NHL playoff watch: The Oilers' path to a Pacific title

On multiple occasions in recent NHL history, the team that loses the Stanley Cup Final has a worse hangover the next season than the team that won. That hasn't been the case for the Edmonton Oilers in 2024-25, at least based on the first 63 games of the campaign.

Edmonton sits second in the Pacific Division, with 78 points and 27 regulation wins to the Vegas Golden Knights' 82 and 35. Is there a path for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl & Co. to take over that top spot?

Either way, the Oilers' march to the playoffs continues tonight against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+). Following the contest in Western New York, Oilers visit the three NYC metro teams (Devils on Thursday, Islanders on Friday, Rangers on Sunday) before heading home.

All told, their final 19 games include just seven against teams currently in playoff position. One of those games -- on Tuesday, April 1 -- pits them against the Golden Knights in a "four-point game" that could define their quest to win the regular-season title.

In the end, it may not matter much which playoff seed they earn -- after all, they've won at least one round the past three postseasons from the No. 2 spot, and made the Cup Final back in 2006 as the West's eighth seed.

There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season on April 17, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide detail on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Saturday's schedule
Friday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Columbus Blue Jackets
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

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

Monday's games

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

Edmonton Oilers at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Detroit Red Wings at Ottawa Senators, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Utah Hockey Club, 10 p.m.

Sunday's scoreboard

New Jersey Devils 3, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Washington Capitals 4, Seattle Kraken 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Minnesota Wild 1
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Winnipeg Jets 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 7, New York Rangers 3
Los Angeles Kings 6, Vegas Golden Knights 5
Dallas Stars 4, Vancouver Canucks 1
Anaheim Ducks 4, New York Islanders 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Florida Panthers

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 106.3
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: @ UTA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 91.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.5%
Tragic number: 36

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 7.9%
Tragic number: 36

Boston Bruins

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 32

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 71.4
Next game: vs. EDM (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 26

Metro Division

Washington Capitals

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 117.9
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 93.4
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 85.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 27.4%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 37.6%
Tragic number: 36

New York Islanders

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 86.0
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 31.3%
Tragic number: 37

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 78.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.2%
Tragic number: 28

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 74.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 24

Central Division

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 116.1
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 110.2
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 99.9
Next game: vs. CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 97.4
Next game: s. COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 93.7%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 28.2%
Tragic number: 34

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 25.6%
Tragic number: 35

Nashville Predators

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 71.6
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 24

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 62.8
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 16

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 106.7
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ BUF (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 20
Points pace: 99.2
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 92%
Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 34.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 26.3%
Tragic number: 38

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 32

Seattle Kraken

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 73.2
Next game: vs. MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 23

San Jose Sharks

Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 54.2
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 8

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 No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17

3. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20

4. Nashville Predators

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20

5. Seattle Kraken

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22

6. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17

7. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17

8. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20

9. New York Islanders

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23