Playoff watch: Who are winning the West wild cards?

3 hours ago 2

ESPN staffMar 10, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

There's about a quarter of the season left for NHL teams, so a lot can change. But as of March 10, it looks like the cost of admission (by standings points) to the Eastern Conference playoff bracket is going to be a bit higher than qualifying in the West.

Nevertheless, eight teams will qualify from the conference. Three of those slots are almost 100% spoken for by the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild. The Pacific Division's top three -- the Anaheim Ducks, Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers -- are well on their way.

But what about the wild cards?

As the games begin on Tuesday, the Utah Mammoth are in the first wild-card spot, with 73 points through 64 games. The Mammoth have gone 4-2-1 since the Olympic break, including three straight wins prior to Monday's OT loss. Tuesday, they face off against the Wild (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu), whom they have beaten in both matchups thus far this season.

Beyond Tuesday's game, the Mammoth have 17 games remaining, eight of which are against teams currently in playoff position. How does that stack up against the teams chasing them?

The Seattle Kraken are in the second wild-card spot, with 67 points through 62 games. Including Tuesday, the Kraken have 20 games remaining, including 10 against current playoff teams.
The San Jose Sharks have 66 points through 61 games. Of their remaining 21 games, just eight are against playoff teams.
The Los Angeles Kings also have 66 points, but through 63 games. Their remaining 19 games include only seven matchups against playoff teams.
The Nashville Predators remain on the bubble, with 64 points in 63 games. With 19 games remaining, they'll take on playoff teams in 10 contests.

As far as the projections are concerned among those teams, Stathletes gives the best playoff chances to the Mammoth (98.9%) and Sharks (71.9%), followed by the Kraken (23.3%), Kings (8.4%) and Predators (6.9%).

Every team has around 20 games left before the 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 detail 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
Tuesday's schedule
Monday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Montreal Canadiens
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Detroit Red Wings

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Boston Bruins
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Islanders

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Seattle Kraken
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

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

Tuesday's games

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

Los Angeles Kings at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.
Calgary Flames at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
New York Islanders at St. Louis Blues, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m.
Utah Mammoth at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets, 8:30 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Nashville Predators at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.

Monday's scoreboard

Los Angeles Kings 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 4 (OT)
New York Rangers 6, Philadelphia Flyers 2
Washington Capitals 7, Calgary Flames 3
Chicago Blackhawks 3, Utah Mammoth 2 (OT)
Ottawa Senators 2, Vancouver Canucks 0

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 107.6
Next game: vs. SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 108.5
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 101.2
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 51.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 103.2
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 83.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 98.9
Next game: vs. LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 71.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 95.0
Next game: vs. MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 69.3%
Tragic number: 35

Florida Panthers

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 3.9%
Tragic number: 27

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 25

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 111.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 64.6%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 98.7
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 59.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 96.3
Next game: @ TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 73.1%
Tragic number: 36

Washington Capitals

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 89.6
Next game: @ PHI (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 12.3%
Tragic number: 29

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. WSH (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 8%
Tragic number: 31

New Jersey Devils

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 4%
Tragic number: 26

New York Rangers

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 75.5
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 20

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 125.7
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 108.9
Next game: vs. UTA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 93.5
Next game: @ MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 98.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: @ SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 6.9%
Tragic number: 35

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 82
Next game: vs. ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 11%
Tragic number: 35

St. Louis Blues

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 76.8
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1.5%
Tragic number: 30

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 75.6
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 28

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 95.0
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 96.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 92.3
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 96.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 89.7
Next game: @ COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 84.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 88.6
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 23.3%
Tragic number: N/A

San Jose Sharks

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 88.7
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 71.9%
Tragic number: 41

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 8.4%
Tragic number: 37

Calgary Flames

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 74.2
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 28

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 46
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 58.9
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 15

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