NHL playoff watch: Projecting the Red Wings' postseason chances

6 hours ago 1

ESPN staffMar 27, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

The Buffalo Sabres have the NHL's longest postseason drought, with the club last appearing in a postseason game in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs.

It appears that Buffalo will not only make the playoffs this season -- the Sabres might go in as one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The NHL's second-longest postseason drought belongs to the Detroit Red Wings, whose last appearance was in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. Will their playoff-less streak also end in 2026?

Coincidentally, the two teams meet Friday (7 p.m. ET, NHL Network) for the final time this season. Given the current standings, one of the two teams needs a win a bit more than the other.

The Red Wings enter the game with 84 points and 27 regulation wins through 71 games. That puts them one point and five RW behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card, as well as four points and two RW behind the Boston Bruins for the first.

Detroit does not have any games remaining against Ottawa or Boston, so the Red Wings can't directly beat the teams they are chasing.

Of the Red Wings' final 10 games, just four are against teams currently in the playoffs; oddly, three of the remaining 10 are against the Philadelphia Flyers, who are also on the playoff bubble.

How does that compare with the teams Detroit is chasing? Ottawa has 10 games remaining, including five against current playoff teams, while Boston's final 10 games include seven games against teams in playoff position.

Stathletes gives the Red Wings a 34.7% chance of qualifying for a playoff spot, which trails the Senators (79.7%) and Bruins (66.9%).

Every team has around 10 games remaining 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 New York Islanders
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Columbus Blue Jackets

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

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

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).

Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Chicago Blackhawks at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Montreal Canadiens 2, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Ottawa Senators 3 (SO)
Seattle Kraken 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3 (OT)
Minnesota Wild 3, Florida Panthers 2
New York Islanders 2, Dallas Stars 1
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Chicago Blackhawks 1
St. Louis Blues 2, San Jose Sharks 1 (OT)
New Jersey Devils 4, Nashville Predators 2
Colorado Avalanche 3, Winnipeg Jets 2
Washington Capitals 7, Utah Mammoth 4
Anaheim Ducks 3, Calgary Flames 2 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 5, Vegas Golden Knights 3 (OT)
Los Angeles Kings 4, Vancouver Canucks 0

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: vs. DET (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 12
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 103.9
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 93%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 66.9%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 79.7%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 97.0
Next game: @ BUF (Friday)
Playoff chances: 34.7%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 6

Florida Panthers

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 80%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 91.7%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 43.7%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 94.7
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 7.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 17

Washington Capitals

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12

New Jersey Devils

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 87.8
Next game: @ CAR (Saturday
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11

e - New York Rangers

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 74.0
Next game: vs. CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT

Central Division

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 122.4
Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 2
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 88.0
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 46.9%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 15

St. Louis Blues

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 7.8%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 16

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 76.3
Next game: @ NYR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 10

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 88.4%
Magic number: 15
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 88.7
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 86.6
Next game: vs. UTA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 36.7%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

Seattle Kraken

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19

San Jose Sharks

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 18

Calgary Flames

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 77.4
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 57.8
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT

Note: An "x" with a team's name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An "e" means that the club has been mathematically eliminated.

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.