Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Blue Jackets can move into 2nd in Metropolitan

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

There are 24 days left in the regular season and the races in each of the four divisions are tight. 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.

On Tap

There are 15 games on the NHL schedule Tuesday, all with playoff implications. 

Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN4, TVAS)

The Bruins (39-23-8) hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the New York Islanders. Boston is also tied in points with the Montreal Canadiens for third in the Atlantic, has won two straight and earned points in eight of its past 10 games (5-2-3). Toronto (29-29-13) is eighth in the division and 14 points behind the Islanders for the second wild card from the East. 

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, FDSNSO) 

The Canadiens (38-21-10) are 5-4-1 in their past 10 with forward Cole Caufield coming off a hat trick and two assists in a 7-3 win against the Islanders on Saturday. He has 43 goals (31 assists, 74 points) in 68 games and is on pace to become the first Montreal player to score 50 goals in a season since Stephane Richer had 51 in 1989-90.

Ottawa Senators at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, TSN5, RDS2) 

The Senators (37-24-9) are two points behind the New York Islanders with one game in hand and 14-3-2 in 19 games since Jan. 25. The Red Wings (38-24-8) are outside the playoff bubble, one point behind the Islanders and two points back of the Canadiens and Bruins for third in the Atlantic. They lost 4-2 to the Bruins on Saturday and are 4-2-2 in their past 10. 

Seattle Kraken at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KING 5, SCRIPPS, KONG)

The Kraken (31-29-9) are four points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card from the Western Conference and trail the Edmonton Oilers by six for third in the Pacific Division. They have missed the playoffs the past two seasons after qualifying in 2023, their second season as an NHL franchise.  

Chicago Blackhawks at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSGSN) 

The Islanders (40-26-5) moved into a playoff spot with a 1-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. Goalie Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for his seventh shutout of the season. The 30-year-old is 26-17-2 with a 2.53 goals-against average and .913 save percentage. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer leads all rookies with 22 goals (29 assists, 51 points) in 71 games. 

Columbus Blue Jackets at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) 

The Blue Jackets (37-22-11) have a chance to move into second in the Metropolitan Division with a win and hope to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Defenseman Zach Werenski has 75 points (20 goals, 55 assists) in 63 games and seven assists in his past four. 

Colorado Avalanche at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, ALT, SNP, SNO, SNE) 

The Penguins (35-19-16) are second in the Metropolitan with the Blue Jackets and Islanders each one point behind. Captain Sidney Crosby has four points (one goal, three assists) in three games since returning from a knee injury sustained at the 2026 Winter Olympics with Team Canada. The 38-year-old forward leads Pittsburgh with 63 points (28 goals, 35 assists) in 59 games. The Penguins, looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022, will be without Evgeni Malkin. The 39-year-old forward (52 points; 15 goals, 37 assists) is day to day with an upper-body injury.

Minnesota Wild at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT) 

The Wild (40-19-12) are getting closer to clinching a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and sixth in their past seven. Minnesota is third in the Central, five points behind the Dallas Stars and 10 back of the Colorado Avalanche, who were the first two teams to clinch. Tampa Bay (43-21-5) is second in the Atlantic, four points behind the Buffalo Sabres. 

Washington Capitals at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, MNMT) 

The Capitals (35-27-9) are six points back of the Islanders for the second wild card and the Blue Jackets for third in the Metropolitan. Forward Alex Ovechkin scored his 1,000th goal, regular season and playoffs combined, in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Avalanche on Sunday and has 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games. The Blues (28-30-11) are 7-1-2 in their past 10 and trail the Nashville Predators by eight points for the second wild card in the West.  

San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSCA) 

The Predators (33-28-9) have won four in a row and hold the second wild card from the West. They're two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings and five behind the Utah Mammoth for the first wild card. The Sharks (32-30-6) have picked a bad time to go on a four-game losing streak and fall five points back of the Predators. Forward Macklin Celebrini is doing his best to drag the Sharks into the playoffs for the first time since 2019 with 96 points (35 goals, 61 assists). He can become the first San Jose player with 100 points since defenseman Erik Karlsson had 101 (25 goals, 76 assists) in 2022-23. 

New Jersey Devils at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; MORE27, Victory+, MSGSN2) 

The Stars (43-16-11) clinched a playoff berth despite a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, when the Mammoth won 4-3 in overtime against the Kings later that evening. Dallas is five points behind the Colorado for first in the Central. It qualified for the fifth consecutive season and has advanced to the Western Conference Final the past three. 

Vegas Golden Knights at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, SCRIPPS) 

The Golden Knights (32-25-24) are one point ahead of the Oilers for second in the Pacific and four points behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks. Winnipeg (29-29-12) is five points behind Nashville for the second wild card from the West.

Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, FDSNW) 

The Kings (28-25-17) are chasing the Predators for the second wild card and trail the Mammoth by seven points. Captain Anze Kopitar has 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 55 games of his final NHL season. Los Angeles is trying to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive year and has lost to Edmonton in the first round the past four. 

Edmonton Oilers at Utah Mammoth (9:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN1, TVAS) 

The Oilers (34-28-9) are a point behind the Golden Knights for second in the Pacific but have lost two straight and four of six (2-3-1) and are expected to be without forward Leon Draisaitl (lower body) for the remainder of the regular season. Edmonton is three points ahead of Los Angeles and six ahead of Seattle in the Pacific Division. Utah (37-28-6) holds the first wild card in the West, five points ahead of Nashville. 

Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, KCOP-13, Victory+) 

The Ducks (39-27-4) have extended their lead at the top of the Pacific, four points ahead of the Golden Knights and five up on the Oilers, with one game in hand on Vegas and Edmonton and looking to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2018. Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke leads the rookie scoring race with 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists). 

If playoffs started Tuesday

Western Conference

(1P) Anaheim Ducks vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth

(2P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

(1C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Nashville Predators

(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3P) Minnesota Wild

Eastern Conference

(1A) Buffalo Sabres vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins 

(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Montreal Canadiens 

(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) New York Islanders

(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Columbus Blue Jackets

About last night

There was one game on the NHL schedule Monday, and it had playoff implications: 

Ottawa Senators 2, New York Rangers 1 

The Senators continued their climb up the Eastern Conference standings with their third consecutive win. Shane Pinto and Warren Foegele scored for the Senators, who held the Rangers (28-34-9) to 10 shots on goal, Ottawa is 8-2-0 in its past 10 games and trying to make the playoffs for a second consecutive season.