NHL playoff watch: The path for the Avalanche, Oilers to meet in the playoffs

Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are two of the best hockey players in the world. Neither has come close to winning the Stanley Cup yet, but if things break a certain way this postseason, one of them could be guaranteed a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Avs have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and are in the mix for the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top team overall this regular season. They’ll face the West’s No. 2 wild card (currently the Dallas Stars) in the first round, followed by the winner of the St. Louis Blues–Minnesota Wild series in the second round in order to get to the Conference finals. Per Money Puck, the Avs have a 43.4% chance of making it that far.

As for the Oilers, they’ve got a series forthcoming against the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division, currently the Los Angeles Kings. Win that one, and they’ll face the winner of the series pitting the Calgary Flames against the West’s No. 1 wild card (currently the Nashville Predators). Money Puck gives the Oilers a 24.6% chance of getting to the Conference finals.

The still-raging Western wild-card race will have much to do with both teams’ paths to another showdown. But we’ll be keeping a close eye on their game tonight (9 ET, streaming live ESPN+ for out-of-market subscribers) to get a preview of this possible future matchup.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Wednesday’s games
Tuesday night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

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Tonight’s games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available to stream on ESPN+.

Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. (NHLN)
Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Arizona Coyotes, 10:30 p.m.

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Last night’s scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Philadelphia Flyers 6, Montreal Canadiens 3
Florida Panthers 5, Detroit Red Wings 2
Buffalo Sabres 5, New Jersey Devils 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Boston Bruins 0
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Winnipeg Jets 2
New York Rangers 6, New York Islanders 3
Tampa Bay Lightning 8, Toronto Maple Leafs 1
Minnesota Wild 6, Vancouver Canucks 3
Calgary Flames 4, Dallas Stars 2
Los Angeles Kings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1
St. Louis Blues 3, San Jose Sharks 1

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Expanded standings

Note: x = clinched playoff spot; y = clinched division title; z = clinched best conference record; e = eliminated

Atlantic Division

Points: 118
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 4
Next game: @ FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: @ CBJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Metropolitan Division

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 44
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 4
Next game: @ NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 4
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 4
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 5
Next game: @ ARI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. OTT (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Central Division

Points: 116
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 5
Next game: @ EDM (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. SEA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 4
Next game: @ ARI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 5
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 77%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. COL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. WSH (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Pacific Division

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. COL (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 95%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. SJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 28%
Tragic number: 7

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2%
Tragic number: 5

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ MIN (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

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Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team might 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. The 2022 draft lottery will be held on May 10.

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 16

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 15

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 32

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 31

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33

Notes on conditionally traded picks impacting the top 16:

• Columbus will receive Chicago’s first-round pick if Chicago does not win either of the two draws in the 2022 draft lottery. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.

• Buffalo will receive Vegas’ first-round pick if it is outside the top 10 selections. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.