NHL playoff watch: The Blue Jackets' path to the playoffs

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ESPN staffMar 9, 2026, 06:55 AM ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets made a valiant effort to qualify for the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, falling just short but playing meaningful hockey games in April. The preseason prognosticators didn't necessarily project a similar fate this spring, as the club's preseason over/under point total was 84.5.

However, with over a month left, they are right in the mix for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, and could eclipse that preseason over/under pretty easily.

Columbus hosts the Los Angeles Kings for a late-afternoon tilt on Monday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+), and begins play three points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot, five points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the first wild card, and four points behind the New York Islanders for the No. 3 position in the Metro Division.

After Monday's game against the Kings, the Blue Jackets have 19 games left on the schedule. The bad news is that 12 of those 19 are against teams currently in playoff position, making theirs one of the tougher remaining schedules. The good news is that 12 of those 19 are against teams currently in playoff position, and each of them represents a "four-point swing game" if they can win in regulation.

So far this season, the Blue Jackets have played 31 games against playoff teams, and gone 16-9-6 in those contests. So though it'll be a tough road to the postseason, there's proof of concept showing that they can get there. Stathletes projects their chances at 74.1%, better than some of the teams currently ahead of them.

Every team has around 20 games left before the season concludes April 16, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide detail on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Sunday's schedule
Saturday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Montreal Canadiens
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Detroit Red Wings

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Boston Bruins
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 New York Islanders

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Seattle Kraken
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Vegas Golden Knights vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Monday's games

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

Los Angeles Kings at Columbus Blue Jackets, 4 p.m.
New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.
Utah Mammoth at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Vancouver Canucks, 9 p.m.

Sunday's scoreboard

Colorado Avalanche 3, Minnesota Wild 2 (SO)
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Boston Bruins 4 (OT)
Buffalo Sabres 8, Tampa Bay Lightning 7
Dallas Stars 4, Chicago Blackhawks 3 (OT)
Detroit Red Wings 3, New Jersey Devils 0
St. Louis Blues 4, Anaheim Ducks 0
Edmonton Oilers 4, Vegas Golden Knights 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 107.6
Next game: vs. SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 108.5
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 101.2
Next game: @ FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 46.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 103.2
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 83.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 98.9
Next game: vs. LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 75.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 93.9
Next game: @ VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 70%
Tragic number: 35

Florida Panthers

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 3.7%
Tragic number: 27

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 25

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 111.9
Next game: vs. PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 57.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 98.7
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 60.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 96.6
Next game: vs. LA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 74.1%
Tragic number: 37

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. NYR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.2%
Tragic number: 33

Washington Capitals

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 88.4
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 12.5%
Tragic number: 29

New Jersey Devils

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 84.6
Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 8.2%
Tragic number: 26

New York Rangers

Points: 56
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 74.1
Next game: @ PHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 20

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 20
Points pace: 125.7
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 108.9
Next game: vs. UTA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 93.7
Next game: @ CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 98.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: @ SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 7.6%
Tragic number: 35

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 82
Next game: vs. ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 11.4%
Tragic number: 35

St. Louis Blues

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 76.8
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 30

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 74.2
Next game: @ UTA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 29

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 95
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 92.3
Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 89.7
Next game: @ COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 82.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 88.6
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 23.8%
Tragic number: N/A

San Jose Sharks

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 21
Points pace: 88.7
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 72.1%
Tragic number: 41

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 84.7
Next game: @ CBJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.5%
Tragic number: 37

Calgary Flames

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: @ WSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 30

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 46
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 59.9
Next game: vs. OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 17

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can 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. Sitting atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.