Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Bruins, Golden Knights, Oilers on verge of berth

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2026 NHL postseason.

There are six days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are red-hot. The top three teams in each of the four divisions and the next two highest-place finishers in each conference reach the playoffs.

Here is a look at the NHL Standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

Clinching scenarios

EASTERN CONFERENCE

The Boston Bruins will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in any fashion.

OR if they get one point vs. the Lightning AND if the New Jersey Devils defeat the Detroit Red Wings in any fashion AND if either of the following occurs:

1. The Ottawa Senators defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion.

2. The Winnipeg Jets defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in any fashion.

OR if the Devils defeat the Red Wings in regulation AND if either of the following occurs:

1. The Senators defeat the Islanders in regulation.

2. The Jets defeat the Flyers in regulation.

The Senators will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Islanders in any fashion AND if the Devils defeat the Red Wings in any fashion.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Edmonton Oilers will clinch a playoff berth:

If they get at least one point vs. the Los Angeles Kings.

OR with any result in the Jets-Flyers game other than a Jets regulation win.

The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Colorado Avalanche in any fashion.

OR if they get one point vs. the Avalanche AND if both of the following occur:

1. The Flyers defeat the Jets in any fashion.

2. The Minnesota Wild defeat the Nashville Predators in any fashion.

OR if all of the following occur:

1. The Vancouver Canucks defeat the San Jose Sharks in any fashion.

2. The Flyers defeat the Jets in regulation.

3. The Wild defeat the Predators in regulation.

The Anaheim Ducks (idle) will clinch a playoff berth:

If all of the following occur:

1. The Canucks defeat the Sharks in any fashion.

2. The Flyers defeat the Jets in regulation.

3. The Wild defeat the Predators in regulation.

The Dallas Stars will clinch the No. 2 seed in the Central Division (and the Minnesota Wild will clinch the No. 3 seed):

* If the Stars defeat the New York Rangers in any fashion.

OR if the Stars get one point vs. the Rangers AND if the Predators defeat the Wild in any fashion.

OR if the Predators defeat the Wild in regulation.

On Tap

There are 15 games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, 14 with playoff implications:

Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins (12:30 p.m. ET; ABC, SNW)

The Lightning (48-25-6) are fighting for home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference First Round, two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for second in the Atlantic Division with three games to go for each team. Tampa Bay, which has lost three straight, holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (39-33). The Bruins (43-26-10) have lost four in a row (0-2-2) but are trying to clinch a playoff spot and hold onto the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They’re two points ahead of the Senators with three games to go for each team. Ottawa holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (36-31). 

Ottawa Senators at New York Islanders (1 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN5, TVAS)

The Senators (42-27-10) are chasing the Bruins, but they’re also trying to hold onto the second wild card in the East and clinch a playoff spot. The Islanders (43-31-5) are three points behind, as are the Red Wings, with three games to go for each team. Ottawa, which has won three straight, holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker over New York (36-29). The Islanders defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Thursday in coach Peter DeBoer’s debut; DeBoer replaced Patrick Roy on Sunday with New York on a four-game losing streak.

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (3 p.m. ET; ABC, TVAS)

Alex Ovechkin hasn’t decided whether he will play beyond this season, so this game -- the first of a back-to-back set between the Capitals and Penguins this weekend -- could be one of the last chances to see Ovechkin face his longtime rival, Sidney Crosby. The Capitals (40-30-9) are 5-2-0 in their past seven games but on the verge of elimination from playoff contention, five points behind the Senators for the second wild card in the East with three games to go for each team. The Penguins (41-22-16), who are 5-1-0 in their past six, are locked into second in the Metropolitan Division.

Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings (4 p.m. ET; FDSNSC, KCAL, SNW)

The Oilers (40-29-10) are trying to hold onto first place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Golden Knights and Ducks. Edmonton, which can clinch a playoff berth, (31) holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker over Vegas (28) and Anaheim (25). Oilers captain Connor McDavid is trying to win his sixth scoring title and leads the NHL with 133 points (47 goals, 86 assists), five ahead of Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (128 points; 43 goals, 85 assists). The Kings (33-26-19) are trying to hold onto the second wild card in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Predators. Los Angeles has a game in hand, but Nashville holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (27-20). 

New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings (5 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, MSGSN)

The result of the Senators game will affect the Red Wings before the puck drops on this one, but entering the day, Detroit (41-29-9) is three points behind Ottawa for the second wild card in the East with three games to go for each team. Ottawa holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (36-30). The Red Wings had lost three in a row (0-2-1) and five straight at home (0-4-1) before a 6-3 win against the Flyers on Thursday. The Devils (40-36-3) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks (5 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, CHSN)

The Blues (33-33-12) have lost two straight and are on the verge of elimination, seven points behind the Kings with four games to go for each team. The Blackhawks  (28-37-14) are 1-6-1 in their past eight and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators (5 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, FDSNSO, KSTC)

The Wild (45-22-12) still have an outside shot at home-ice advantage in the Western Conference First Round, four points behind the Dallas Stars for second in the Central Division with three games to go for each team. Minnesota had won four straight before a 5-4 loss at the Stars on Thursday. Dallas holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (36-30). The Predators (37-32-10) are one point behind the Kings for the second wild card in the West. Los Angeles has a game in hand, but Nashville holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (27-20). After going 3-2-1 on a six-game road trip, the Predators open a three-game homestand to end the regular season.

New York Rangers at Dallas Stars (5 p.m. ET; Victory+, MSG)

The Stars (47-20-12) are looking to clinch home-ice advantage for the first round, four points ahead of the Wild for second in the Central with three games to go for each team. Dallas is 3-1-0 in their past four, including a 5-4 win against Minnesota on Thursday. The Rangers (33-37-9) are 5-2-0 in their past seven but have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Carolina Hurricanes at Utah Mammoth (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16)

The Hurricanes (51-22-6) are fighting for first in the East, two points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres. Despite resting several players Thursday, Carolina defeated Chicago 7-2; the Hurricanes are 5-1-0 in their past six. In their second season in Utah, the Mammoth (42-30-6) have clinched their first playoff berth and hold the first wild card in the West, five points ahead of the Kings with four games to go for each team. Utah is on a five-game winning streak.

Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP, SCRIPPS)

The Panthers (37-38-4) and Maple Leafs (32-33-14) each are 0-3-1 in their past four games and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, FDSNOH)

The Canadiens (47-22-10) are two points behind the Sabres for first in the Atlantic after going 10-1-0 in their past 11 games; Buffalo has two games to go, Montreal has three. The Blue Jackets (39-28-12) are four points behind the Senators for the second wild card in the East with three games to go for each team. Columbus is 1-6-1 in its past eight.

Philadelphia Flyers at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSP)

The Flyers (40-27-12) are trying to hang onto third in the Metro and stay in a playoff spot. They’re one point ahead of the Islanders for third in the division but two points behind the Senators, who hold the second wild card in the East. Each team has three games to go. Philadelphia had won three in a row before a 6-3 loss at Detroit on Thursday. The Jets (35-31-2) have won three straight and are three points behind the Kings for the second wild card in the West with three games to go for each team. 

Calgary Flames at Seattle Kraken (7 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KING 5, KONG, SNW)

The Kraken (33-34-11) are on the verge of elimination, eight points behind the Kings for the second wild card in the West with four games to go for each team. Seattle had lost six straight (0-5-1) before a 4-3 shootout win against Vegas on Thursday. The Flames (32-37-9), who are 1-3-1 in their past five, have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Vegas Golden Knights at Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m. ET; ABC)

The Golden Knights (36-26-17) look to clinch a playoff berth as they fight for first in the Pacific, one point behind the Oilers and tied with the Ducks with three games to go for each team. Edmonton (31) holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker over Vegas (28) and Anaheim (25). Vegas won its first four games under coach John Tortorella before blowing a two-goal, third-period lead and losing to Seattle 4-3 in a shootout Thursday. The Avalanche (52-16-10) have clinched the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season team, having won two straight games and three of four.

Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, CITY, SN, CBC)

The Sharks (37-34-7) are four points behind the Kings for the second wild card in the West with four games to go for each team; San Jose is 1-3-0 in its past four following a four-game winning streak. The Canucks (22-48-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention; Vancouver has lost four in a row and is 1-10-0 in its past 11.

If playoffs started Saturday

Western Conference

(1P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth
(2P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3P) Anaheim Ducks
(1C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Los Angeles Kings
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild 

Eastern Conference

(1A) Buffalo Sabres vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins 
(2A) Montreal Canadiens vs. (3A) Tampa Bay Lightning 
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Ottawa Senators
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Philadelphia Flyers

There were no games on the NHL schedule Friday.