SPORTS

NHL playoff watch standings update: Battle of Alberta highlights Saturday's slate as Flames host ...

ByTim Kavanagh ESPN logo

Saturday, March 26, 2022

We often hear that the NHL has some of the best rivalries in professional sports, and there's nothing like a big rivalry matchup when both teams are in the playoff mix. As it pertains to the rush to the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, one of the matchups we're excited to see this weekend is the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Calgary Flames, tonight at 10 ET.

This will be the final of four Battle of Alberta games this season. The Oilers took the first two contests at home (5-2 on Oct. 19 and 5-3 on Jan. 22), while the Flames bit back 3-1 on March 7 in their first home game of the season series. Tonight's contest will again be at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, as the Flames look to extend their lead atop the Pacific Division and the Oilers look to move closer to the Los Angeles Kings for the No. 2 seed in the division.

The final score is the ultimate arbiter here, but we'll be closely monitoring this one for any extracurricular physicality as well, as these games have been (relatively) tame thus far.

As we enter the post-deadline span 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

Today's games

Last 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 Boston Bruins

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Rangers

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 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Today's games

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

New York Islanders at Boston Bruins, 12:30 p.m. (NHLN)

Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings, 12:30 p.m.

Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights, 3:00 p.m. (ABC, ESPN+)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.

Florida Panthers at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.

New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.

Vancouver Canucks at Dallas Stars, 7 p.m.

Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames, 10 p.m.

Seattle Kraken at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.

Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

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

Washington Capitals 4, Buffalo Sabres 3 (SO)

New York Rangers 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 1

Winnipeg Jets 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 3 (OT)

Colorado Avalanche 6, Philadelphia Flyers 3

Calgary Flames 4, Arizona Coyotes 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Florida Panthers

Points: 92

Regulation wins: 33

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 19

Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: A2

Games left: 19

Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 85

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: A3

Games left: 18

Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 84

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 19

Next game: @ DET (Saturday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 59

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 13

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 55

Regulation wins: 17

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Next game: @ NYR (Sunday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 7

Ottawa Senators

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 5

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 44

Regulation wins: 12

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: N/A%

Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 91

Regulation wins: 36

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 18

Next game: @ STL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 88

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: M2

Games left: 16

Next game: vs. DET (Sunday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 35

Playoff position: M3

Games left: 17

Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 82

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 16

Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 98%

Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 68

Regulation wins: 22

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Next game: @ MIN (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 20

New York Islanders

Points: 65

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 20

Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 1%

Tragic number: 23

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 53

Regulation wins: 17

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Next game: @ NSH (Sunday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 5

New Jersey Devils

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 16

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: @ WSH (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 5

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 97

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 17

Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 28

Playoff position: C2

Games left: 20

Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 99%

Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 32

Playoff position: C3

Games left: 19

Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 97%

Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 78

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 17

Next game: vs. PHI (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 91%

Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 75

Regulation wins: 23

Playoff position: WC2

Games left: 19

Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 85%

Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 72

Regulation wins: 26

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 16

Next game: vs. ARI (Sunday)

Playoff chances: 9%

Tragic number: 29

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 57

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 17

Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 16

Arizona Coyotes

Points: 44

Regulation wins: 15

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 5

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames

Points: 86

Regulation wins: 34

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 18

Next game:

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 27

Playoff position: P2

Games left: 16

Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 83%

Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 77

Regulation wins: 30

Playoff position: P3

Games left: 17

Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 82%

Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 29

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 15

Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 41%

Tragic number: 29

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 71

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 16

Next game: @ DAL (Saturday)

Playoff chances: 13%

Tragic number: 28

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 65

Regulation wins: 18

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 16

Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 22

San Jose Sharks

Points: 64

Regulation wins: 19

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 25

Seattle Kraken

Points: 46

Regulation wins: 17

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 18

Next game: @ LA (Saturday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 7

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 may 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.