The Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres clinched playoff spots Saturday, and thanks to the Minnesota Wild defeating the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, the Montreal Canadiens also have punched their postseason ticket.
While the Metro and Central Divisions remain well in hand for the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, respectively, there are multiple scenarios in which any of the three top Atlantic contenders win the regular-season title.
Editor’s Picks
2 Related
Following Sunday’s games, the Lightning are in first place, with 102 points and 39 regulation wins through 76 games; the Sabres are in second, with 100 points and 38 RW through 77 games; and the Canadiens are in third, with 100 points and 32 RW through 77 games.
Our next data point in the race will come Monday, as the Lightning visit the Sabres (7 p.m. ET, NHL Network), the final regular-season matchup between the clubs. You’ll remember the previous game, an 8-7 win for Buffalo, included 102 combined penalty minutes.
Beyond Monday, the Sabres’ remaining schedule includes the Rangers, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks and Stars — two teams that are lottery-bound, one on the playoff fringes, and one whose seeding might very well be clinched by the time they play.
After Buffalo, the Lightning face off once more against the Canadiens (Thursday), as well as the Senators, Bruins, Red Wings and Rangers. That’s three games against current playoff teams, one against a playoff bubble team and a closeout against the lottery-bound Rangers.
In addition to the Lightning game, the Habs take on the Panthers, Blue Jackets, Islanders and Flyers. This is somewhat more difficult than the Sabres’ slate (given that the Isles, Flyers and Blue Jackets are still battling for playoff positioning), but not as challenging as the Lightning’s.
Playoff Hockey Challenge
Who will lift the Stanley Cup? Create up to two brackets today. Create A Bracket
So what do the projections say?
Stathletes has the Lightning taking the title, with 109.5 points, followed by the Canadiens in second (107.4) and Sabres in third (105.7).
Every team has seven or fewer games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:Current playoff matchupsToday’s scheduleLast night’s scoresExpanded standingsRace for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. WC1 Boston BruinsA2 Buffalo Sabres vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Ottawa SenatorsM2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville PredatorsC2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Edmonton Oilers vs. WC1 Utah MammothP2 Anaheim Ducks vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Today’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. (NHLN)Seattle Kraken at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m.Chicago Blackhawks at San Jose Sharks, 10 p.m.Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
Last night’s scoreboard
Minnesota Wild 5, Detroit Red Wings 4Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Florida Panthers 2Philadelphia Flyers 2, Boston Bruins 1 (OT)Ottawa Senators 6, Carolina Hurricanes 3New Jersey Devils 3, Montreal Canadiens 0New York Rangers 8, Washington Capitals 1St. Louis Blues 3, Colorado Avalanche 2
Expanded standings
Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” means that the club has been mathematically eliminated. Teams clinch a playoff spot when their magic number reaches zero, and are mathematically eliminated when their tragic number reaches zero.
Atlantic Division
Enhanced standings: Atlantic Division
Team GP PTS RW Seed GR Next Game Chances Pace Max TragicNumber MagicNumber x – Lightning 76 102 39 A1 6 @ BUF (Mon) 100.0 110 114 N/A IN x – Sabres 77 100 38 A2 5 vs. TB (Mon) 100.0 106 110 N/A IN x – Canadiens 77 100 32 A3 5 vs. FLA (Tues) 99.9 106 110 N/A IN Bruins 78 95 31 WC1 4 @ CAR (Tues) 96.2 100 103 N/A 3 Senators 77 90 34 WC2 5 vs. TB (Tues) 67.5 96 100 N/A 8 Red Wings 77 88 29 N/A 5 vs. CBJ (Tues) 22.4 94 98 8 N/A e – Maple Leafs 77 78 23 N/A 5 vs. WSH (Weds) 0.0 83 88 OUT N/A e – Panthers 77 77 29 N/A 5 @ CAR (Tues) 0.0 82 87 OUT N/AMetro Division
Enhanced standings: Metropolitan Division
Team GP PTS RW Seed GR Next Game Chances Pace Max TragicNumber MagicNumber x – Hurricanes 77 104 36 M1 5 vs. BOS (Tues) 100.0 111 114 N/A IN Penguins 78 96 33 M2 4 @ NJ (Thurs) 99.7 101 104 N/A 2 Flyers 77 90 24 M3 5 @ NJ (Tues) 41.9 96 100 N/A 8 Islanders 78 89 28 N/A 4 vs. TOR (Thurs) 21.8 94 97 7 8 Blue Jackets 77 88 27 N/A 5 @ DET (Tues) 32.3 94 98 8 N/A Capitals 78 87 33 N/A 4 @ TOR (Weds) 18.2 91 95 5 N/A Devils 77 83 28 N/A 5 vs. PHI (Tues) 0.1 88 93 3 N/A e – Rangers 78 75 24 N/A 4 vs. BUF (Weds) 0.0 79 83 OUT N/ACentral Division
Enhanced standings: Central Division
Team GP PTS RW Seed GR Next Game Chances Pace Max TragicNumber MagicNumber x – Avalanche 76 110 44 C1 6 @ STL (Tues) 100.0 119 122 N/A IN x – Stars 77 102 35 C2 5 vs. CGY (Tues) 100.0 109 112 N/A IN x – Wild 77 100 29 C3 5 vs. SEA (Tues) 100.0 106 110 N/A IN Mammoth 76 86 31 WC1 6 vs. EDM (Tues) 99.6 93 98 N/A 7 Predators 76 81 26 WC2 6 @ LA (Mon) 20.3 87 93 N/A 12 Blues 76 78 29 N/A 6 vs. COL (Tues) 1.7 84 90 9 N/A Jets 76 78 26 N/A 6 vs. SEA (Mon) 1.2 84 90 9 N/A e – Blackhawks 77 70 21 N/A 5 @ SJ (Mon) 0.0 75 80 OUT N/APacific Division
Enhanced standings: Pacific Division
Team GP PTS RW Seed GR Next Game Chances Pace Max TragicNumber MagicNumber Oilers 77 87 30 P1 5 @ UTA (Tues) 97.3 93 97 N/A 6 Ducks 77 87 24 P2 5 vs. NSH (Tues) 99.4 93 97 N/A 6 Golden Knights 77 86 27 P3 5 @ VAN (Tues) 99.7 92 96 N/A 7 Kings 76 81 19 N/A 6 vs. NSH (Mon) 39.8 87 93 12 N/A Sharks 75 79 24 N/A 7 vs. CHI (Mon) 40.9 86 93 12 N/A Kraken 75 75 25 N/A 7 WPG (Mon) 0.1 82 89 8 N/A Flames 76 72 25 N/A 6 @ DAL (Tues) 0.0 78 84 3 N/A e – Canucks 76 52 15 N/A 6 vs. VGK (Tues) 0.0 56 64 OUT N/ARace 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. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
Draft lottery standings
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
NHL playoff standings: Who’s winning the Atlantic Division? Top World News Today.
Hence then, the article about nhl playoff standings who s winning the atlantic division was published today ( ) and is available on TOP world News today ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( NHL playoff standings: Who’s winning the Atlantic Division? )
Also on site :
- Britney Spears Spends Time With Diane Warren and Molly Shannon After DUI
- 'You should resign': Mamata hits out at PM Modi's silence on Pakistan's threat to strike Kolkata
- IAEA: Continued military activity near Bushehr Plant could cause radiological accident