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After an 11-game Saturday, the NHL schedule makers have gifted us with a 10-game Sunday as the end of the 2023-24 regular season on April 18 closes in.

Perhaps the most impactful game on the playoff races will take place at UBS Arena, as the New York Islanders host the New Jersey Devils (5 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+).

While it’s not quite a “loser leaves town” match, both teams need as many points as they can get as their playoff hopes appear to be dwindling.

The Devils had a fantastic 2022-23 season that included a first-round-series victory over the rival New York Rangers. Unfortunately, they’ve taken a couple steps back this season — which included injuries to star players, lackluster goaltending, and firing head coach Lindy Ruff — and as play begins on Sunday, they have a 19.3% chance of making the postseason, per Stathletes. Currently, they are six points back of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card (though they do have a four-game edge in regulation wins). After today’s matchup with the Isles, they play six of their final 10 games against teams currently in playoff position, and close out their season against the Isles.

New York was also a playoff team last season, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games. Heading into this matchup, the Isles are three points and three regulation wins in back of the Wings, and their chances of making the playoffs sit at 12.1%. The Isles will play six of their final 11 games against teams currently in playoff spots, but they do have a game apiece left against three draft lottery darlings: the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens.

For either team to qualify, the Red Wings (who currently occupy the wild-card spot in question) and the Washington Capitals, who are hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network), will have to lose some games.

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
Sunday’s schedule
Saturday’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

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

Western Conference

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


Sunday’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).

Winnipeg Jets at Washington Capitals, 12:30 p.m. (NHLN)
Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche, 2 p.m. (TNT)
New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders, 5 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Ottawa Senators, 6 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Philadelphia Flyers, 6 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Carolina Hurricanes, 6 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu)
Dallas Stars at Arizona Coyotes, 8 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks, 8:30 p.m.
Buffalo Sabres at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Seattle Kraken, 9 p.m.


Saturday’s scoreboard

New York Islanders 6, Winnipeg Jets 3
Philadelphia Flyers 3, Boston Bruins 2
St. Louis Blues 5, Minnesota Wild 4 (OT)
Nashville Predators 1, Detroit Red Wings 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Edmonton Oilers 3
Ottawa Senators 5, New Jersey Devils 2
New York Rangers 4, Florida Panthers 3 (SO)
Vancouver Canucks 4, Calgary Flames 2
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Los Angeles Kings 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (OT)
Chicago Blackhawks 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (OT)


Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 111
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 1111
Next game: @ PHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 13
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 97
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 98.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 90
Next game: @ WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 24.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 82
Next game: @ CGY (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.8%
Tragic number: 15

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 74
Next game: vs. EDM (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 10

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 74
Next game: @ SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 10


Metropolitan Division

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 113
Next game: vs. PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110
Next game: vs. TOR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 94
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 88.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 92
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 57.0%
Tragic number: 25

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 88
Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 24.2%
Tragic number: 21

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 83
Next game: @ NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 6.0%
Tragic number: 16

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 82
Next game: @ COL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.8%
Tragic number: 17

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 67
Next game: @ ARI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 2


Central Division

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 12
Points pace: 111
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110
Next game: @ ARI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 12
Points pace: 109
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 102
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 91
Next game: vs. VGK (Monday)
Playoff chances: 6.0%
Tragic number: 18

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 2.6%
Tragic number: 16

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 74
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 4

Points: 45
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 52
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E


Pacific Division

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 113
Next game: vs. LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 106
Next game: @ OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 12
Points pace: 100
Next game: @ VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 98.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 97
Next game: @ STL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 92.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 84
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.7%
Tragic number: 14

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 82
Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 12

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 60
Next game: vs. TB (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 40
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 47
Next game: vs. DAL (Tuesday)
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: 40
Regulation wins: 12

Points: 45
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 18

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 15

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 23

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 25

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 29

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 28

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

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Manfred to rule on Rose ban after Trump meeting

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Manfred to rule on Rose ban after Trump meeting

NEW YORK — Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said he discussed Pete Rose with President Donald Trump at a meeting two weeks ago and he plans to rule on a request to end the sport’s permanent ban of the career hits leader, who died in September.

Speaking Monday at a meeting of the Associated Press Sports Editors, Manfred said he and Trump discussed several issues, including concerns over how immigration policies could impact players from Cuba, Venezuela and other foreign countries.

Manfred is considering a petition to have Rose posthumously removed from MLB’s permanently ineligible list. The petition was filed in January by Jeffrey Lenkov, a Southern California lawyer who represented Rose prior to the 17-time All-Star’s death at age 83.

“I met with President Trump two weeks ago … and one of the topics was Pete Rose, but I’m not going beyond that,” Manfred said. “He’s said what he said publicly. I’m not going beyond that in terms of what the back and forth was.”

Trump posted on social media Feb. 28 that he plans to issue “a complete PARDON of Pete Rose.” Trump posted on Truth Social that Rose “shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING.”

It’s unclear what a presidential pardon might include. Trump did not specifically mention a tax case in which Rose pleaded guilty in 1990 to two counts of filing false tax returns and served a five-month prison sentence.

The president said he would sign a pardon for Rose “over the next few weeks” but has not addressed the matter since.

Rose had 4,256 hits and also holds records for games (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890). He was the 1973 National League MVP and played on three World Series winners.

An investigation for MLB by lawyer John M. Dowd found Rose placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985-87 while playing for and managing the team. Rose agreed with MLB on a permanent ban in 1989.

Lenkov is seeking Rose’s reinstatement so that he can be considered for the Hall of Fame. Under a rule adopted by the Hall’s board of directors in 1991, anyone on the permanently ineligible list can’t be considered for election to the Hall. Rose applied for reinstatement in 1997 and met with Commissioner Bud Selig in November 2002, but Selig never ruled on Rose’s request. Manfred in 2015 denied Rose’s application for reinstatement.

Manfred said reinstating Rose now was “a little more complicated than it might appear on the outside” and did not commit to a timeline except that “I want to get it done promptly as soon as we get the work done.”

“I’m not going to give this the pocket veto,” Manfred said. “I will in fact issue a ruling.”

Rose’s reinstatement doesn’t mean he would automatically appear on a Hall of Fame ballot. He would first have to be nominated by the Hall’s Historical Overview Committee, which is picked by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and approved by the Hall’s board.

Manfred said he has been in regular contact with chairman Jane Forbes Clark.

“I mean, believe me, a lot of Hall of Fame dialogue on this one,” Manfred said.

If reinstated, Rose potentially would be eligible for consideration to be placed on a ballot to be considered by the 16-member Classic Baseball Era committee in December 2027.

Manfred said he doesn’t think baseball’s current ties to legal sports betting should color views on Rose’s case.

“There is and always has been a clear demarcation between what Rob Manfred, ordinary citizen, can do on the one hand, and what someone who has the privilege to play or work in Major League Baseball can do on the other in respect to gambling,” Manfred said. “The fact that the law changed, and we sell data and/or sponsorships, which is essentially all we do, to sports betting enterprises, I don’t think changes that.

“It’s a privilege to play Major League Baseball. As with every privilege, there comes responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is that they not bet on the game.”

Manfred did not go into details on his discussion with Trump over foreign-born players other than to say he expressed worry.

“Given the number of foreign-born players we have, we’re always concerned about ingress and egress,” Manfred said. “We have had dialogue with the administration about this topic. And, you know, they’re very interested in sports. They understand the unique need to be able to go back and forth, and I’m going to leave it at that.”

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Braves activate RHP Anderson, sign OF Rosario

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Braves activate RHP Anderson, sign OF Rosario

It was old faces in familiar places for the Atlanta Braves on Monday after they activated right-hander Ian Anderson to the active roster and signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a major league contract.

In corresponding moves, outfielder Jarred Kelenic was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, while right-hander Davis Daniel was optioned to Triple-A after Sunday’s game.

Both Anderson and Rosario emerged as 2021 postseason heroes in Atlanta as the Braves went on to win the World Series.

Anderson, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, went 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in eight postseason starts for the Braves over the 2020 and 2021 postseasons.

In the 2021 World Series, Anderson famously pitched five no-hit innings in Game 3 to lead Atlanta to a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros. The Braves defeated the Astros in six games.

Anderson, who turns 27 Friday, was traded by the Braves to the Angels on March 23 for left-hander Jose Suarez. He struggled badly with his new club, going 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA in seven relief appearances. He allowed 17 hits and seven walks in just 9⅓ innings.

Rosario, 33, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February and played in two games with the club, going 1-for-4. He was designated for assignment and became a free agent when Shohei Ohtani returned from the paternity list just over a week ago.

Rosario was the 2021 National League Championship Series MVP, when he powered the Braves past the Dodgers with three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.647 OPS in six games.

Over parts of 11 seasons, Rosario is a career .261 hitter with 169 home runs and 583 RBIs in 1,123 games with five different clubs, including five seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2015-20) and four with the Braves (2021-24).

Kelenic, 25, was batting .167 with two home runs in 23 games and is a career .211 hitter with 49 home runs and 156 RBIs in 406 games with the Seattle Mariners (2021-23) and Braves.

Daniel, 27, made his only appearance for the Braves on Sunday with a scoreless inning and has appeared in 10 games (six starts) over the past three seasons with a 4.95 ERA.

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

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Two-time Cup winner Sullivan out as Pens coach

Mike Sullivan, who led the Pittsburgh Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017, is out as the team’s head coach, it was announced Monday.

Sullivan was the longest-tenured coach in Penguins history after just completing his 10th season. The 57-year-old, who also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, was under contract in Pittsburgh through 2026-27.

In a statement, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said the decision was “the best course forward for all involved” as Pittsburgh navigates a transitional period.

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

The Penguins have missed the playoffs for three straight seasons as Dubas works to retool the team into a contender while Crosby is still competing at a high level. Crosby just completed his 20th straight season in which he posted a point-per-game scoring pace, and he was voted by his peers in the NHLPA as the league’s most complete player. The captain is under contract through next season on a two-year extension he signed prior to the 2024-25 season.

Sullivan was elevated to Penguins head coach in 2015 after leading the organization’s AHL team in Wilkes-Barre. With 409 wins in Pittsburgh, he leaves as the Penguins’ all-time wins leader.

With Sullivan’s departure, there are now seven head-coaching vacancies in the NHL. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken and New York Rangers are also searching for new coaches right now. According to sources, Sullivan has been atop the Rangers’ wish list.

Sources also said Sullivan is keen on coaching again next season and will be a top candidate for several of the vacancies. Sullivan worked as an assistant coach with the Rangers and as both an assistant and head coach with the Bruins earlier in his career.

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