NHL playoff watch: Who will win the Presidents’ Trophy?
As we’ve written previously in this space, the winner of the Presidents’ Trophy is by no means guaranteed a Stanley Cup championship. Since the trophy was first awarded in 1985-86, only eight teams have won the regular-season points race and the Cup in the same campaign, the most recent being the Chicago Blackhawks in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.
But it’s nevertheless an impressive accomplishment and guarantees home-ice advantage throughout the postseason to the team that claims the crown.
So who’s winning it this season?
Following wins yesterday, the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars continue to lead the pace. The Rangers are at 112 points and 42 regulation wins through 81 games. They’ll close out their regular season on Monday against the Ottawa Senators, and a win of any kind in that game clinches the Presidents’ Trophy for them.
The Stars have 111 points and 40 regulation wins through 81 games. Dallas will play its final game on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues, and will know prior to opening puck drop whether it can catch New York.
The Carolina Hurricanes, who skate against the Blackhawks on Sunday (6 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), have 109 points and 43 regulation wins through 80 games. After Sunday’s matchup against one lottery team, their final game Tuesday is also against a team in the bottom four of the league, the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Canes are also hoping for a Rangers loss to the Sens to make this all interesting.
Finally, the Boston Bruins have 109 points and 36 regulation wins following their win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night. Much like the other clubs, they’re hoping for the Rangers to lose to Ottawa to make things more interesting; the Bruins skate against the Washington Capitals Monday, followed by those very same Senators on Tuesday to close out their regular season. Given their regulation wins deficit to all these other teams, the Bruins will need to win out and hope the other teams cap out at 112 or below.
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. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
M1 New York Rangers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New York Islanders
Western Conference
C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC2 Vegas Golden Knights
C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
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).
Seattle Kraken at St. Louis Blues, 1 p.m. (TNT)
Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights, 3:30 (TNT)
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks, 6 p.m.
Arizona Coyotes at Calgary Flames, 8 p.m.
Saturday’s scoreboard
New York Rangers 3, New York Islanders 2 (SO)
Dallas Stars 3, Seattle Kraken 1
Winnipeg Jets 7, Colorado Avalanche 0
Florida Panthers 3, Buffalo Sabres 2 (OT)
Philadelphia Flyers 1, New Jersey Devils 0
Washington Capitals 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
Detroit Red Wings 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 4 (OT)
Ottawa Senators 5, Montreal Canadiens 4 (SO)
Boston Bruins 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 4
Nashville Predators 6, Columbus Blue Jackets 4
Vancouver Canucks 3, Edmonton Oilers 1
Los Angeles Kings 3, Anaheim Ducks 1
Minnesota Wild 6, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 112
Next game: @ WSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 108
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 109
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 102
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 105
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 98
Next game: vs. BUF (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. MTL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 36.9%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 83
Next game: @ TB (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 78
Next game: @ NYR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 76
Next game: @ DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Metropolitan Division
Points: 112
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 113
Next game: vs. OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 109
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 112
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 92
Next game: @ NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 92.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 89
Next game: vs. BOS (Monday)
Playoff chances: 18.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 88
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 9.3%
Tragic number: 3
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 88
Next game: vs. NSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 42.4%
Tragic number: 3
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 82
Next game: vs. NYI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 65
Next game: vs. CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
Points: 111
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 112
Next game: vs. STL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 44
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 109
Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 107
Next game: @ VGK (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 99
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 100
Next game: @ PIT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 91
Next game: vs. SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 87
Next game: @ LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 77
Next game: @ CGY (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 53
Next game: vs. CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 107
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 110
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 102
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 3
Points pace: 106
Next game: vs. SJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 97
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 99
Next game: vs. MIN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 3
Points pace: 98
Next game: vs. COL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 82
Next game: @ STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Points pace: 80
Next game: vs. ARI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 58
Next game: @ VGK (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 48
Next game: @ EDM (Monday)
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: 47
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 64
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 30
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 33
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 32
Points: 85
Regulation wins: 31
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 31
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
* 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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Tim Keown
TOKYO — Shohei Ohtani seems impervious to a variety of conditions that afflict most humans — nerves, anxiety, distraction — but it took playing a regular-season big-league game in his home country to change all of that.
After the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ Opening Day 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the Tokyo Dome, Ohtani made a surprising admission. “It’s been a while since I felt this nervous playing a game,” he said. “It took me four or five innings.”
Ohtani had two hits and scored twice, and one of his outs was a hard liner that left his bat at more than 96 mph, so the nerves weren’t obvious from the outside. But clearly the moment, and its weeklong buildup, altered his usually stoic demeanor.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Shohei nervous,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But one thing I did notice was how emotional he got during the Japanese national anthem. I thought that was telling.”
As the Dodgers began the defense of last year’s World Series win, it became a night to showcase the five Japanese players on the two teams. For the first time in league history, two Japanese pitchers — the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga — faced each other on Opening Day. Both pitched well, with Imanaga throwing four hitless innings before being removed after 69 pitches.
“Seventy was kind of the number we had for Shota,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “It was the right time to take him out.”
The Dodgers agreed, scoring three in the fifth inning off reliever Ben Brown. Imanaga kept the Dodgers off balance, but his career-high four walks created two stressful innings that ran up his pitch count.
Yamamoto rode the adrenaline of pitching in his home country, routinely hitting 98 with his fastball and vexing the Cubs with a diving splitter over the course of five three-hit innings. He threw with a kind of abandon, finding a freedom that often eluded him last year in his first year in America.
“I think last year to this year, the confidence and conviction he has throwing the fastball in the strike zone is night and day,” Roberts said. “If he can continue to do that, I see no reason he won’t be in the Cy Young conversation this season.”
Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki went hitless in four at bats — the Cubs had only three hits, none in the final four innings against four relievers out of the Dodgers’ loaded bullpen — and rookie Roki Sasaki will make his first start of his Dodger career in the second and final game of the series Wednesday.
“I don’t think there was a Japanese baseball player in this country who wasn’t watching tonight,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers were without Mookie Betts, who left Japan on Monday after it was decided his illness would not allow him to play in this series. And less than an hour before game time, first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched with what the team termed “left rib discomfort,” a recurrence of an injury he first sustained during last year’s playoffs.
The night started with a pregame celebration that felt like an Olympic opening ceremony in a lesser key. There were Pikachus on the field and a vaguely threatening video depicting the Dodgers and Cubs as Monster vs. Monster. World home-run king Saduharu Oh was on the field before the game, and Roberts called meeting Oh “a dream come true.”
For the most part, the crowd was subdued, as if it couldn’t decide who or what to root for, other than Ohtani. It was admittedly confounding: throughout the first five innings, if fans rooted for the Dodgers they were rooting against Imanaga, but rooting for the Cubs meant rooting against Yamamoto. Ohtani, whose every movement is treated with a rare sense of wonder, presented no such conflict.
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