NHL playoff standings: Who will make the East finals?

Each team has around 20 games remaining this season — although Aaron Ekblad will be missing all 18 of the Florida Panthers’ remaining regular-season games due to a suspension — but it’s not too early to look ahead at the dream matchups for the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.

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One of the contests during Tuesday’s 11-game slate is a possible Eastern Conference finals preview: the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+) in a showdown between two teams built for postseason success.

The winner won’t necessarily have an edge as we head toward the postseason, but we can look at the projections from Stathletes to see the likelihood of a rematch later this spring.

Per the Stathletes model, the Hurricanes have the highest chances of making the ECF, at 48.2%, followed by the Panthers (38.2%), Washington Capitals (30.6%) and then the Lightning (29.8%); the Toronto Maple Leafs round out the top five at 18.6%.

If it comes down to the Canes and Lightning, Tampa Bay has the historical upper hand, winning the teams’ lone series against each other, albeit during the slightly unusual 2021 playoffs, when those two teams were in the realigned Central Division (along with the Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators).

There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season April 17, and we’ll help you keep track of it all 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 matchupsToday’s scheduleYesterday’s scoresExpanded standingsRace for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Ottawa SenatorsA2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay LightningM1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Columbus Blue JacketsM2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Calgary FlamesC2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado AvalancheP1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota WildP2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Tuesday’s games

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

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Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.Ottawa Senators at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.Vegas Golden Knights at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m.Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.New York Rangers at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.Washington Capitals at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.New York Islanders at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Monday’s scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 3, Edmonton Oilers 2Ottawa Senators 2, Detroit Red Wings 1Colorado Avalanche 3, Chicago Blackhawks 0Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Utah Hockey Club 3 (SO)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 83Regulation wins: 34Playoff position: A1Games left: 18Points pace: 106.3Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 81Regulation wins: 31Playoff position: A2Games left: 18Points pace: 103.8Next game: vs. FLA (Thursday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 78Regulation wins: 32Playoff position: A3Games left: 19Points pace: 101.5Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71Regulation wins: 24Playoff position: WC1Games left: 19Points pace: 92.4Next game: @ PHI (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 91.6%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 66Regulation wins: 21Playoff position: N/AGames left: 19Points pace: 85.9Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 9.7%Tragic number: 35

Points: 66Regulation wins: 22Playoff position: N/AGames left: 18Points pace: 84.6Next game: vs. BUF (Wednesday)Playoff chances: 9.4%Tragic number: 33

Points: 66Regulation wins: 22Playoff position: N/AGames left: 17Points pace: 83.3Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 5.6%Tragic number: 31

Points: 56Regulation wins: 21Playoff position: N/AGames left: 19Points pace: 72.9Next game: @ DET (Wednesday)Playoff chances: ~0%Tragic number: 25

Metro Division

Points: 92Regulation wins: 35Playoff position: M1Games left: 18Points pace: 117.9Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 80Regulation wins: 33Playoff position: M2Games left: 18Points pace: 102.5Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 74Regulation wins: 30Playoff position: M3Games left: 17Points pace: 93.4Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 93.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 70Regulation wins: 23Playoff position: WC2Games left: 19Points pace: 91.1Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 42.1%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 68Regulation wins: 29Playoff position: N/AGames left: 18Points pace: 87.1Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 28.1%Tragic number: 35

Points: 65Regulation wins: 23Playoff position: N/AGames left: 20Points pace: 86.0Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 16.9%Tragic number: 36

Points: 62Regulation wins: 17Playoff position: N/AGames left: 17Points pace: 78.2Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 2.4%Tragic number: 27

Points: 60Regulation wins: 17Playoff position: N/AGames left: 16Points pace: 74.6Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 0.3%Tragic number: 23

Central Division

Points: 92Regulation wins: 36Playoff position: C1Games left: 17Points pace: 116.1Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 86Regulation wins: 35Playoff position: C2Games left: 18Points pace: 110.2Next game: @ WPG (Friday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 80Regulation wins: 34Playoff position: C3Games left: 17Points pace: 100.9Next game: @ MIN (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76Regulation wins: 29Playoff position: WC1Games left: 18Points pace: 97.4Next game: s. COL (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 91.1%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 69Regulation wins: 22Playoff position: N/AGames left: 17Points pace: 87.1Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)Playoff chances: 29.9%Tragic number: 34

Points: 67Regulation wins: 20Playoff position: N/AGames left: 18Points pace: 85.8Next game: vs. ANA (Wednesday)Playoff chances: 25.7%Tragic number: 34

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

Points: 49Regulation wins: 17Playoff position: N/AGames left: 17Points pace: 61.8Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)Playoff chances: ~0%Tragic number: 14

Pacific Division

Points: 82Regulation wins: 35Playoff position: P1Games left: 19Points pace: 106.7Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 99.9%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 78Regulation wins: 27Playoff position: P2Games left: 18Points pace: 99.9Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)Playoff chances: 99.8%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 75Regulation wins: 29Playoff position: P3Games left: 20Points pace: 99.2Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)Playoff chances: 97.3%Tragic number: N/A

Points: 70Regulation wins: 24Playoff position: WC2Games left: 19Points pace: 91.1Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)Playoff chances: 35.6%Tragic number: N/A