

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 90

Next game: vs. LA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 14%

Tragic number: 13

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 73

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 9

Points pace: 82

Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)

Playoff chances:<1%

Tragic number: 7

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 56

Regulation wins: 13

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 8

Points pace: 62

Next game: @ SEA (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 53

Regulation wins: 14

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 9

Points pace: 60

Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

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 might 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 Connor Bedard, who has been lauded as a generational talent.