Connect with us

Published

on

The homestretch of the 2023-24 NHL season is here. Eleven tickets to the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs dance have been printed, and five remain.

Much will be gained and lost by the end of the 11-game slate on Super Saturday. Here are the key matchups to watch:

As we traverse the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2024 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Saturday’s schedule
Friday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Philadelphia Flyers
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New York Islanders

Western Conference

C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings
C2 Colorado Avalanche vs. C3 Winnipeg Jets
P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights


Saturday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on 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 Pittsburgh Penguins, 1 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)
Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, 3:30 p.m. (ABC/ESPN+)
Dallas Stars at Chicago Blackhawks, 3:30 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at Minnesota Wild, 4 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at San Jose Sharks, 6 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Nashville Predators at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames, 10 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m.


Friday’s scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 4, Philadelphia Flyers 2
New York Rangers 4, Detroit Red Wings 3
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Washington Capitals 2
Edmonton Oilers 6, Colorado Avalanche 2
Arizona Coyotes 7, Vegas Golden Knights 4
Seattle Kraken 3, Anaheim Ducks 1


Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 112
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 101
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 108
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 7
Points pace: 104
Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 100
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 43.4%
Tragic number: 11

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 84
Next game: @ DET (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 2.1%
Tragic number: 6

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 77
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 77
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 1


Metropolitan Division

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 5
Points pace: 115
Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 110
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 90
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 57.0%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 88
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 46.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 31.5%
Tragic number: 11

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 87
Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 18.9%
Tragic number: 10

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 82
Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 5

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 67
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E


Central Division

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 113
Next game: @ CHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 5
Points pace: 109
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 99
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 91
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.8%
Tragic number: 5

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 4

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 75
Next game: @ SJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 54
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E


Pacific Division

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 6
Points pace: 110
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 7
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 99
Next game: @ VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 6
Points pace: 98
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 83
Next game: vs. ARI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 80
Next game: vs. EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Points pace: 58
Next game: vs. STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 42
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 46
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
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 Macklin Celebrini, a freshman at Boston University.

Points: 42
Regulation wins: 13

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 29

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 31

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 29

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 30

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 26

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 29

* The Penguins’ first-round pick was traded to the Sharks as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. However, it is top-10 protected.

Continue Reading

Sports

Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Published

on

By

Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz accepted an invitation on Tuesday to compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

Cruz is the fifth player to commit to the competition, held one day before the All-Star Game. The others are Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.

Cruz, 26, is known for having a powerful bat and regularly delivers some of the hardest-hit homers in the sport. His home run May 25 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers had an exit velocity of 122.9 mph and was the hardest hit homer in the 10-year Statcast era.

But Cruz has never hit more than 21 in a season, and that was in 2024. He’s on track to set a new high this year and has 15 in 80 games.

Cruz has 55 career homers in 324 games with the Pirates.

Cruz will be the first Pittsburgh player to participate in the Derby since Josh Bell in 2019. Other Pirates to be part of the event were Bobby Bonilla (1990), Barry Bonds (1992), Jason Bay (2005), Andrew McCutchen (2012) and Pedro Alvarez (2013).

Overall, Cruz is batting just .203 this season but leads the National League with 28 steals.

Among the players to turn down an invite to the eight-player field are two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies and 2024 runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

Defending champion Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently turned down a spot as a consideration to nagging injuries.

Top power threats Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers also are expected to skip the event.

Continue Reading

Sports

Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

Published

on

By

Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

New York Yankees All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr., after making 28 starts in a row at third base, is moving back to second base starting with Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, manager Aaron Boone said.

Boone confirmed the change on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast on Tuesday.

Chisholm, who is batting .245 with 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and 10 steals in 59 games, has recently been bothered by soreness in his right shoulder, which he said is an issue only on throws.

He said he prefers to play second base and prepared in the offseason to exclusively play in that spot before injuries played havoc with Boone’s lineup card, starting with Chisholm’s oblique injury in May.

Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera went down with a season-ending ankle injury on May 12.

DJ LeMahieu manned second base while Chisholm was at third, but Boone has a better glove option in Oswald Peraza, a utility man with a stronger arm plus defensive skills across the infield.

LeMahieu, 36, is batting .266 with two home runs and 12 RBIs this season.

Continue Reading

Sports

Willie Mays’ personal collection going to auction

Published

on

By

Willie Mays' personal collection going to auction

The personal collection of Willie Mays, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to the Hall of Famer by President Barack Obama, will head to auction via Hunt Auctions on Sept. 27-28 in San Francisco.

“Per Mays’ wishes, all proceeds from this auction will go to delivering education, training, and health services for youth through the Say Hey! Foundation which Willie Mays founded in 2000,” Hunt Auctions said in a statement.

Other items to be auctioned include Mays’ 1954 New York Giants World Series ring, his 1954 and 1965 NL MVP Awards, his Baseball Hall of Fame induction ring and his 1962 home San Francisco Giants uniform — photo-matched to that year’s MLB All-Star Game and two other games from that season.

There’s also a 1977 Stutz Blackhawk VI, custom made for Mays.

“We are deeply humbled and grateful to Willie Mays for having been selected to represent this important offering of his personal collection,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, who also handled the auctioning of Bill Russell’s and Bill Walton’s personal collections.

“For all of his extraordinary achievements as a baseball player, Willie Mays wanted his enduring legacy to be helping children,” Jeff Bleich, Mays’ friend and the chair of the Say Hey! Foundation, said in a statement.

The collection’s first public display will be at the 2025 National Sports Collectors Convention, held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, from July 30 through Aug. 3.

Continue Reading

Trending