"The Senators were in a playoff spot earlier this week, and are pushing to get there again. They enter play a point behind the Islanders and two behind the Bruins for the wild-card spots."
"The Panthers might be a little out of sorts this season after two straight Cups, and their playoff hopes are closing in on zero. However, they are in line for a top-10 draft pick."
"If you'd told a hockey fan prior to the season that this game would pit a team with a five-point Pacific Division lead against one battling it out for the No. 2 or 3 seed, they'd likely have replied, 'Wow, good for the Ducks to eke their way in!'"
The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are just three weeks away, heightening the competition among NHL teams. Showdown Saturday features 15 games with staggered start times. The Senators aim to reclaim a playoff spot, trailing the Islanders and Bruins. The Lightning pursue an Atlantic Division title, while the Panthers face dwindling playoff hopes but are positioned for a top-10 draft pick. The Islanders cling to a playoff spot, and the Ducks and Oilers battle for crucial positioning in the Pacific Division.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]