Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York.
There was a point quite recently when the New York Islanders seemed quite secure in a playoff position. Nothing was guaranteed, of course, but a wild card seemed a near given, and with Ilya Sorokin between the pipes, their destiny as a tough first-round out for the Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricanes was all but locked in.
Both the Isles and Pens have one game remaining — the Pens’ regular-season closer is Thursday night against the Blue Jackets — and New York holds a one-point and four-regulation win edge in the standings. A win of any type Wednesday seals the deal for their postseason entry, as does an overtime or shootout loss (given their edge in regulation wins, the first tiebreaker). A loss in regulation opens the door for the Penguins to climb past them.
Currently, FiveThirtyEight gives the Isles an 86% chance at making the playoffs, while the Penguins’ is down to 14% after the loss to Chicago.
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: 107 Regulation wins: 44 Playoff position: P2 Games left: 1 Points pace: 108 Next game: vs. SJ (Thursday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A
Points: 102 Regulation wins: 36 Playoff position: P3 Games left: 1 Points pace: 103 Next game: @ ANA (Thursday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A
Points: 100 Regulation wins: 37 Playoff position: WC1 Games left: 1 Points pace: 101 Next game: vs. VGK (Thursday) Playoff chances: 100% Tragic number: N/A
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: 81 Regulation wins: 24 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 1 Points pace: 82 Next game: @ ARI (Thursday) 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.
Last season with the Cardinals, he started 23 games and had a 7-4 record with a 3.84 ERA, throwing 117⅓ innings and striking out 109.
The two-time All-Star has a career record of 143-99 with a 3.74 ERA in 364 games (340 starts), tossing 2,006⅓ innings. He ranks sixth in that category, as well as in wins, among active pitchers. Ahead of him in each category are three sure Hall of Famers — Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw.
Lynn, on Tuesday, made it clear that he may be spotted on the baseball field … just not in a major league game.
“There might be something a little fun around the corner upcoming weekend, so stayed tuned,” Lynn said. “But from Major League Baseball, I am done pitching.”
NEW YORK — Right-hander reliever Adam Ottavino is returning to the New York Yankees, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year contract.
A 39-year-old sidearmer, Ottavino agreed to a minor league contract with Boston on Feb. 18 and exercised his right to be released on March 23 after compiling a 10.80 ERA in five spring training appearances.
He was 2-2 with one save and a 4.34 ERA in 60 relief appearances for the New York Mets last year, stranding 15 of 20 inherited runners.
Ottavino pitched for the Yankees in 2019 and ’20, going 8-8 with a 2.76 ERA in 97 relief appearances. He is 41-43 with 46 saves and a 3.49 ERA in 14 big league seasons with St. Louis, Colorado (2012-18), the Yankees (2019-20), Boston (2021) and the Mets (2022-24).
The Yankees transferred right-hander JT Brubaker to the 60-day injured list and placed closer Devin Williams on the paternity list.
The NHL began handing out the Presidents’ Trophy to the team with the best regular-season record beginning in the 1985-86 campaign. In its history, it has been awarded 37 times to 18 clubs.
Those teams have been anything but a shoo-in to win the Stanley Cup, however. Just two clubs in the salary cap era (since 2005-06) have won the Presidents’ Trophy and hoisted the Stanley Cup: the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings and the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks. Two of the past six Presidents’ Trophy winners have lost in the first round.
So, that’s the challenge ahead for whomever claims the trophy this season. At this juncture, it appears to have been whittled down to one of two teams: the Winnipeg Jets (with 106 points through 74 games) or the Washington Capitals (103 through 73).
From an overall strength of schedule standpoint, the Jets have a more difficult route. According to Stathletes, the win percentage of their remaining opponents is 51.3%, which is 12th toughest. Compare that to 47.3% — the 28th toughest — for the Capitals.
Despite that, Stathletes gives Winnipeg the edge, projecting the Jets for 115.9 points and the Caps for 114.7. It appears this race will come down to the very end!
There are less than three weeks left until season’s end on April 17, 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.
Points: 87 Regulation wins: 30 Playoff position: WC2 Games left: 7 Points pace: 95.1 Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 95.5% Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78 Regulation wins: 25 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 8 Points pace: 86.4 Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 0.5% Tragic number: 8
Points: 62 Regulation wins: 23 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 8 Points pace: 68.7 Next game: @ CBJ (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Points: 51 Regulation wins: 18 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 8 Points pace: 56.5 Next game: vs. COL (Wednesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 98 Regulation wins: 42 Playoff position: P1 Games left: 9 Points pace: 110.1 Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 99.9% Tragic number: N/A
Points: 91 Regulation wins: 36 Playoff position: P3 Games left: 9 Points pace: 102.2 Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 99.9% Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81 Regulation wins: 26 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 8 Points pace: 89.8 Next game: vs. SEA (Wednesday) Playoff chances: 3.3% Tragic number: 11
Points: 72 Regulation wins: 23 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 9 Points pace: 80.9 Next game: vs. SJ (Tuesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: 4
Points: 68 Regulation wins: 25 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 7 Points pace: 74.4 Next game: @ VAN (Wednesday) Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Points: 49 Regulation wins: 14 Playoff position: N/A Games left: 9 Points pace: 55.0 Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday Playoff chances: 0% Tragic number: E
Note: An “x” means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An “e” means that the team has been 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 No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL’s Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.