Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York.
With four days left of the 2022-23 NHL regular season, we know the identity of 13 out of 16 playoff teams. But quite a bit of specific seeding remains to be determined.
That process continues tonight via a 10-game schedule, highlighted by a doubleheader on ESPN.
In the first game, the past becomes the present to preview the future, as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning reprise their first-round clash from the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), a week before they’ll run it back in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
How likely is that pairing? As of now, the Oilers will host the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division 2 vs. 3 matchup, before taking on the winner of the Vegas Golden Knights‘ series against the second Western wild card (currently the Winnipeg Jets). The Avs are leading the Central, and would take on the first wild card Seattle Kraken before moving on to challenge the winner of the Dallas Stars–Minnesota Wild series.
As mentioned, much of this could change before the tournament begins on Monday, but Money Puck gives these two teams the highest chances of any Western clubs of making the conference finals: 40.5% for the Oilers and 39.1% for the Avs.
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: 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).
Points: 91 Regulation wins: 30 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 1 Points pace: 92 Next game: vs. SJ (Wednesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Points: 79 Regulation wins: 23 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 2 Points pace: 81 Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Points: 60 Regulation wins: 16 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 2 Points pace: 62 Next game: @ CGY (Wednesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Points: 58 Regulation wins: 13 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 2 Points pace: 60 Next game: vs. LA (Thursday) 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.
The Seattle Mariners got off to a strong start in Game 2 of the American Champions League Series on Monday courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.
The center fielder smashed an 84 mph splitter off Trey Yesavage for a three-run homer in the top of the first inning. The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander had never allowed an extra-base hit on the splitter before, according to ESPN Research.
It marked Rodriguez’s second home run of the postseason as Seattle looks to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
The blast was Yesavage’s first career home run allowed in his fifth career start (regular season and playoffs). Entering Monday, he had allowed only two extra-base hits in 19⅓ innings pitched.
Seattle trailed 1-0 in the first inning in Game 1 before bouncing back to win 3-1 on Sunday. The series shifts to Seattle on Wednesday.
Mike Shildt is retiring as San Diego Padres manager with two years remaining on his contract, saying “the grind of the baseball season has taken a severe toll on me mentally, physically and emotionally.”
The 57-year-old Shildt on Saturday informed the team he would retire, nine days after the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs in a tense three-game wild-card series. He said he made the decision on his own accord.
Shildt led the Padres to the postseason in each of the two seasons he managed the franchise. The club confirmed Shildt’s decision Monday.
“While it has always been about serving others, it’s time I take care of myself and exit on my terms,” Shildt said in a statement given to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I gave every fiber of my being to help achieve Peter Seidler’s vision of bringing a World Series Championship to San Diego.
“We fell short of the ultimate goal, but I am proud of what the players, staff and organization were able to accomplish the last two seasons.”
Shildt went 183-141 as manager in San Diego. The Padres won 90 games this season and finished second in the NL West before being eliminated by the Cubs.
“I am most grateful for our players,” Shildt said in his statement. “San Diego is rightfully proud of the Padres players. It is a group that conducts themselves with class, is dedicated to each other and the common goal of winning a World Series. I love our players and will miss them dearly!!
“After 34 years of dedicating myself to the rigors of coaching and managing, I can with great enjoyment look back on achieving my two primary goals: To help players get the most out of their God given ability and become better men. Also, to win games.”
Before joining the Padres organization in early 2022 as a player development coach, Shildt was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to 2021, posting a winning record in each of his three full seasons. He was the NL Manager of the Year in 2019 after leading the Cards to 91 wins and the NL Central title.
“We would like to congratulate Mike on a successful career and thank him for his significant contributions to the Padres and the San Diego community over the last four years,” Padres general manager A.J. Preller wrote as part of a statement.
Preller added that the search for a new Padres manager “will begin immediately with the goal of winning a World Series championship in 2026.”
The Padres’ new manager will be the eighth person to lead the dugout since Preller fired Bud Black in June 2015. Their chief rival, the Dodgers, has been managed by San Diego County product Dave Roberts since November 2015.
San Diego becomes the eighth MLB team with a managerial opening and the ninth to change managers in this offseason. Texas has already hired Skip Schumaker, but there are openings with the Padres, Angels, Braves, Orioles, Twins, Giants, Nationals and Rockies.
Information from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and The Associated Press was used in this report.