NHL playoff watch: Who will make the Eastern Conference finals?
Each team has around 20 games remaining this season — although Aaron Ekblad will be missing all 18 of the Florida Panthers‘ remaining regular-season games due to a suspension — but it’s not too early to look ahead at the dream matchups for the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
One of the contests during Tuesday’s 11-game slate is a possible Eastern Conference finals preview: the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+) in a showdown between two teams built for postseason success.
The winner won’t necessarily have an edge as we head toward the postseason, but we can look at the projections from Stathletes to see the likelihood of a rematch later this spring.
Per the Stathletes model, the Hurricanes have the highest chances of making the ECF, at 48.2%, followed by the Panthers (38.2%), Washington Capitals (30.6%) and then the Lightning (29.8%); the Toronto Maple Leafs round out the top five at 18.6%.
If it comes down to the Canes and Lightning, Tampa Bay has the historical upper hand, winning the teams’ lone series against each other, albeit during the slightly unusual 2021 playoffs, when those two teams were in the realigned Central Division (along with the Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators).
There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season April 17, and we’ll help you keep track of it all on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide detail on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Yesterday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Columbus Blue Jackets
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Calgary Flames
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Tuesday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
New York Rangers at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
New York Islanders at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.
Monday’s scoreboard
Buffalo Sabres 3, Edmonton Oilers 2
Ottawa Senators 2, Detroit Red Wings 1
Colorado Avalanche 3, Chicago Blackhawks 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Utah Hockey Club 3 (SO)
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 106.3
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 103.8
Next game: vs. FLA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 92.4
Next game: @ PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 91.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 9.7%
Tragic number: 35
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. BUF (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 9.4%
Tragic number: 33
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.6%
Tragic number: 31
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 72.9
Next game: @ DET (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 25
Metro Division
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 117.9
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 93.4
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 93.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 42.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 28.1%
Tragic number: 35
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 86.0
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Tragic number: 36
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 78.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.4%
Tragic number: 27
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 74.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 23
Central Division
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 116.1
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 110.2
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 100.9
Next game: @ MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 97.4
Next game: s. COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 91.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 29.9%
Tragic number: 34
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 85.8
Next game: vs. ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 25.7%
Tragic number: 34
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 71.6
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 24
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 61.8
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 14
Pacific Division
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 106.7
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 99.9
Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 20
Points pace: 99.2
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 35.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 20.4%
Tragic number: 38
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 32
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 73.2
Next game: vs. MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 23
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 54.3
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 8
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.
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
The Chicago White Sox placed left-hander Tyler Gilbert on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a sprained MCL in his left knee.
The White Sox recalled left-hander Jared Shuster from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move.
Gilbert exited the team’s 13-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Friday in the sixth inning after facing just two batters.
He is 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA in 13 games (three starts) this season.
Gilbert, 31, is 3-8 with a 4.30 ERA in 47 career appearances (16 starts) with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies and White Sox.
Shuster, 26, has a 7.59 ERA without a decision in eight relief appearances this season with the White Sox.
NEW YORK — Yankees reliever Jake Cousins felt pectoral discomfort after throwing a pair of batting practice sessions, another setback in his bid to return to the mound for the first time since last fall.
Cousins won’t throw again for four or five days, manager Aaron Boone said Saturday.
Boone said ahead of spring training’s opening workout that Cousins had a strained right forearm and was uncertain for the March 27 opener.
A 30-year-old right-hander, Cousins threw batting practice to injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton on May 6. Boone said Cousins pitched an additional session before the pec issue caused a shutdown.
“We don’t think it’s anything serious, but enough to hold him back a few days,” Boone said.
Boone said Cousins had tests and that they didn’t show any shoulder issues.
Cousins had a 2.37 ERA in 37 relief appearances last year, striking out 53 and walking 20 in 38 innings.
Boone said a date has not been set for Stanton to start a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. The five-time All-Star has been sidelined since spring training with pain in the tendons of both elbows.
The Minnesota Twins are on a roll. They extended their winning streak to 11 games Thursday with a 4-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles that completed a series sweep. Their confidence carried over to social media, too, as they trolled the Orioles.
Minnesota used a three-run third inning to propel itself to victory, with home runs from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Byron Buxton.
The Twins hold the longest win streak in MLB; its their their longest run of victories since winning 12 straight from April 22 to May 4 last season, according to ESPN Research. The franchise record is 15 set in 1991.
Minnesota poked fun at Baltimore’s namesake with a post after the game, referring to the Orioles also being known as the “O’s” — and swapping a zero in for the O.
So that’s why they’re called the 0’s pic.twitter.com/KtL5ss8qS6
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 15, 2025
The Twins have won each of their six matchups against the Orioles this season. All of them have come during Minnesota’s current win streak.
Minnesota (24-20) is fourth in the American League Central behind the Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers.
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