What’s at Stake in the NHL: Big night for Eastern Conference Wildcard picture
Welcome to the April leg of the 2023-24 NHL regular season. At this point in the calendar, the stakes are elevated. We’re starting to see teams clinch playoff spots. Players are hitting milestones. There’s seemingly something on the line every night.
So what’s at stake during the eight-game slate of action on Tuesday, April 2?
– There are no clinching or elimination scenarios in play. The Seattle Kraken staved off elimination by winning Monday night. With the Detroit Red Wings and New York Islanders winning and the Philadelphia Flyers picking up a point Monday, too, the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t clinch and can’t on Tuesday, not even with an Islanders loss.
– While no playoff spots will be determined Tuesday, the slate does feature some borderline do-or-die affairs. The Washington Capitals can slip past Philadelphia and take over third place in the Metro Division with a win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres (0.5%) are one of six non-eliminated teams in action that have less than a 15 percent chance of making the postseason, per moneypuck.com. The others: the Isles (13.5%), Pittsburgh Penguins (8.2%), New Jersey Devils (6.5%), Minnesota Wild (4.6%) and Ottawa Senators (listed at 0.0% but not mathematically eliminated).
– If the Islanders beat the Chicago Blackhawks, they’ll move within one point of a playoff spot for the first time in more than two weeks. A win and a Caps loss would pull Pittsburgh within three points of a playoff spot for the first time in more than two months. Whoa.
– Sidney Crosby reached one incredible milestone Monday night, securing his 19th consecutive point-per-game season, equalling Wayne Gretzky for the most ever. In the process, Crosby reached 997 career assists. With three more against New Jersey, he’d become the 14th member of the 1,000-assist club.
– The Nasville Predators’ Filip Forsberg needs two goals to equal Matt Duchene’s franchise single-season record of 43, achieved two years ago. A hat trick versus the Boston Bruins would give Forsberg the record to himself at 44.
– While the Calgary Flames aren’t facing elimination, a regulation loss at home to the Anaheim Ducks would put Calgary on the brink by capping their ceiling at 89 points. The Los Angeles Kings already have 87 as they hold down the second Western Conference Wildcard spot.
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