The NHL regular season is winding down fast, and playoff spots are almost all claimed — but not quite. There are still spots up for grabs. With just 3 days left on the NHL regular season calendar, the Eastern and Western Conferences still have some business to settle — a few bubble teams are hanging by just a thread, while others are playing with nothing left to lose.
Here’s who’s locked in, who’s almost there, and who still needs a miracle as the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs solidify.
With most of the East already locked into playoff positions, the only remaining suspense lies in the 2nd wild card slot. Of course, Montreal currently holds it, but Columbus is still lurking and they’re not going to go down without a fight, despite Montreal holding the keys.
It hasn’t been pretty, but the Canadiens are still holding on and their fate is totally in their own hands.
They’ve stumbled lately, with losses to Ottawa and Toronto keeping the door open just enough for Columbus to have a chance. In fact, DraftKings has the Canadiens at -1600 to make the playoffs, so they still have a good shot. Monday night would have sealed their playoff ticket, but the lowly Blackhawks shocked everyone with a SO win. This, unfortunately for the Habs, delayed any celebration.
Montreal’s final game is against the Hurricanes. This is not exactly what we’d call a cakewalk. But if they win that game in regulation, the Blue Jackets are done. Even if they lose, there are still scenarios where they squeak through and hold their coveted WC slot.
The Canadiens control their fate. That’s the good news. The bad news? It’s against one of the best teams in the NHL.
Columbus needs 2 regulation wins and a little help from Carolina. It's that simple — and, undoubtedly, that difficult.
They play the Flyers tonight and the Islanders on Thursday. Both are absolutely winnable games, but regulation wins are a must. They can’t let these games get to OT as they’ll need to break a tie with Montreal even if they win both and the Habs lose their final game.
It’s not likely as their odds of making the playoffs are at +900. But if you’re in Columbus, you’re dreaming just a little louder today.
With the 2nd wild card still up for grabs, the rest of the Eastern Conference is all but settled.
Washington Capitals have clinched the top seed and will play either Montreal or Columbus. You can bet they’re taking it easy in their final games tonight and Thursday night.
Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are already locked into a 2-vs-3 matchup. That one should be physical and fast and one of the more intense matchups of the NHL playoffs.
Toronto Maple Leafs are on the verge of clinching the Atlantic Division and if they get a single point or the Lightning take a fall, it’s theirs. They’re likely facing the Ottawa Senators out the gate, who are locked into the #1 wild card and looking for their 1st playoff series win in nearly a decade.
Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers will run it back and you know the Battle of Florida never disappoints, and we’re confident this year should be no different.
There’s still some seeding left to figure out, but the matchups are just about set. All eyes, for now, are on that Montreal-Columbus race to the finish line.
Out West, things are a little messier. 3 teams are chasing the final 2 wild-card spots — the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames. Each of these teams still has something to play for, and all 3 are in action tonight.
It’s a simple equation for the Wild — beat the Ducks, and you’re going to the playoffs. They have -4000 odds of getting in.
They’re currently in the #1 wild-card spot, just a single point ahead of the Blues and 3 ahead of Calgary. They can also get in with an OT or SO loss if Calgary takes a loss as well. But they don’t want to be scoreboard watching hoping to get in. Minnesota’s path is by far the cleanest path — and they’re in control all the way to the end.
Marc-André Fleury, one of the best netminders in the game, might be heading into his final playoff run, and we think it would be fitting if it started in Vegas, where his Hall-of-Fame career exploded.
The Blues really need 2 things to clinch Tuesday — a win over the Utah Hockey Club and a Flames loss to the Golden Knights. In fact, the Flames could lose beyond regulation and the Blues are still in.
They can still make it even if Calgary wins out, but that would push their hopes and dreams to Thursday night’s game. If both St. Louis and Calgary win tonight, the last spot goes down to the wire, and regulation wins could end up deciding it.
That makes tonight’s game so critical. Utah’s not an easy out, even if they’re out of the playoff picture. They’re playing the spoiler role and you can bet they’re going to do what they can against this rival.
The Flames are in the toughest spot. They need help, and they need wins. Nothing less will do. They’re basically in the same spot that the Blue Jackets are but in the West.
They play a dominant Vegas on Tuesday and then have one more game on Thursday. If the Blues win in regulation and Calgary only scrapes out an OT win, that’s simply not good enough. The regulation win total will sink them and their hopes.
So they’re playing not just to win — but to win in 60 minutes. Twice.
If Vegas wants to avoid seeing Calgary in the playoffs, they can take care of it themselves tonight. Then again, maybe they want to see Calgary. They’ve already locked the #1 seed in the Pacific and could be setting the tone early if they meet the Flames again in the 1st round. This is the kind of strategy you just don’t get to see every day in the NHL.
There’s still plenty to play for, but let’s say the current standings hold. Here’s what we’re looking at—
Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2). Winnipeg’s got the President’s Trophy locked down. It’s been a dominant season and they have some of the best forwards and probably the best goalie in the world. But they could be facing a scrappy, experienced Blues team that’s been here before. Things could get interesting, but we think the Jets will take it.
Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3). This series is already locked in, and it’s going to be electric. Colorado has been heating up while Dallas has been consistent all season. The Stars are slight favorites for the Western Conference at +350 compared to the Avs at +450.
Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1). If the Wild win tonight, they hold onto this spot. Fleury returning to face Vegas adds a great storyline to this series. Vegas will have home-ice and the league’s deepest roster and they’re favored +500 compared to the Wild’s +1500 for the Conference title.
Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3). 4th straight year of this series going down and it’s still exciting to think about. The Kings won the season series and have home ice, but the Oilers still have McDavid, Draisaitl, and plenty of playoff baggage to unload. They’re coming back with vengeance.
These matchups might shift just a bit, but this is how it’s looking based on odds and matchups. If the West changes too much from these, we’ll be surprised.
It’s a jam-packed schedule as the season winds down with the final games. We have some big hockey games coming up but not all are created equal. Here are the games that matter the most—
Tuesday night (tonight). Every bubble team is playing in some capacity. Minnesota, Calgary, and St. Louis will have their fates pushed closer to resolution while Columbus needs a win just to stay alive, though they’re not out of the water, yet.
Wednesday night. Canadiens vs. The Hurricanes is going to be a good one and if Montreal loses in regulation and Columbus wins tonight, you might want to buckle up.
Thursday night. This is the final chance for Columbus and Calgary to make a push — if they're still alive.
We’re in the midst of the most unpredictable stretch in hockey — the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Of course, some spots are locked while others will be decided by the slimmest margins. Regulation wins, tiebreakers, head-to-head results — it’s all on the table and that makes for some amazing NHL action.
Get ready. The bubble chaos is almost over and the real chaos — playoff hockey — is just about to begin. There are lots of great bets over the next few days.