* The Kings, Predators, Sharks and Jets all managed to collect at least one point during NHL action on Monday as the Wild Card race in the Western Conference remains unclear with 10 days remaining in the regular season.
* The Sabres captured a regulation win against the Lightning for the third time in four meetings this season and continued their pursuit of both an Atlantic Division crown and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
* Five teams directly involved in the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card race will take to the ice Tuesday, which includes a head-to-head meeting between the Red Wings and Blue Jackets as well as the third-place Flyers looking to build upon their cushion in the Metropolitan Division.
KINGS SKATE INTO PLAYOFF SPOT AS WILD CARD RACE HEATS UP IN THE WEST
The Kings (32-26-19, 83 points) came out victorious in the battle for Wild Card 2 in the West, defeating the Predators (36-31-10, 82 points) to move back into a playoff spot, while the Sharks (37-32-7, 81 points) and Jets (34-31-12, 80 points) won to stay within two and three points, respectively, of the playoff line.
* Scott Laughton scored his fifth goal since joining the Kings, tied for the second most among all players acquired on NHL Trade Deadline day behind only Bobby McMann (8 w/ SEA), to help Los Angeles skate to a shootout win. The Kings are aiming to clinch their fifth straight playoff berth, which would tie their longest stretch in the past 30 years (also 5 from 2010 – 2014).
* Macklin Celebrini collected his 66th assist of the season on Will Smith’s game-winning goal (his 100th career point) as the Sharks captured their 19th comeback win of the season – the franchise’s most in a single campaign since 2018-19 (20). Celebrini, who sits in fourth in NHL scoring this season (41-66—107 in 76 GP) tied Jimmy Carson (107 in 1987-88) for the third-most points in a single campaign by a teenager in NHL history. Overall, the Sharks forward became the sixth teenager in League history with 170 career points (66-104—170).
* Celebrini can become the third teenager in NHL history to conclude a campaign among the top four in scoring, after Sidney Crosby (1st in 2006-07) and Wayne Gretzky (2nd in 1979-80).
* Mark Scheifele (0-3—3) recorded his fifth three-assist game of the season and became the first player in franchise history to hit the 900-point milestone. Scheifele’s 22 assists since the Olympic break are the second most among all skaters behind only Jack Hughes (23), while the Jets improved to 12-5-4 (28 points) during that span, tied for the fourth-most points in the NHL.
SABRES COLLECT ANOTHER REGULATION WIN VS. LIGHTNING IN RACE FOR ATLANTIC
Four different players scored and Ukko–Pekka Luukkonen (23 saves) collected his 20th victory of the campaign as the Sabres (47-23-8, 102 points) earned their third regulation win against the Lightning (48-23-6, 102 points) in 2025-26 and concluded their season series with at least a point in all four head-to-head meetings (3-0-1). The Atlantic Division crown and top seed in the Eastern Conference will come down to the final 10 days of the regular season.
* Buffalo remains in second place in the Atlantic Division despite the victory due to a games played tiebreaker (TBL: 77 GP & BUF: 78 GP) but the two clubs are also tied in regulation wins (39) – the second standings tiebreaker – while Tampa Bay owns the edge in the third tiebreaker (ROW; TBL: 44 & BUF: 42).
* Luukkonenjoined Alex Lyon (20) as the second Sabres goaltender to record 20 wins this season. The 2025-26 campaign is the fourth in franchise history to feature multiple goaltenders hit the mark, alongside 2005-06 (Ryan Miller: 30 & Martin Biron: 21), 1983-84 (Tom Barrasso: 26 & Bob Sauve: 22) and 1979-80 (Don Edwards: 27 & Sauve: 20).
QUICK CLICKS
* Monday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* Rickard Rakell, Jack Hughes and Robert Thomas named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the Week
* NHL EDGE stats: Islanders’ long-term outlook under Peter DeBoer
* Eetu Luostarinen fined maximum for actions in Panthers game
* Tom Fitzgerald fired as Devils general manager
ESPN DOUBLEHEADER AND EAST WILD CARD RACE SLATED HIGHLIGHTED TUESDAY
An ESPN doubleheader featuring the Flyers and Devils as well as the Oilers and Mammoth headlines a Tuesday docket that will have plenty of implications on an Eastern Conference postseason race that could see more clarity following the 11-game slate.
* The Metropolitan Division’s third-ranked Flyers will look to strengthen their hold of a top-three seed when they visit the Devils and Jack Hughes – the NHL’s most productive player since the Olympic break (13-23—36 since Feb. 25). Philadelphia (39-26-12, 90 points) can earn its first 40-win season since 2019-20, which was also the last time they made the postseason. In fact, the Flyers have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the 31 seasons they’ve hit the 40-win threshold.
* Edmonton (P1) and Utah (WC1) clash in what could be a First Round preview should both teams enter the postseason in their current positions. Evan Bouchard and the Oilers still seek to clinch a playoff spot and the club’s first division title in nearly 40 years (last: 1986-87). Bouchard (21-67—88) is on the cusp of becoming the second defenseman in Oilers history to post a 90-point season (Paul Coffey: 5x).
* With nine game days remaining, the race for Wild Card 2 in the Eastern Conference is still tight – five teams are separated by just three points. Two of those clubs are the Red Wings (40-29-8, 88 points) and Blue Jackets (38-27-12, 88 points) who are tied in the standings and face off tonight in a crucial head-to-head. The Red Wings have been in a playoff spot for 123 game days this season, while the Blue Jackets have been in one for 24. Columbus, however, has most recently held a postseason position among the two teams when it occupied Wild Card 2 though April 1.
* Teams higher in the standings will also have opportunities to clinch division crowns in the form of Colorado (Central Division & Western Conference) and Carolina (Metropolitan Division). Should the Avalanche secure their first-place finish, it would also lock in a First Round matchup between the Stars and Wild. The Hurricanes (49-22-6, 104 points) also eye hitting the 50-win mark for the fourth time in five seasons, which would tie the Avalanche for the most among all teams since 2021-22.
