NHL playoff standings: What to watch Wednesday

Following a busy 10-game Tuesday night in the NHL, it's a relatively quiet five-game evening Wednesday.

Nevertheless, there are playoff and draft lottery ramifications aplenty, so let's hit all five matchups rapid-fire:

While the Leafs appear destined for a top-two spot in the Atlantic, the Lightning can still catch them for the No. 1 seed. If the Lightningare going to do it, a game like this is a prime opportunity to make up ground with a regulation win.

The Rangers lost their two most recent games by a combined score of 9-1, and their playoff hopes are dwindling quickly. A win over the Flyers would be a good step toward potentially climbing back into the playoffs. Philly is fourth in the draft lottery order heading into this matchup -- and bear in mind the Flyers also own the first-round picks of the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers.

Speaking of occupying a great place in the draft lottery order, the Sharks are No. 1, and they are four points clear of the Chicago Blackhawks for that spot. The Wild are holding on to the second Western wild-card spot, and they enter the evening four points up on the Flames.

The Blues' 12-game winning streak came to a halt Monday at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and they'll be looking to start another one here against the Oilers. St. Louis is in the first wild-card position, two points ahead of the Wild. The Oilers appear to be a lock for the No. 3 spot in the Pacific, bringing on a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Kings for the fourth straight postseason.

Calgary's chances to jump into wild-card position have faded recently, so getting two points out of this game is crucial. As noted above, they are four points back of the Wild for that final spot. The Ducks enter the contest in the No. 8 spot in the lottery order, right in a jumble of teams between 73 and 76 points, so they can move up pretty easily based on their performance in the final five games.

With the regular season ending April 17, 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.

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Wednesday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Tuesday's scoreboard

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 98