NHL playoff standings: The Blue Jackets' path to playoffs

ByESPN Staff, ESPN

Friday, March 21, 2025 10:12AM

After a 14-game slate Thursday and ahead of a 14-game slate Saturday, there is only one game on the NHL calendar Friday: Columbusat Pittsburgh(7 p.m. ET, NHL Network).

The host Penguins have gone 5-4-1 in their past 10 games, but the playoffs look like a remote possibility at best as they look to refuel in the summer for another go next season.

For the Blue Jackets, this game could be the first victory on the way to reclaiming a spot in the playoff field; on March 8 (the day after the trade deadline), they held the East'sfirst wild-card position.

Heading into this game, the Jackets are three points and one regulation win behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot, with the New York Rangers and New York Islanders between them. Peering at the team's schedule down the stretch, the Blue Jackets will play the Islanders twice, and the Ottawa Senators (in the first wild-card spot) three times. Five of the other eight games come against current playoff teams.

In fact, Stathletes projects that Columbus has the ninth-toughest remaining schedule in the NHL; the Islanders' schedule ranks fourth, the Rangers' 11th and the Canadiens' 18th.

But Columbus is also a team that has defied expectations all season after being projected for 69.5 points, so we won't count out the Jackets until the math no longer cooperates.

There is a lot of runway left until April 17, the final day of the regular season, and we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:br/>Current playoff matchupsbr/>Today's schedulebr/>Yesterday's scoresbr/>Expanded standingsbr/>Race for No. 1 pick