NHL Playoffs Buzz: Flyers, Senators, Red Wings chasing Blue Jackets for East wild card

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

There are 17 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 10 games on the NHL schedule Tuesday, all with playoff implications:

Dallas Stars at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; FOX4, Victory+, NESN, SN360)

The Bruins (42-24-8) have won three in a row and five of their past six (5-1-0), including a 4-3 shootout win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday in which they trailed 3-0 after the second period. They are two points behind the Montreal Canadiens for third in the Atlantic Division, but have played one more game. The Stars (44-18-12), who have lost five of their past six (1-3-2), are eight points behind the Colorado Avalanche for first in the Central Division and six points ahead of the third-place Minnesota Wild.

New York Islanders at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSG-B)

The Islanders (42-28-5) try to bounce back after an 8-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday that dropped them into third place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind Pittsburgh. They are also one point ahead of the Blue Jackets for third place, and just three points ahead of the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers, who are all below the playoff line, but each have two games in hand. The Sabres (45-21-8) could take over the top spot in the Atlantic and the Eastern Conference. They enter Tuesday tied in points with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the division and the Carolina Hurricanes in the East.

Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, TSN2, RDS)

The Lightning (46-21-6) have an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) and can claim sole possession of first in the Atlantic Division, where they are tied with the Buffalo Sabres but have a game in hand. The Canadiens (42-21-10) have won five in a row and look can move within two points of the Lightning and Sabres for first in the division. They also are trying to fend off the Bruins, who are two points behind them in the Atlantic, hold the first wild card in the East and have played one more game.

Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN5, RDS2)

It’s a Tkachuk vs. Tkachuk matchup with Brady of the Senators trying to get his team into the playoffs while Matthew and the two-time Stanley Cup champion Panthers try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Senators (38-25-10) are two points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card from the East, with a game in hand, and tied in points (86) with the Red Wings and Flyers. The Panthers have lost three games in a row and six of eight (2-6-0) after a 3-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Sunday. They are 15 points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East.

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, MSG 2)

New Jersey (38-33-2) is coming off a 5-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday and is 10 points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card from the East. The Rangers (30-35-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SN-PIT)

The Penguins (37-21-16), who play the second of a back-to-back set, are one point ahead of the Islanders with a game in hand for second in the Metropolitan, but just four points clear of the Red Wings, Senators and Flyers, who are all below the playoff cutoff line. The Red Wings (39-26-8) have lost three of their past four (1-3-0), including three straight at home. They are tied in points (86) with the Flyers and Senators, all two points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East.

Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP)

Porter Martone, selected No. 6 by the Flyers in the 2025 NHL Draft, will make his NHL debut for a Philadelphia team that is 8-1-1 in its past 10 games. The 19-year-old forward signed an entry-level contract Sunday after his college season ended with Michigan State's 4-3 overtime loss to Wisconsin in the Worcester Regional final of the NCAA Tournament. The Flyers (37-24-12) have climbed to within two points of the Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East -- tied in points with the Red Wings and Senators. The Capitals (37-28-9) are five points behind the Blue Jackets. Alex Ovechkin needs one goal to become the fourth player in NHL history to score 30 in a season at age 40 or older, joining Gordie Howe (44 in 1968-69, 31 in 1969-70), Johnny Bucyk (36 in 1975-76) and Teemu Selanne (31 in 2010-11).

Carolina Hurricanes at Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

The Blue Jackets (38-24-12), who have lost three straight (0-2-1), are trying to hang on to the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. They are two points ahead of the Senators, Red Wings and Flyers, each of whom has a game in hand. Columbus is four points behind the Bruins for the first wild card in the East. The Hurricanes (46-21-6) lead the Metropolitan Division and are tied with the Lightning and Sabres for most points in the Eastern Conference (98). The Hurricanes can reach the 100-point mark for the fifth time in franchise history with a victory.

Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3)

The Jets (31-30-12) can get closer to the final playoff spot in the West with a win. They are three points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the West with a game in hand. The Blackhawks have lost three straight, five of six (1-4-1) and trail the Predators by 10 points for the second wild card.

Seattle Kraken at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, KONG, KHN/Prime)

The Kraken (32-29-11) have lost five of six (1-3-2), but can take over the second wild card in the West with a win. They are two points behind the Predators with two games in hand. They are also one point behind the Los Angeles Kings, who are one point behind the Predators. The Oilers (37-28-9) still have a chance to win the Pacific. They are four points behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks. Edmonton has won three in a row, powered by Connor McDavid, who has goals (five) and points (nine) in four straight games.  He leads the NHL with 124 points (42 goals, 82 assists) in 74 games.

If playoffs started Tuesday

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) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets
(2A) Buffalo Sabres vs. (3A) Montreal Canadiens
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) New York Islanders

About last night

There were five games on the NHL schedule Monday, all with playoff implications:

Pittsburgh Penguins 8, New York Islanders 3: Anthony Mantha and Rickard Rakell each scored twice and the Penguins (37-21-16) scored five goals in the second period in a comeback win at UBS Arena. Sidney Crosby had two assists to become the eighth player in NHL history with 1,100. He's also the second player ever with 1,100 for one franchise, joining Ray Bourque (1,111 with the Boston Bruins). The victory moved the Penguins into second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Islanders (42-28-5) with a game in hand.

Colorado Avalanche 9, Calgary Flames 2: Nazem Kadri scored twice against his former team as part of Colorado's five-goal first period at Ball Arena. Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas, Jack Drury and Parker Kelly each had a goal and two assists, and Scott Wedgewood made 27 saves for Colorado (49-14-10), which leads the NHL, Western Conference and Central Division with 108 points, eight ahead of the Dallas Stars with a game in hand. Calgary (31-35-8) is seven points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card from the Western Conference.

Vegas Golden Knights 4, Vancouver Canucks 2: Vegas rallied for its first win under coach John Tortorella. Rasmus Andersson, Shea Theodore, Reilly Smith and Cole Smith scored, and Adin Hill made 22 saves for the Golden Knights, who had lost three in a row (0-1-2) and six of seven (1-4-2). Vegas (33-26-16) is third in the Pacific Division, one point behind the second-place Edmonton Oilers, who have a game in hand, and six points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who have two games in hand. The Canucks (21-44-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Anaheim Ducks 4 (OT): John Tavares scored his second goal of the game with five seconds remaining in overtime at Honda Center. Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier scored before leaving because of an upper-body injury, and John Carlson, acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on March 6, scored his first goal with Anaheim (41-28-5). The Ducks have lost two straight but have points in seven of their past eight game (5-1-2). The point gained in the overtime loss Monday extended their Pacific Division lead to four points on the second-place Edmonton Oilers. The win moved the Maple Leafs (32-30-13) 11 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East.

San Jose Sharks 5, St. Louis Blues 4: Macklin Celebrini had two goals and an assist to reach 100 points for the first time in his NHL career, and Adam Gaudette scored the game-winner with 22 seconds left in the third period at SAP Center. Celebrini now has 101 points (38 goals, 63 assists) and the 19-year-old is the sixth teenager in NHL history with at least 100 points in a season, joining Sidney Crosby (120 in 2006-07, 102 in 2005-06), Wayne Gretzky (137 in 1979-80), Jimmy Carson (107 in 1987-88), Mario Lemieux (100 in 1984-85) and Dale Hawerchuk (103 in 1981-82). Yaroslav Askarov made 22 saves for San Jose (34-31-7), which is 2-0-1 in its past three and moved two points behind the Nashville Predators, who have played two more games, for the second wild card from the West. Theo Lindstein scored his first NHL goal, Pavel Buchnevich, Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler also scored, and Joel Hofer made 24 saves for the Blues. St. Louis (31-31-11) is four points behind Nashville for the second wild card from the West, with one game in hand.