NHL playoff watch: Bruins-Capitals the highlight of a 14-game slate

6 hours ago 9

ESPN staffMar 14, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

The 2025-26 NHL season is closing in on its final 30 days, and Saturday's slate provides a number of high-intensity matchups.

With 14 games on the schedule -- including five starting at 7 p.m. ET (!) -- it's another night where a multi-view option will be a necessity.

However, one of the most critical games to the playoff bubble takes place in the middle of the afternoon, as the Boston Bruins visit the Washington Capitals (3 p.m. ET, ABC and the ESPN App).

The Bruins enter the game as the second Eastern Conference wild card, having generated 78 standings points through 65 games. The Capitals are part of the logjam of teams trying to chase them down, with 73 points through 67 games.

Among the teams battling it out on the wild-card bubble, the Bruins have one of the more favorable remaining schedules -- and they've beaten the Caps twice already this season, including 3-1 this past Saturday.

Of course, it's not just the Capitals the Bruins have to worry about: the Columbus Blue Jackets are one point behind, and the Philadelphia Flyers are five points behind; those two clubs square off Saturday as well. The Ottawa Senators -- yet another team with 73 points -- take on the Pacific Division-leading Anaheim Ducks at 1 p.m.

Whichever of these teams winds up earning the second wild card, a tough task awaits in the first round of the playoffs: a series against either the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning or Buffalo Sabres. Coincidentally, those who want to efficiently scout the Canes and Lightning are in luck: Tampa Bay hosts Carolina at 7 p.m.

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 Detroit Red Wings
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens

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

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

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

Saturday's games

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

Anaheim Ducks at Ottawa Senators, 1 p.m.
Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 3 p.m. (ABC)
Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets, 4 p.m.
New York Rangers at Minnesota Wild, 6 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
San Jose Sharks at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles Kings at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.
Calgary Flames at New York Islanders, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Utah Mammoth, 9 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.

Friday night's scoreboard

Los Angeles Kings 3, New York Islanders 2
St. Louis Blues 3, Edmonton Oilers 2 (OT)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 106.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 107.6
Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 105.1
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 98.2
Next game: @ DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 33.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 98.4
Next game: @ WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 70.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 93.5
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 58.7%
Tragic number: 31

Florida Panthers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ SEA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1.9%
Tragic number: 25

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 21

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 111.0
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 99.7
Next game: @ UTA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 60.2%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 16
Points pace: 98.2
Next game: vs. CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 75.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 97.1
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 84.5%
Tragic number: 33

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 92.1
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10.7%
Tragic number: 29

Washington Capitals

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 89.3
Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10%
Tragic number: 25

New Jersey Devils

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1.5%
Tragic number: 22

New York Rangers

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 78.2
Next game: @ MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 18

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 124.3
Next game: @ WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 16
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 91.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 96.6%
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: 7.6%
Tragic number: 32

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 79.4
Next game: vs. COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.7%
Tragic number: 29

St. Louis Blues

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 79.5
Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1.8%
Tragic number: 27

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 77.0
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 26

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 94.6
Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 91.9
Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 98.8%
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: 89.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 18.9%
Tragic number: N/A

San Jose Sharks

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 88.5
Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 70.4%
Tragic number: 37

Seattle Kraken

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 85.8
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 14.9%
Tragic number: 34

Calgary Flames

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 74.4
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 24

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 48
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 60.6
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 13

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.