Heading into Monday's slate of action around the NHL -- featuring 14 games, nine of which started at 7 p.m. ET for some reason -- we knew there would be significant fallout in the playoff races. And there certainly was. Thanks to their win over the New Jersey Devils, the Boston Bruins clinched a playoff spot; with the New York Islanders losing to the Buffalo Sabres, Boston jumps into the No. 3 seed in the East Division. Everyone in the East is chasing the Washington Capitals, who won a controversy-filled game against the New York Rangers. Our four East teams are set; now it's just a matter of determining seeding. The Bruins will take on the Devils again Tuesday, while the Isles get a rematch against the Sabres. Our other clinchers from Monday are the Edmonton Oilers after their win over the Vancouver Canucks. The Toronto Maple Leafs are all but set in the No. 1 spot in the North, and Edmonton is distancing itself in the No. 2 position. As for the other two, the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens seem all but destined to make the playoffs, but they are tied in the points column after Monday (57); Winnipeg holds the head-to-head and regulation-wins tiebreakers over Montreal currently. There were some eliminations from the playoff races Monday, as we officially said goodbye to the Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. All three clubs have some encouraging trends to build on, so we hope to see them back in the thick it in 2021-22. Having reached 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. Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Race for No. 1 pick East DivisionWashington Capitals - xPoints: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: E1
Games left: 4
Next game: @ NYR (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Pittsburgh Penguins - xPoints: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: E2
Games left: 3
Next game: @ PHI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Boston Bruins - xPoints: 68
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: E3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ NJ (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A New York Islanders - xPoints: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: E4
Games left: 4
Next game: @ BUF (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A New York RangersPoints: 58
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. WSH (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Philadelphia FlyersPoints: 53
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. PIT (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E New Jersey DevilsPoints: 41
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. BOS (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Buffalo SabresPoints: 35
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. NYI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central DivisionCarolina Hurricanes - xPoints: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. CHI (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Florida Panthers - xPoints: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 2
Next game: vs. TB (May 8)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Tampa Bay Lightning - xPoints: 73
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. DAL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Nashville PredatorsPoints: 60
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: C4
Games left: 3
Next game: @ CBJ (May 5)
Playoff chances: 91.2%
Tragic number: N/A Dallas StarsPoints: 56
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ TB (May 5)
Playoff chances: 8.8%
Tragic number: 4 Chicago BlackhawksPoints: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ CAR (May 4)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Detroit Red WingsPoints: 45
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Next game: @ CBJ (May 7)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Columbus Blue JacketsPoints: 44
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. NSH (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
North DivisionToronto Maple Leafs - xPoints: 72
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N1
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. MTL (May 6)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Edmonton Oilers - xPoints: 64
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N2
Games left: 6
Next game: @ VAN (May 4)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Winnipeg JetsPoints: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ CGY (May 5)
Playoff chances: 99.2%
Tragic number: N/A Montreal CanadiensPoints: 57
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N4
Games left: 5
Next game: @ OTT (May 5)
Playoff chances: 95.3%
Tragic number: N/A Calgary FlamesPoints: 47
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. WPG (May 5)
Playoff chances: 5.4%
Tragic number: 2 Ottawa SenatorsPoints: 45
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. MTL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Vancouver CanucksPoints: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ EDM (May 6)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 4
West DivisionVegas Golden Knights - xPoints: 74
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: W1
Games left: 5
Next game: @ MIN (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Colorado Avalanche - xPoints: 72
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: W2
Games left: 6
Next game: @ SJ (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A Minnesota Wild - xPoints: 70
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: W3
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. VGS (May 5)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A St. Louis BluesPoints: 55
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: W4
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. ANA (May 5)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A Arizona CoyotesPoints: 50
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: vs. LA (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Tragic number: 2 Los Angeles KingsPoints: 46
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ ARI (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 4 San Jose SharksPoints: 46
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: vs. COL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E Anaheim DucksPoints: 39
Regulation wins: 11
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 3
Next game: @ STL (May 5)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Current playoff matchupsEast DivisionNo. 1 Washington Capitals vs. No. 4 New York Islanders
No. 2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. No. 3 Boston Bruins Central DivisionNo. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Nashville Predators
No. 2 Florida Panthers vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning North DivisionNo. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 4 Montreal Canadiens
No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Winnipeg Jets West DivisionNo. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 St. Louis Blues
No. 2 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild
Race for the No. 1 pickThe 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. 1. Buffalo SabresPoints: 35
Regulation wins: 11 2. Anaheim DucksPoints: 39
Regulation wins: 11 3. Vancouver CanucksPoints: 41
Regulation wins: 13 4. New Jersey DevilsPoints: 41
Regulation wins: 14 5. Columbus Blue JacketsPoints: 44
Regulation wins: 11 6. Detroit Red WingsPoints: 45
Regulation wins: 15 7. Ottawa SenatorsPoints: 45
Regulation wins: 16 8. San Jose SharksPoints: 46
Regulation wins: 14 9. Los Angeles KingsPoints: 46
Regulation wins: 18 10. Calgary FlamesPoints: 47
Regulation wins: 19 11. Chicago BlackhawksPoints: 50
Regulation wins: 14 12. Arizona CoyotesPoints: 50
Regulation wins: 18 13. Philadelphia FlyersPoints: 53
Regulation wins: 15 14. Dallas StarsPoints: 56
Regulation wins: 16 15. New York RangersPoints: 58
Regulation wins: 23
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