NHL playoff watch: Projecting the Ducks' Pacific title chances

3 hours ago 4

ESPN staffMar 15, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

On March 15, 2025, the Anaheim Ducks had 65 points through 66 games. They had a 0.1% chance of making the playoffs, and sure enough they did not; Anaheim finished with 80 points, 16 behind the St. Louis Blues, who earned the second wild card.

On March 15, 2026, the Ducks have 75 points through 66 games. They have a 98.2% chance of making the playoffs, and in fact are in second place in their division prior to Sunday's games. The Vegas Golden Knights are one point ahead, with 76 through 67 contests.

While a playoff berth seems highly likely, what are the chances they pull off a division title after missing the playoffs entirely last season?

Sunday's game is the next step down that path. After a loss to the Ottawa Senators in Canada's capital on Saturday, they'll head to la belle province to skate against the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+). These two teams met on March 6 in Anaheim, and the Ducks earned a 6-5 shootout victory.

After the game against Montreal, the Ducks will have 15 games remaining this season, including just four against teams currently in playoff position. How does that compare to their top Pacific Division competition?

The Golden Knights also have 15 games remaining, with six against current playoff teams.
The Edmonton Oilers take on the Nashville Predators on Sunday, then have 14 games thereafter, including eight against current playoff teams.

Stathletes gives a slight edge to the Golden Knights; their 95.7 projected point total is ahead of the Ducks (95) and the Oilers (90.3). But this race may well come down to the very end of the season, as Anaheim and Edmonton both play on that day.

Every team has fewer than 20 games left before the regular season concludes April 16, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Last night's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Detroit Red Wings
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Islanders

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 San Jose Sharks
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Anaheim Ducks vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Today's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets, 3 p.m. (NHL Network)
San Jose Sharks at Ottawa Senators, 5 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Nashville Predators at Edmonton Oilers, 8 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Seattle Kraken, 8 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Ottawa Senators 2, Anaheim Ducks 0
Boston Bruins 3, Washington Capitals 2 (SO)
Winnipeg Jets 3, Colorado Avalanche 1
New York Rangers 4, Minnesota Wild 2
Buffalo Sabres 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 2 (SO)
San Jose Sharks 4, Montreal Canadiens 2
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
New Jersey Devils 6, Los Angeles Kings 4
New York Islanders 3, Calgary Flames 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 2, Philadelphia Flyers 1 (SO)
Dallas Stars 3, Detroit Red Wings 2 (OT)
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Utah Mammoth 3
Seattle Kraken 5, Vancouver Canucks 2
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Chicago Blackhawks 0

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 107.7
Next game: @ VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 106.0
Next game: @ SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 103.5
Next game: vs. ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 94.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 99.4
Next game: @ NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 71.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 34.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 94.6
Next game: vs. SJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 60.7%
Tragic number: 29

Florida Panthers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 2%
Tragic number: 23

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 18

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 111.8
Next game: @ CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 100.6
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 63.3%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: @ TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 63.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 98.2
Next game: vs. CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 85.9%
Tragic number: 31

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 91.9
Next game: @ ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 11.9%
Tragic number: 26

Washington Capitals

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 89.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 11%
Tragic number: 22

New Jersey Devils

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 84.5
Next game: vs. BOS (Monday)
Playoff chances: 1.7%
Tragic number: 20

New York Rangers

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 79.5
Next game: vs. LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 16

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 122.4
Next game: vs. PIT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 107.7
Next game: vs. TOR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 90.6
Next game: @ DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 96.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 84.5
Next game: @ EDM (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 7.8%
Tragic number: 31

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 80.7
Next game: vs. STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 2.8%
Tragic number: 28

St. Louis Blues

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 79.5
Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 3.7%
Tragic number: 26

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 75.8
Next game: vs. MIN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 23

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 93.0
Next game: vs. BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 98.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 93.2
Next game: @ MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 98.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 89.3
Next game: vs. NSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 84.6%
Tragic number: N/A

San Jose Sharks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 89.7
Next game: @ OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 69.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 12.1%
Tragic number: 33

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: @ NYR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 25.6%
Tragic number: 31

Calgary Flames

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 73.3
Next game: @ DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 21

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 48
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 59.6
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 10

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. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.