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SPORTS

NHL playoff standings: Flames-Jets game takes center stage

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

With the regular season winding down, every game seems to take on greater importance. But tonight's slate offers one contest that stands out above the rest.

The Winnipeg Jets host the Calgary Flames (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), holding a two-point lead in the standings, and a four-game edge in regulation wins. The two teams have split the season series thus far; the Flames won 3-2 in Calgary on Nov. 12, andthe Jets won 3-2 in Winnipeg on Jan. 3.

After this game, the Jets host the Nashville Predators (whose wild-card hopes are quickly dwindling) and San Jose Sharksbefore closing out with road games against the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche. The Flames head to British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Canucks, then host the Predators and Sharks to close out their season.

As of now, the Jets have a 79% chance to make the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight, while the Flames are at 12%.

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:br/>Current playoff matchupsbr/>Today's gamesbr/>Last night's scoresbr/>Expanded standingsbr/>Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 New York Islanders

>A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

>M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Florida Panthers

>M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken

>C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

>P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets

>P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Wednesday'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).

Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)

>Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets, 7:30 p.m.

>Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m. (TNT)

Tuesday's scoreboard

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

Carolina Hurricanes 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (OT)

>Florida Panthers 2, Buffalo Sabres 1

>Detroit Red Wings 5, Montreal Canadiens 0

>New Jersey Devils 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 1

>Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 2

>Nashville Predators 3, Vegas Golden Knights 2 (OT)

>St. Louis Blues 4, Philadelphia Flyers 2

>Chicago Blackhawks 4, Calgary Flames 3

>Seattle Kraken 5, Vancouver Canucks 2

>Edmonton Oilers 3, Los Angeles Kings 1

>Colorado Avalanche 4, San Jose Sharks 3 (OT)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

p - Boston Bruins

Points: 125

>Regulation wins: 50

>Playoff position: A1

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 133

>Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 102

>Regulation wins: 39

>Playoff position: A2

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 109

>Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 96

>Regulation wins: 37

>Playoff position: A3

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 102

>Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 87

>Regulation wins: 34

>Playoff position: WC1

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 92

>Next game: vs. OTT (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 76%

>Tragic number: N/A

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 81

>Regulation wins: 28

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 6

>Points pace: 87

>Next game: @ DET (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 3%

>Tragic number: 7

Ottawa Senators

Points: 81

>Regulation wins: 29

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 85

>Next game: @ FLA (Thursday)

>Playoff chances:<1%

>Tragic number: 3

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 79

>Regulation wins: 28

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 84

>Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)

>Playoff chances:<1%

>Tragic number: 2

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 66

>Regulation wins: 20

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 69

>Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 109

>Regulation wins: 37

>Playoff position: M1

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 116

>Next game: @ NSH (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 106

>Regulation wins: 37

>Playoff position: M2

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 111

>Next game: vs. CBJ (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 101

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: M3

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 108

>Next game: vs. TB (Wednesday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 87

>Regulation wins: 33

>Playoff position: WC2

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 92

>Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 77%

>Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 86

>Regulation wins: 29

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 90

>Next game: vs. MIN (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 44%

>Tragic number: 8

e - Washington Capitals

Points: 77

>Regulation wins: 26

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 82

>Next game: @ MTL (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71

>Regulation wins: 26

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 76

>Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 56

>Regulation wins: 15

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 60

>Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Central Division

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 98

>Regulation wins: 32

>Playoff position: C1

>Games left: 6

>Points pace: 106

>Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 98

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: C2

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 104

>Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 98

>Regulation wins: 32

>Playoff position: C3

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 104

>Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 89

>Regulation wins: 33

>Playoff position: WC2

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 95

>Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)

>Playoff chances: 79%

>Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 86

>Regulation wins: 29

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 92

>Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 8%

>Tragic number: 7

e - St. Louis Blues

Points: 79

>Regulation wins: 27

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 83

>Next game: vs. NYR (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 67

>Regulation wins: 20

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 70

>Next game: @ SEA (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 56

>Regulation wins: 17

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 60

>Next game: @ VAN (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 104

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: P1

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 109

>Next game: vs. LA (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 101

>Regulation wins: 41

>Playoff position: P2

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 106

>Next game: @ ANA (Wednesday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 100

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: P3

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 105

>Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 94

>Regulation wins: 34

>Playoff position: WC1

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 100

>Next game: vs. ARI (Thursday)

>Playoff chances:>99%

>Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 87

>Regulation wins: 29

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Points pace: 92

>Next game: @ WPG (Wednesday)

>Playoff chances: 12%

>Tragic number: 6

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 75

>Regulation wins: 22

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 80

>Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 60

>Regulation wins: 16

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 64

>Next game: vs. COL (Thursday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 56

>Regulation wins: 13

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Points pace: 60

>Next game: vs. EDM (Wednesday)

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