NHL Playoff Watch Daily: Which teams have the inside track on postseason, draft lottery after trade deadline
The 2021 NHL trade deadline did not have the high volume of trades that characterized the past few seasons. But some significant players did change teams, including Taylor Hall to the Bruins, Kyle Palmieri to the Islanders, Nick Foligno to the Maple Leafs, Anthony Mantha to the Capitals, David Savard to the Lightning and Mattias Janmark to the Golden Knights.
The entire West Division is off on Tuesday night, but six teams currently occupying playoff spots in the other divisions will hit the ice looking to bolster their playoff chances this evening. That includes the Lightning visiting the Predators. The Lightning lead the season series 6-1, and Andrei Vasilevskiy had a 36-save shutout to lead Tampa Bay to a 3-0 victory in their most recent matchup.
Elsewhere, Hall will be with the Bruins as they take on his former team, the Sabres; because of postponements, these teams have played only twice so far this season, with the Bruins winning both. Tuesday’s game is the first of six remaining between the clubs.
As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2021 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Money Puck. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: E1
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: E2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: E3
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 98.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 48
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: E4
Games left: 17
Next game: vs. BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 76.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 16.9%
Tragic number: 27
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: @ WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 9.6%
Tragic number: 26
Points: 34
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Next game: vs. NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 26
Regulation wins: 7
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 8
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 15
Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 15
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 56
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 47
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: C4
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 48.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ DET (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 15.1%
Tragic number: 24
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 37.2%
Tragic number: 26
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 16
Points: 36
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N1
Games left: 14
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 53
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ OTT (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.3%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N3
Games left: 14
Next game: @ VAN (Friday)
Playoff chances: 96.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N4
Games left: 17
Next game: vs. CGY (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 89.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 37
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: @ TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 8.1%
Tragic number: 22
Points: 35
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Next game: vs. EDM (Friday)
Playoff chances: 6.2%
Tragic number: 28
Points: 32
Regulation wins: 10
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. WPG (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: W2
Games left: 14
Next game: @ STL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: W1
Games left: 15
Next game: @ LA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: W3
Games left: 16
Next game: vs. ARI (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: W4
Games left: 15
Next game: vs. COL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 41.6%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 34.1%
Tragic number: 26
Points: 40
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: vs. ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 16.5%
Tragic number: 26
Points: 38
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Next game: vs. VGK (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 8.7%
Tragic number: 25
Points: 33
Regulation wins: 8
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 15
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. New for 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.
Points: 26
Regulation wins: 7
Points: 32
Regulation wins: 10
Points: 33
Regulation wins: 8
Points: 34
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 35
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 36
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 37
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 38
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Points: 40
Regulation wins: 12
Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 13
Points: 44
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 45
Regulation wins: 13