What’s at stake in the NHL: Sabres, Flames, Predators face elimination

The NHL season is winding down, with less than a week remaining on the regular-season schedule. We’ve reached the point of the campaign at which some clinching or elimination scenario is seemingly in play every night, so we’ll keep you abreast on what to watch for each day between now and the end of the regular season.

What’s at stake in the standings for Monday, April 10?

The Buffalo Sabres (39-32-7) are fighting for their playoff lives Monday. They enter play with two games in hand on the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers, who each have 91 points, but the Sabres are six points behind at 85. If the Islanders and Panthers both win and the Sabres lose in any fashion, the Sabres are eliminated. A Buffalo regulation loss coupled with a single point from the Isles (at Washington) AND Panthers (at home to Toronto) would eliminate the Sabres mathematically, too. If the Sabres lose in regulation and the Isles and Panthers both do as well, the Sabres would still be able to catch the Islanders and Panthers for the first tiebreaker (ROW). The Panthers hold the second tiebreaker (head to head points), however, so any regulation loss by Buffalo on Monday would make it impossible to catch Florida.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (40-30-10) are idle Monday but sit one point behind the Isles and Panthers with two games remaining, so wins by New York and Florida Monday would be devastating for the Pens’ playoff hopes – although it would not officially eliminate them.

The Winnipeg Jets (44-32-3) occupy the last Western Conference playoff spot with 91 points and three games to play. They visit the San Jose Sharks Monday. Meanwhile, the two teams chasing Winnipeg, the Nashville Predators (40-31-8) and Calgary Flames (37-27-16), meet in a pivotal clash in Music City.

A single point from the Jets can eliminate the Predators or the Flames if either of them loses in regulation, as the Jets hold the ROW tiebreaker over both teams. A win for the Jets and one point or fewer for the Flames or Predators would eliminate one of them as well.

The Jets cannot clinch a playoff spot in any scenario Monday because one of Nashville and Calgary is guaranteed to come away with two points.

If the Jets lose in regulation, Calgary and Nashville won’t be eliminated in any scenario Monday.   

IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY…

Western Conference

(P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC2) Winnipeg Jets
(C1) Dallas Stars (WC1) Seattle Kraken
(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings
(C2) Colorado Avalanche vs. (C3) Minnesota Wild

Eastern Conference

(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) New York Islanders
(M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Florida Panthers
(M2) New Jersey Devils vs. (M3) New York Rangers
(A2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning