Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Stamkos, Predators visit Lightning clinging to playoff spot

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

There are 19 days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are heating up. 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 six games on the NHL schedule Sunday, all with playoff implications:

Florida Panthers at New York Rangers (1 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NHLN, MSG, SN1, TVAS)

The Panthers (35-34-3) have lost six of their past seven games (1-5-1), including 5-2 at the New York Islanders on Saturday. They are 14 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Rangers (29-35-9) were the first team from the Eastern Conference eliminated from playoff contention.

Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning (5 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNSO)

Predators forward Steven Stamkos faces his former team needing four goals for his eighth 40-goal season in the League and first with Nashville after 16 seasons with Tampa Bay. The Predators (34-30-9) are one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card from the West. Forwards Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul are each questionable with an illness for the Lightning (45-21-6), who are second in the Atlantic Division, two points behind the Buffalo Sabres. Tampa Bay extended its point streak to seven games (5-0-2) after rallying from down two goals for a 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, TSN2, RDS)

The Hurricanes (46-20-6) play the second of a back to back. They lead the Metropolitan Division, are tied with the Buffalo Sabres for most points in the Eastern Conference (98) and have played two fewer games. Montreal (41-21-10) won 4-1 at Nashville on Saturday for its fourth straight victory and is third in Atlantic Division, four points behind the Lightning and two ahead of the Bruins.

Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (5 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NESN, SNP, SNW, SNO)

The Blue Jackets (38-24-11) are clinging to the second wild card from the East, one point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings and Senators. They trail the Bruins (41-24-8) by three points for the first wild card.

Chicago Blackhawks at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, MSGSN, NHLN)

New Jersey (37-33-2) lost 5-2 at the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday to conclude a five-game road trip (3-2-0) and are 11 points out of the second wild card from the East. The Blackhawks (27-33-13) have lost six of eight (2-4-2) and are 10 points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card from the Western Conference. Chicago forward Connor Bedard, who has scored an NHL career high 30 goals, has tied his career high for points set last season with 67.

Dallas Stars at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSP)

The Stars (44-18-11) have already clinched a playoff berth and are second in the Central Division, seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche. The surging Flyers (36-24-12) have points in eight of their past nine games (7-1-1) to keep their playoff hopes alive. Philadelphia is three points out of the second wild card from the East, with one fewer game played than the Blue Jackets.

If playoffs started Sunday

Western Conference

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

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

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

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

Eastern Conference

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

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

(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets

(2M) New York Islanders vs. (3M) Pittsburgh Penguins

About last night

There were 15 games on the NHL schedule Saturday, all with playoff implications:

Boston Bruins 6, Minnesota Wild 3

David Pastrnak extended the NHL's longest active point streak to 12 games (seven goals, 13 assists) with two assists for the Bruins. The Wild (41-21-12) could have clinched a playoff berth with a win and is third in the Central Division, five points behind the Stars.

Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Ottawa Senators 2

Emil Lilleberg had a goal and two assists to become the fourth Norway-born player in NHL history with a three-point game to pace the Lightning (45-21-6). The Senators (38-25-10), who had points in five straight (4-0-1), are one point behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card from the East and tied with the Red Wings in points (86).

New York Islanders 5, Florida Panthers 2 

Matthew Schaefer had two assists to reach 56 points (22 goals, 34 assists) and tie Stefan Persson (56, 1977-78) for the highest single-season total by a rookie defenseman in Islanders history. New York (42-27-5) moved one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division. Matthew Tkachuk scored twice for the Panthers (35-34-3).

Edmonton Oilers 4, Anaheim Ducks 2

Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists for the Oilers (37-28-9), who won three games in a row for the second time this season (Jan. 24-29) and pulled within three points of the Ducks (41-28-4), who have a game in hand, for first in the Pacific Division. John Carlson extended his point streak to three games (seven assists) with two assists for Anaheim, which had won four straight during a six-game point streak (5-0-1).

Dallas Stars 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 3

Mikko Rantanen had a goal and an assist in his return from missing 15 games with a lower-body injury for the Stars (44-18-11), who had lost four in a row (0-3-1). Pittsburgh played without forwards Sidney Crosby (lower body) and Evgeni Malkin (upper body), who are each day to day. Erik Karlsson had a goal and two assists for his second straight three-point game for the Penguins (36-21-16), who have lost three of four and are third in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the Islanders for second and one ahead of the Blue Jackets in fourth.

Carolina Hurricanes 5, New Jersey Devils 2

Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (46-20-6), who scored five unanswered goals to remain first in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points, nine ahead of the Islanders. Evgenii Dadonov scored his first goal of the season for the Devils.

San Jose Sharks 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2

Macklin Celebrini assisted on Igor Chernyshov's go-ahead goal with 1:25 remaining in the third period to become the fifth player in NHL history to 100 assists as a teenager, following Crosby (147), Wayne Gretzky (144), Dale Hawerchuk (109) and Steve Yzerman (107), to help the Sharks ended a six-game slide (0-5-1). San Jose (33-31-7) is four points behind Nashville for the second wild card from the West. 

Buffalo Sabres 3, Seattle Kraken 2 (SO)

Buffalo (45-21-8) rallied from down 2-0 to remain first in the Atlantic Division. Rasmus Dahlin became the second defenseman in Sabres history reach the 100-goal milestone, joining Phil Housley (178). Peyton Krebs scored to tie it 2-2 at 11:39 of the third. Seattle (32-29-11) has lost five of six (1-3-2) and are two points behind the Predators for the second wild from the West.

St. Louis Blues 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 1

Jordan Kyrou (two assists) was one of four players with multiple points to help the Blues (31-30-11), who are 10-1-3 in their past 13 and four points of the Predators for the second wild card. The Maple Leafs (31-30-13) are 12 points behind the Blue Jackets.

Montreal Canadiens 4, Nashville Predators 1

Cole Caufield became the first Canadiens player with a 45-goal season since Stephane Richer (51 in 1989-90) and Lane Hutson became the third defenseman in NHL history with multiple 60-assist seasons before his 23rd birthday for Montreal (41-21-10). The Canadiens have won four straight and are third in the Atlantic. The Predators are three points behind the Utah Mammoth for the first wild card.

Winnipeg Jets 4, Colorado Avalanche 2

Cole Perfetti scored the decisive goal at 14:49 of the third for Winnipeg (31-30-12), which looks to become the second team since 1995-96 to qualify for the playoffs after going 11 games without a win earlier in the season (Dec. 15 to Jan. 8), following the 1998-99 Flyers (0-8-4 from Feb. 24 to March 16, 1999). The Jets are 3-2-2 in their past seven games and three points behind the Predators for the second wild card. The Avalanche (48-14-10), who were 4-0-1 in their previous five games, have qualified for the playoffs and are seven points ahead of the Stars in the NHL, Western Conference and Central Division standings.

Philadelphia Flyers 5, Detroit Red Wings 3

Owen Tippett scored his second hat trick of the season for the Flyers, who matched their longest road winning streak set in 1982-83 (eight games). The Red Wings (39-26-8) are one point behind the Blue Jackets with a game in hand.

Utah Mammoth 6, Los Angeles Kings 2

Alex Kerfoot extended his point streak to four games (three goals, two assists) and Logan Cooley became the fourth active United States-born player to score 20 goals in each of his first three NHL seasons for the Mammoth (38-30-6). Los Angeles (29-26-18), which began a season-long seven-game homestand, remained one point behind Nashville.

Calgary Flames 7, Vancouver Canucks 3

Matt Coronato had a goal and two assists to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists) for the Flames (31-34-8), who finished 5-0-1 on their six-game homestand and moved to within seven points of the Predators. The Canucks (21-43-8) were the first team in the West eliminated from playoff contention.

Washington Capitals 5, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (SO)

Cole Hutson had two assists, Justin Sourdif had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Strome had one goal and the shootout winner for the Capitals (37-28-9), who moved within four points of the second wild card from the East. The Golden Knights (32-26-16) have lost three in a row (0-1-2) and are third in the Pacific, three points behind the second-place Oilers and four ahead of the fourth-place Kings.