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Tim KavanaghESPN.com
There have been some extremely busy nights on the NHL schedule not too long ago, with many playoff contenders battling it out for these treasured factors. Tonight is just not a kind of nights.
Six of the eight groups in motion are in draft lottery positions proper now, and whereas two of them — the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals — can nearly see a pathway to a wild card in the event that they squint their eyes a sure means, the opposite 4 have a mixed playoff probability share of about 4%. However that simply means it is time for one more dive into the NHL draft lottery projections!
For many who have not been paying shut consideration to draft prospects but, a franchise-altering forward named Connor Bedard is tearing up the WHL this season, and would be the first identify off the board this June. Not like another leagues, the worst workforce does not mechanically get the primary choose; as an alternative, a weighted lottery happens, the place groups can transfer up a most of 10 spots by way of two attracts. In different phrases, any workforce that finishes eleventh or worse has a crack at drafting Bedard, thus accelerating their rebuild/retool.
Tonight’s slate options two of the underside 4 groups — the Columbus Blue Jackets (49 factors, 15 regulation wins in 67 video games) and Anaheim Ducks (54, 12 in 68) — squaring off in SoCal. In the meantime, the aforementioned Sabres and Capitals will play the Philadelphia Flyers (59, 22 in 67) and the St. Louis Blues (63, 21 in 67), respectively.
There might be motion within the Bedard standings by tomorrow morning, and make sure to set your calendar for Might 8 at 7 p.m. ET, when the draft lottery will probably be broadcast reside on ESPN.
As we enter the ultimate stretch of the common season, it is time to examine all of the playoff races — together with the groups jockeying for place within the 2023 NHL draft lottery.
Word: Playoff likelihood is by way of FiveThirtyEight.
Soar forward:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s games
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Present playoff matchups
Japanese Convention
A1 Boston Bruins vs. WC2 New York Islanders
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Pittsburgh Penguins
M2 New Jersey Devils vs. M3 New York Rangers
Western Convention
C1 Dallas Stars vs. WC1 Seattle Kraken
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC2 Winnipeg Jets
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
Friday’s video games
Word: All occasions Japanese. All video games not on ESPN, TNT or NHL Community can be found by way of NHL Energy Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (native blackout restrictions apply).
Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
St. Louis Blues at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
Thursday’s scoreboard
Watch “In the Crease” on ESPN+ for highlights from each sport.
Florida Panthers 9, Montreal Canadiens 5
New York Rangers 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 2
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, New Jersey Devils 3 (SO)
Colorado Avalanche 5, Ottawa Senators 4
Chicago Blackhawks 2, Nashville Predators 1
Boston Bruins 3, Winnipeg Jets 0
Edmonton Oilers 4, Dallas Stars 1
Arizona Coyotes 3, Vancouver Canucks 2
Calgary Flames 7, Vegas Golden Knights 2
Los Angeles Kings 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
Seattle Kraken 2, San Jose Sharks 1 (OT)
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Factors: 107
Regulation wins: 44
Playoff place: A1
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 131
Subsequent sport: @ MIN (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 100%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 89
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff place: A2
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 109
Subsequent sport: vs. CAR (Friday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 88
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff place: A3
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 105
Subsequent sport: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 75
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 90
Subsequent sport: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 52%
Tragic quantity: 25
Factors: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 88
Subsequent sport: @ PHI (Friday)
Playoff possibilities: 13%
Tragic quantity: 24
Factors: 70
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 84
Subsequent sport: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 2%
Tragic quantity: 20
Factors: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 85
Subsequent sport: vs. COL (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 2%
Tragic quantity: 21
Factors: 60
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 71
Subsequent sport: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 8
Metropolitan Division
Factors: 96
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff place: M1
Video games left: 16
Factors tempo: 119
Subsequent sport: @ TOR (Friday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 95
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff place: M2
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 115
Subsequent sport: @ FLA (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff place: M3
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 106
Subsequent sport: vs. PIT (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff place: WC1
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 94
Subsequent sport: @ NYR (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 70%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 78
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff place: WC2
Video games left: 12
Factors tempo: 91
Subsequent sport: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 50%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 87
Subsequent sport: vs. STL (Friday)
Playoff possibilities: 12%
Tragic quantity: 21
Factors: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 72
Subsequent sport: vs. BUF (Friday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 11
Factors: 49
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 60
Subsequent sport: @ ANA (Friday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 1
Central Division
Factors: 87
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff place: C1
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 103
Subsequent sport: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff place: C2
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 104
Subsequent sport: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 84
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff place: C3
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 103
Subsequent sport: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 79
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff place: WC2
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 94
Subsequent sport: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 59%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 75
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 16
Factors tempo: 93
Subsequent sport: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 26%
Tragic quantity: 28
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 77
Subsequent sport: @ WSH (Friday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 14
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 75
Subsequent sport: vs. CHI (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 10
Factors: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 65
Subsequent sport: @ ARI (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 3
Pacific Division
Factors: 90
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff place: P1
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 107
Subsequent sport: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff place: P2
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 106
Subsequent sport: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: >99%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 84
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff place: P3
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 100
Subsequent sport: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 98%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff place: WC1
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 100
Subsequent sport: vs. EDM (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 93%
Tragic quantity: N/A
Factors: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 90
Subsequent sport: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 26%
Tragic quantity: 23
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 15
Factors tempo: 77
Subsequent sport: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 14
Factors: 54
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 14
Factors tempo: 65
Subsequent sport: vs. CBJ (Friday)
Playoff possibilities:
Tragic quantity: 3
Factors: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff place: N/A
Video games left: 13
Factors tempo: 62
Subsequent sport: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff possibilities: 0%
Tragic quantity: E
Race for the No. 1 choose
The NHL makes use of a draft lottery to find out the order of the primary spherical, so the workforce that finishes in final place is just not assured the No. 1 choice. As of 2021, a workforce would possibly transfer up a most of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so solely 11 groups are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 choose. Full details on the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer time is Connor Bedard, who has been lauded as a generational expertise.
Factors: 49
Regulation wins: 15
Factors: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Factors: 54
Regulation wins: 12
Factors: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Factors: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Factors: 60
Regulation wins: 18
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 18
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 19
Factors: 63
Regulation wins: 21
Factors: 69
Regulation wins: 24
Factors: 70
Regulation wins: 26
Factors: 72
Regulation wins: 25
Factors: 73
Regulation wins: 25
Factors: 75
Regulation wins: 25
Factors: 75
Regulation wins: 29
Factors: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Notes on traded picks impacting the highest 16: