* The final weekend of the 2025-26 season is here and with just six days remaining there is still much to be decided, some of which is outlined below and even more that can be found in #NHLStats Pack: The Final Six Days of the 2025-26 Regular Season.

* Saturday marks the last 15-game day of the season with meaningful national games in abundance including a tripleheader on ABC and a five-pack of games on Sportsnet’s Hockey Night in Canada. Fourteen of the fifteen games include either a team already in a playoff spot or one that is still alive in the playoff race.

* The 100th all-time meeting between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby on ABC (more in Sid vs. Ovi 101), Connor McDavid nearing 50 goals and three players closing in on their first career 100-point season are other storylines to watch on Saturday.

THE FINAL WEEKEND OF 2025-26 IS UPON US
The NHL enters the final weekend of the 2025-26 regular season and after 1,260 games played – 96% of the total schedule – and 52 games remaining across six days, Saturday’s 15-game schedule will see five teams have the possibility to clinch a playoff berth, a tripleheader on ABC that includes five teams either in a playoff spot or closing in on clinching one and the 100th all-time meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. On Sportsnet, there is a five-pack of games on Hockey Night in Canada that includes the NHL’s newest 50-goal scorer, Cole Caufield, and the Canadiens looking to again draw even atop the Atlantic Division.



WHAT’S AT STAKE ENTERING SATURDAY

There are still seven playoff spots, seven First Round matchups, 13 playoff seeds, two division winners and one conference title up in the air. The leaders in the races for the Art Ross Trophy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy have advantages of five and two, respectively, while the rookie scoring race is also going down to the wire (2-point gap between top 3).

Five teams have a clinching scenario Saturday

The top three positions in the Pacific Division have been a tightly contested cluster all season (just 1 point separates them entering play) and all three could end Saturday clinching a playoff spot: Connor McDavid and the Oilers for a seventh consecutive season, Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights for the fourth straight campaign as well as Leo Carlsson and the Ducks for the first time since 2018. In the Eastern Conference, David Pastrnak and the Bruins can clinch a berth for the ninth time in 10 seasons while Brady Tkachuk and the Senators can qualify for the postseason in consecutive years for the first time in 13 years (2011-12 to 2012-13). Click here for Saturday’s clinching scenarios.

Which First Round matchups are set?
We currently know only one playoff matchup with the postseason now one week away (April 18) and that’s likely to remain the case down to the wire, with tight races for both divisional seeds and Wild Card spots. Last season, the bracket was set on April 16 – the second-last day of the regular season – and in 2023-24 it went down to the final 81 seconds of the 1,312th and final game. While we know the Stars and Wild will face off in the opening round, home ice in that series is still to be determined.

Wild Card races continue to be close
The difference between Wild Card 2 and the first team outside the bracket has been four points or fewer the entire season in the West – including a one-point gap or tiebreaker every day since March 26. In the East, the difference has been that way for 94% of the campaign.

Eastern Conference snapshot

Seven teams are still in the hunt for three spots – including one more guaranteed for a Metropolitan team. At least one of the Flyers, Islanders, Blue Jackets or Capitals will qualify – they are separated by three points, each with three games remaining. While no more Atlantic Division clubs are guaranteed a spot, they do make up the top three in the Wild Card standings: the Bruins (WC1) and Senators (WC2) are in, and the Red Wings are the first team out. Five teams have occupied Wild Card 2 in the past month (BOS, CBJ, DET, OTT & NYI), while four have sat as Metropolitan 3 (PHI, NYI, CBJ & PIT).



Western Conference snapshot

Wild Card 2 in that conference has changed 14 times since March 1 – with five teams accounting for those changes (NSH, LAK, SJS, SEA & EDM). There are seven head-to-head games left between teams still vying to clinch in the West, including two on the final day of the season.

There are still two divisions to be decided

While we know the Hurricanes (Metropolitan Division) and Avalanche (Central Division) will be a top seed going into the postseason, there are two extremely close division races still at play with six days to go. There’s a one-point gap between the top three teams in the Pacific Division – Edmonton, Vegas and Anaheim (none of which have clinched a playoff spot) – and a four-point separation between the same grouping in the Atlantic Division – Buffalo, Montreal and Tampa Bay (who will make up the top 3, order TBD).



New teams in the playoff picture
As we enter the final Saturday of the regular season, three of the four division winners from the 2024-25 season as well as the most recent Stanley Cup champion sit outside the playoff bracket. The Sabres are in for the first time since 2011 (ending the longest wait for playoff hockey in NHL history), the Mammoth have their first berth in two NHL seasons, while Sidney Crosby and the Penguins qualified for the first time since 2022. Others inside or near the bracket are looking to get back in as well (last playoff appearance): Boston (2024), Philadelphia (2020), Columbus (2020), Detroit (2016), NY Islanders (2024), Anaheim (2018), Nashville (2024), San Jose (2019) and Seattle (2023).



PLAYERS TO WATCH ON SATURDAY
While the focus will be on the scoreboard and the standings on Saturday, there are multiple players in action who could hit major benchmarks or milestones:

* Connor McDavid (47-86—133 in 79 GP) not only holds a five-point lead in the Art Ross Trophy race, he is closing in on his second career 50-goal season (and first since scoring 64 in 2022-23) and five goals back of Nathan MacKinnon (52) in the race for the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.  McDavid would join a short list of Oilers to record multiple 50-goal seasons with the franchise.

* Four players in action Saturday are closing in on the 100-point benchmark. Mark Scheifele (34-65—99 in 78 GP) is trending toward his first 100-point season and would become the first player to do so for this iteration of the Jets (and second in Jets/Thrashers history). David Pastrnak (29-70—99 in 74 GP) is moving toward his fourth 100-point season – only Bobby Orr (6x) and Phil Esposito (6x) have as many with Boston. Colorado’s Martin Necas (38-60—98 in 75 GP) and Montreal’s Nick Suzuki (28-70—98 in 79 GP) are both closing in on reaching triple digits for the first time in their career – in Suzuki’s case it would be the first 100-point season by a Canadiens skater in 40 years.

* Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals visit Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in the 100th all-time meeting (including playoffs) between the two decorated stars who entered the League together in 2005-06, rank among the top 10 on the NHL’s all-time points list and have combined to win 31 individual NHL Awards and four Stanley Cups. Saturday’s game on ABC opens a full weekend of the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry (they play again Sunday on TNT, SN360). For more stats on the legendary matchup, check out #NHLStats Pack: Sid vs. Ovi 101.



QUICK CLICKS

* Sidney Crosby comments ahead of 100th meeting with Alex Ovechkin
* Unmasked: Keeping calm key for goalies in playoffs
* NHL Foundations granted $400,000 to best-in-class organizations
* More kids playing hockey than ever before in NHLPA, NHL and Club Programs
* King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominees announced



NHL PODCAST WEEKLY ROUNDUP

* NHL Fantasy on Ice (April 9): Early keeper, dynasty rankings for 2026-27
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (April 9): Wyatt Russell Takes Center Stage
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (April 9): Oilers GM Stan Bowman joins
* NHL @TheRink (April 8): Tom Gulitti joins; NYI & NJD Shuffle Deck
* La Tasse de Café LNH (April 8): Un 50e but qui se laisse désirer pour Caufield
* Never Offside with Julie and Cat (April 7): Lily Shimbashi joins
* NHL Fantasy on Ice (April 6): Isles hire DeBoer; final fantasy pickups
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (April 6): Inside the Flyers – Keith Jones joins
* NHL Schlagschuss (April 6): Die Kathedrale des Eishockeys

* NHL Längs Sargen (April 6): 1000-matchersjubilaren Larsson gästar

The next six days will determine how the 16-team bracket will look when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 18. To mark the occasion, here are 16 storylines entering the final 52 games of the 2025-26 regular season:

1. Let’s start with what is to be determined: After 1,260 games — 96% of the schedule — there are still seven playoff spots, seven First Round matchups, 13 playoff seeds, two division winners and one conference title up in the air. The leaders in the races for the Art Ross Trophy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy have leads of five and two, respectively, while the rookie scoring race is also going down to the wire (2-point gap between top 3).

2. Five teams can clinch Saturday:  NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid and the Oilers aim for a seventh consecutive postseason; Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights vie for a fourth straight clinch; Leo Carlsson and the Ducks eye the club’s first postseason since 2018; David Pastrnak and the Bruins can clinch a berth for the ninth time in 10 seasons; Brady Tkachuk and the Senators can secure consecutive appearances for the first time in 13 years. Click here for detailed scenarios. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see notes on every team that has clinched so far.

3. We know only one playoff matchup: That’s likely to remain the case down to the wire, with tight races for both divisional seeds and Wild Card spots. Last season, the bracket was set on April 16 – the second-last day of the regular season – and in 2023-24 it went down to the final 81 seconds of the 1,312th and final game.
 
4. Speaking of Wild Card spots:  The difference between Wild Card 2 and the first team outside the bracket has been four points or fewer the entire season in the West – including a one-point gap or tiebreaker every day since March 26. In the East, the difference has been that way for 94% of the campaign. 

  
5. Let’s focus on the East: Seven teams are still in the hunt for three spots – including one more guaranteed for a Metropolitan team. At least one of the Flyers, Islanders, Blue Jackets or Capitals will qualify – they are separated by three points, each with three games remaining. While no more Atlantic Division clubs are guaranteed a spot, they do make up the top three in the Wild Card standings: the Bruins (WC1) and Senators (WC2) are in, and the Red Wings are the first team out. Five teams have occupied Wild Card 2 in the past month (BOS, CBJ, DET, OTT & NYI), while four have sat as Metropolitan 3 (PHI, NYI, CBJ & PIT).
 

6. Now let’s head West:  Wild Card 2 in that conference has changed 14 times since March 1 – with five teams accounting for those changes (NSH, LAK, SJS, SEA & EDM). There are seven head-to-head games left between teams still vying to clinch in the West, including two on the final day of the season.

7. Let’s jump back to that one playoff matchup: After interchanging between the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the Central Division every day since Nov. 21, the Stars and Wild will meet for their third head-to-head playoff series. Determining home ice in that series is still at stake.

8. Does anyone have home-ice yet?: Game 1s will be played inColorado, Carolina and Pittsburgh. The Avalanche locked up home ice for their entire playoff journey as the Presidents’ Trophy winners, while the Hurricanes and Penguins will be No. 1 and No. 2 in the Metropolitan Division.

9. There are still two divisions to be decided: There’s a one-point gap between the top three teams in the Pacific Division – Edmonton, Vegas and Anaheim (none of which have clinched a playoff spot) – and a four-point gap between the same grouping in the Atlantic Division – Buffalo, Montreal and Tampa Bay (who will make up the top 3, order TBD). Tap the links to see how long it’s been since each club claimed a division title.

10. It’s been a minute for some of these teams: The Sabres are in for the first time since 2011 (ending the longest wait for playoff hockey in NHL history), the Mammoth have their first berth in two NHL seasons, while Sidney Crosby and the Penguins qualified for the first time since 2022. Others inside or near the bracket are looking to get back in as well (last playoff appearance): Boston (2024), Philadelphia (2020), Columbus (2020), Detroit (2016), NY Islanders (2024), Anaheim (2018), Nashville (2024), San Jose (2019) and Seattle (2023). 

11. That seems like a lot of new playoff teams: That’s right, we could see the highest year-over-year playoff turnover in NHL history (tied or outright). The current record is 7 (2020-21, 2017-18, 2016-17 & 2014-15) and there are currently 11 teams either inside the bracket or within four points of it after missing out last season (including 3 that have already clinched: BUF, PIT & UTA).

12. Let’s talk about awards: Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has been the NHL goals leader (tied or outright) since Nov. 8 – when he was tied with Cole Caufield at 12 goals – as he pursues his first Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. During that stretch, MacKinnon (52) has been the outright leader from Dec. 2 onward, but Caufield (50) joined him in the 50-goal club Thursday – a first for Montreal since 1989-90. MacKinnon is also in the running for the Art Ross Trophy, while his teammates Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood are frontrunners for the William M. Jennings Trophy (COL has 22 GA fewer than next closest team). 

13. A little more about the scoring race: For a second time in three years, the combination of Connor McDavid (133 points), Nikita Kucherov (128) and Nathan MacKinnon (126) is battling within the top three in the Art Ross Trophy race. McDavid pulled away with a five-point night Wednesday and now leads by five with the second-highest point total of his career as he seeks his sixth scoring title – with a showdown against MacKinnon slated for Monday. For Kucherov it would be his third in a row, for MacKinnon a career-first. 

14. Other players to watch: The list of players having standout seasons is long, with four players knocking on the door of 100 points – David Pastrnak, Mark Scheifele, Nick Suzuki and Martin Necas are all within two points of the milestone – and two teenagers having historic seasons (Macklin Celebrini, 19, can become the third teenager in NHL history to finish top-four in points; Matthew Schaefer, 18, needs one goal to set a new NHL record by a rookie defenseman). Also among the group of young stars to watch is Beckett Sennecke, 20, who needs two points to establish a new Ducks record. Schaefer and Sennecke are entwined in two rookie scoring races with a pair of Canadiens teammates: tied atop the goals list (one ahead of Oliver Kapanen) and both within two points of rookie points leader Ivan Demidov. Every player mentioned above is in the thick of the Rush to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

15. Key games the rest of the way: As of today, only two of 52 remaining games are between teams both eliminated from playoff contention. A few notable games to watch:

• Saturday: Playoff stakes abound during a tripleheader on ABC  Hockey Saturday (TBL at BOS, WSH at PIT, VGK at COL). Sportsnet will carry a familiar First Round matchup of late (EDM at LAK) as both the East and West playoff races will be a focal point of Hockey Night in Canada (PHI at WPG & CBJ at MTL & VAN at SJS).
• Sunday: The NHL on TNT will air the 101st all-time meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin to cap a weekend back-to-back between the two (get ready with Sid vs. Ovi 101) .
• Monday: The West Wild Card race will be the focus on ESPN (LAK at SEA) with four games playing into that race (also SJS at NSH, MIN at STL & WPG at VGK) as current division leaders clash on Sportsnet (COL at EDM). 
• Tuesday: Ovechkin (WSH at CBJ) and Crosby (PIT at STL) are both on ESPN for their regular season finales in what could be pivotal games.
• Wednesday: The NHL on TNT could dish out a division title (DAL at BUF) – in addition to presenting the “Mr. TNT” award – as the Eastern Conference schedule wraps.
• Thursday: An ESPN doubleheader opens in Utah, where Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey will take place for the first time this spring. The night also features the Ducks, Predators, Sharks, Jets, Blues, Kings, Oilers and Kraken – all teams embroiled in a playoff race who have yet to clinch. In Canada, the way to watch might be on NHL: Coast To Coast on Prime.

16. Save the best for last: The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin April 18. For the first time since 2015, the postseason will begin with one guarantee: a new champion will be crowned. 

Faceoff is scheduled for 10:00 PM EDT (7:00 PM PDT)
Venue: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California, USA
TV/Streaming: NBCSCA (San Jose market), ESPN+ nationally

This Pacific Division matchup is a tale of two very different late-season stories. The Canucks are mathematically eliminated and playing out the string in full rebuild/tanking mode, while the Sharks remain in the thick of the Western Conference wild-card race and are desperate for every point at home.

Team Records & Standings Context

Canucks: 22-47-8 (52 points), 14-20-3 on the road. Dead last in the Pacific Division and the Western Conference. They rank near the bottom league-wide in goals scored (≈2.53 GF/GP) and allow far too many (≈3.78 GA/GP).

Sharks: 37-34-7 (81 points), 21-14-5 at home. 5th in the Pacific and right on the wild-card bubble (currently outside looking in but within striking distance of the final spot). Better scoring (≈2.9+ GF/GP) and a more competitive goal differential.

Every point is meaningless for Vancouver but critical for San Jose’s slim playoff hopes.

Recent Team Forms (Last 10 Games)

Canucks: 1-9-0 (or 2-8-0 in some trackers). They’ve been blown out repeatedly: recent results include 1-4 L @ LA (Apr 9), 2-1 L vs. Vegas (Apr 7), 7-4 L vs. Utah (Apr 4), and 5-2 L @ Minnesota (Apr 2). Offensive output has dried up, and goaltending has been shaky.

Sharks: 5-4-1 (mixed but competitive). Recent highlights include 3-2 W vs. Chicago (Apr 6), 4-1 W vs. Toronto (Apr 2), 4-3 W vs. Anaheim (Apr 1), but also losses like 3-6 L vs. Nashville (Apr 4) and 2-5 L vs. Edmonton (Apr 8). They average better than 3.0 GF/G and have tightened up defensively at home lately.

hockey-reference.com +1

San Jose enters far healthier in form and motivation.

Series History

The Sharks have dominated the 2025-26 season series 3-0. Most recent: San Jose 5, Vancouver 2 on Jan. 27, 2026 (at Rogers Arena). Earlier wins for San Jose include a 6-3 victory in Vancouver on Dec. 27, 2025, and a narrow 2-1 OT win on Nov. 28, 2025. Historically the all-time series is close, but San Jose has owned Vancouver this year.

Injury Report

Vancouver Canucks

Evander Kane (LW) – Out (upper body; expected return Apr 14 or later)

Kevin Lankinen (G) – Day-to-day / Out (upper body)

Thatcher Demko (G) – Out for season (hip; LTIR)

Filip Chytil (C) – Out for season (face)

Derek Forbort (D) – Out (undisclosed; LTIR)

Jonathan Lekkerimaki (RW) – Out (shoulder; post-surgery)

San Jose Sharks

Ryan Reaves (RW) – Day-to-day / Out (hand; week-to-week, questionable for tonight)

Logan Couture (C) – Out (groin; LTIR)

Other depth pieces (older groin/knee notes on LTIR)

Vancouver is decimated up front and in net; San Jose is missing its captain but has far more NHL-ready depth.

Key Player Matchups & Projected Lines/Goalies

Projected Goalies

Canucks: Nikita Tolopilo (or emergency backup) — has struggled in recent starts.

Sharks: Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic — both have given the Sharks quality goaltending lately.

Clear net advantage to San Jose.

Forward Matchups to Watch

Canucks Top Threats: Quinn Hughes (still logging big minutes from the back end), Brock Boeser, and any remaining veteran scoring (limited by injuries). Speed and transition are their only hope.

Sharks Top Threats: Macklin Celebrini (rookie phenom and leading scorer), William Eklund, and the top line. San Jose’s young core has been clicking and creates high-danger chances at home.

Defensive/Special Teams: Sharks hold edges in power-play efficiency and faceoff percentage. Expect physical play along the walls and heavy forechecking by San Jose in front of the net.

Betting Trends & Market Snapshot

Sharks 2-3 SU/ATS in last 5 but strong at home (21-14-5).

Canucks 1-9 SU in last 10 and 0-3 vs. Sharks this year.

Last head-to-head (Jan 27) went Over, but season series games have varied.

Game Odds

Vancouver Canucks         6.5

San Jose Sharks                – 218

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 10, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM EDT (6:00 PM MDT)
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado, USA
TV/Streaming: ABC (national), Altitude (Colorado market), ESPN+

This Western Conference showdown pits a surging Vegas squad fighting for playoff positioning against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche, who have clinched the top seed in the West and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Colorado enters as massive favorites despite some key absences, while the Golden Knights ride momentum under new head coach John Tortorella.

Team Records & Standings Context

Golden Knights: 36-26-16 (88 points), 18-14-8 on the road. They sit 2nd/3rd in the Pacific Division and are battling for a wild-card or division spot in the West (currently around 6th in conference). Offense averages 3.18 GF/GP with a +14 goal differential; defense allows 3.00 GA/GP.

Avalanche: 52-16-10 (114 points), 25-9-5 at home. They are 1st in the Central Division and the entire NHL, having already clinched the Presidents’ Trophy. Elite scoring (3.73 GF/GP) and stingy defense (2.48 GA/GP) make them the league’s top team.

Vegas needs every point to secure postseason entry, while Colorado can afford some rest but will push for a strong finish.

Recent Team Forms (Last 10 Games)

Golden Knights: 7-3-0 (including a current four-game win streak). Recent results include 2-1 @ Vancouver (Apr 7), 5-1 @ Edmonton (Apr 4), 6-3 vs. Calgary (Apr 2), and 4-2 vs. Vancouver (Mar 30). They are rolling under Tortorella with timely scoring and strong goaltending.

Avalanche: 6-3-1 (or 7-3-0 in some trackers). They’ve won big (e.g., 9-2 vs. Calgary on Mar 30, 2-0 @ Dallas on Apr 4) but dropped a couple (including 6-8 vs. Vancouver on Apr 1 and 2-3 vs. St. Louis on Apr 5). Still dominant overall with a +91 goal differential for the season.

Vegas is hotter in the short term, but Colorado’s underlying metrics remain superior.

Series History

The Avalanche lead the 2025-26 season series 2-0: Colorado 4, Vegas 2 (Oct. 31, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena) and Colorado 6, Vegas 5 (OT) (Dec. 27, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena). Colorado has owned recent matchups in Denver as well. Historically, the teams are nearly even (roughly 26-25-2 all-time in favor of Colorado in regular season), but the Avs have been the better club lately.

Injury Report

Vegas Golden Knights

William Karlsson (C) – Out (lower body; LTIR, possible playoff return)

Jonas Rondbjerg (RW) – Out (undisclosed/IR)

Alex Pietrangelo (D) – Out (hip; season-ending)

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar (D) – Out (upper body; expected return around Apr 13 or later)

Nazem Kadri (C) – Out (finger; expected to miss a few games, possible return before playoffs)

Valeri Nichushkin (LW) – Out (upper body)

Nicolas Roy (C) – Out (upper body)

Both teams are dealing with significant absences—especially Colorado’s blueline and depth up front—but the Avs have more depth to absorb it.

Key Player Matchups & Projected Lines/Goalies

Projected Goalies

Golden Knights: Carter Hart or Adin Hill (Hart has been sharp in recent wins)

Avalanche: Scott Wedgewood or primary starter (elite tandem regardless)

The goaltending edge slightly favors Colorado’s depth and home familiarity.

Forward Matchups to Watch

Vegas Top Threats: Jack Eichel (playmaker and scorer), Mark Stone (recently hot with multi-goal games), and the speed of the top six. Look for transition offense and power-play creativity.

Colorado Top Threats: Nathan MacKinnon (league-leading point producer), Martin Necas (hot streak), and supporting cast like Mikko Rantanen. Even without Kadri, the Avs’ top line remains dangerous.

Defensive/Special Teams: Avalanche power play and penalty kill rank among the league’s best. Vegas has improved lately but faces a tall task without key defenders. Expect heavy forechecking and physical battles in front of the net at Ball Arena.

Betting Trends & Market Snapshot

Avalanche 4-1 SU/ATS in last 5; dominant at home.

Golden Knights 4-1 SU in last 5 (hot streak) but 18-14-8 on road.

Season series games were high-scoring (Over in both).

Game Odds

Vegas Golden Knights                    6.5

Colorado Avalanche                       – 135

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 10, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT (4:00 PM PDT)
Venue: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington, USA
TV/Streaming: KHN/Prime, KING 5, KONG (Seattle market), ESPN+ nationally

Both Pacific Division teams are playing out the string with no realistic playoff hopes remaining, but this intradivision matchup still carries stakes for draft positioning and pride. The Flames are road-weary and banged up, while the Kraken have home-ice advantage but enter on a lengthy losing skid.

Team Records & Standings Context

Flames: 32-37-9 (73 points), 11-25-4 on the road. They sit 7th in the Pacific Division (out of the playoffs) with a -47 goal differential. Offense has been anemic (≈2.57 GF/GP), while goaltending has been middling.

Kraken: 32-34-11 (75 points), 17-16-5 at home. They are 6th in the Pacific with a -33/-34 goal differential. Slightly better scoring (≈2.79 GF/GP) but leaky defense (≈3.20 GA/GP).

Neither team can catch a wild-card spot, so the focus shifts to momentum, development of young players, and spoiling the other’s season.

Recent Team Forms (Last 10 Games)

Flames: 5-4-1 (or 5-3-2 per some trackers). They’ve shown sporadic offense with wins like 5-3 @ Anaheim (Apr 4) but also blowout losses (e.g., 3-6 @ Vegas on Apr 2, 2-9 @ Colorado on Mar 30). Road struggles continue (poor record away from Scotiabank Saddledome), though they’ve been competitive in stretches.

Kraken: 2-7-1 or worse in the last 10 (on a five-game losing streak). Recent results include 2-5 @ Minnesota (Apr 7), 2-6 @ Winnipeg (Apr 6), and 2-4 vs. Chicago (Apr 4). They are averaging under 2.5 GF/G and allowing 4+ GA/G lately, with defensive breakdowns evident.

Seattle is scuffling at the worst possible time, while Calgary has shown slight signs of life on the road.

Series History

The teams have split recent meetings this season. Most recent: Seattle 5, Calgary 1 on Jan. 5, 2026 (at Scotiabank Saddledome). Earlier: Calgary 4-2 Seattle on Dec. 18, 2025. Season series is essentially even (1-1-0), with high-scoring affairs common. Historically, Calgary holds a slight all-time edge (11-6-0), but Seattle has owned the last few home games against the Flames.

Injury Report

Calgary Flames

Jonathan Huberdeau (LW) – Out for season (hip resurfacing surgery)

Samuel Honzek (LW) – Out for season (upper body)

Joel Hanley (D) – Out for season (upper body)

Kevin Bahl (D) – Day-to-day / Out (lower body; expected return Apr 12 or later)

Seattle Kraken

Philipp Grubauer (G) – Day-to-day (lower body)

Matt Murray (G) – Out (personal/family matter)

Shane Wright (C) – Day-to-day (upper body)

Ryan Winterton (C) – Out (personal)

Significant absences up front for both, plus goaltending uncertainty in Seattle. Depth call-ups and younger players will see heavy minutes.

Key Player Matchups & Projected Lines/Goalies

Projected Goalies

Flames: Dustin Wolf (strong recent form in net) or Devin Cooley

Kraken: Joey Daccord (likely starter if Grubauer is out); backup situation murky

Daccord/Wolf matchup favors whoever gets hot first in a low-event game.

Forward Matchups to Watch

Flames Top Threats: Matt Coronato (hot streak with multi-point games), Connor Zary, Yegor Sharangovich. Look for transition speed and power-play creativity from the young core.

Kraken Top Threats: Jared McCann, Vince Dunn (offense from the back end), Brandon Montour. Seattle’s top line needs to generate more than 2 goals per game to snap the skid.

Defensive/Special Teams: Both teams hover around average on special teams (power play ~18-22%, penalty kill ~80%). Faceoffs and board battles at Climate Pledge Arena will be key—Kraken have home advantage in physical play along the walls.

Betting Trends & Market Snapshot

Kraken 2-3 SU and ATS in last 5; strong home record but poor current form.

Flames 7-1 SU in last 8 road games vs. Seattle historically, but 11-25-4 away this year.

Last head-to-head (Jan 5) went Over (6 goals).

Game Odds

Calgary Flames                 6.5

Seattle Kraken                  – 155

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 10, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT (6:00 PM CDT)
Venue: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
TV/Streaming: NBCSP (Philadelphia market), SN1 (Canada), ESPN+ nationally

This late-season matchup features two teams with contrasting playoff outlooks. The Flyers sit comfortably in a Metropolitan Division playoff spot with strong recent play, while the Jets are battling for positioning (or a wild-card spot) in the Central Division and riding momentum at home.

Team Records & Standings Context

Flyers: 40-27-12 (92 points), 22-14-4 on the road. They rank around 3rd in the Metropolitan and hold an Eastern Conference playoff position. Scoring is middle-of-the-pack (≈2.87 GF/GP), but they allow 2.92 GA/GP with a .885 team SV%.

Jets: 35-31-12 (82 points), 19-14-6 at home. They sit 6th in the Central with a -10 goal differential (≈2.81 GF/GP, 2.94 GA/GP). Their power play sits at 18.4% (better than Philadelphia’s 15.6%).

nhl.com +1

Both teams are tightly bunched in the standings with limited games remaining, making every point critical.

Recent Team Forms (Last 10 Games)

Flyers: 7-3-0 (or 6-4-0 per some trackers). They’ve shown resilience with wins over strong opponents (e.g., 5-1 @ New Jersey on Apr 7, 2-1 OT vs. Boston on Apr 5, 4-1 @ Islanders on Apr 3) but dropped their most recent contest 3-6 @ Detroit on Apr 9. Solid road form (22-14-4) and balanced scoring (≈3.4 GF/G, 2.6 GA/G in recent stretch).

Jets: 6-3-1 (or 7-2-1 per some trackers) and currently on a three-game win streak. Recent results include 3-2 @ St. Louis (Apr 9), 6-2 vs. Seattle (Apr 6), and 2-1 @ Columbus (Apr 4). They average 3.1 GF/G and allow just 2.3 GA/G lately, showcasing improved defensive structure and timely scoring.

The Jets enter hotter and with home-ice advantage, while the Flyers are coming off a rare blowout loss.

Series History

The teams have met once this season: Winnipeg 5, Philadelphia 2 on Oct. 16, 2025 (at Wells Fargo Center). Mark Scheifele had two goals in that contest. The Jets lead the 2025-26 season series 1-0. Historically, Winnipeg has had the upper hand in recent seasons, but Philadelphia has been competitive on the road.

Injury Report

Philadelphia Flyers

Nikita Grebenkin (RW) – Out (upper body; expected multi-week absence)

Rodrigo Abols (C) – Out (ankle; long-term IR)

Ty Murchison (D) – Out (long-term)

Winnipeg Jets

Gustav Nyquist (RW) – Day-to-day / Out (undisclosed)

Morgan Barron (C) – Out (lower body)

Colin Miller (D) – Out (knee)

Elias Salomonsson (D) – Out (concussion)

Both sides are missing depth forwards and defensive pieces, which could open up ice time for younger players or call-ups.

Key Player Matchups & Projected Lines/Goalies

Projected Goalies

Flyers: Samuel Ersson (13-11-5, 3.15 GAA, .867 SV% in limited action)

Jets: Connor Hellebuyck (elite pedigree; expected starter with strong season stats)

Hellebuyck gives Winnipeg a clear edge in net. Ersson has been serviceable but faces a tougher test against a Jets team averaging better recent offense.

Forward Matchups to Watch

Flyers Top Threats: Travis Konecny (27G-39A-66P), Trevor Zegras (25G-40A-65P), Owen Tippett (28G-51P), Tyson Foerster (hot streak with multiple goals recently). Look for speed and transition play from Zegras/Konecny.

Jets Top Threats: Mark Scheifele (playmaker and finisher), Kyle Connor (power-play and even-strength scoring), Gabriel Vilardi (29G). The Jets’ top line has been clicking during the win streak.

Defensive/Special Teams: Jets hold a slight edge on the power play (18.4% vs. 15.6%). Both teams hover around 78% on the penalty kill. Face-off advantage to Winnipeg (50.9% vs. 49.3%). Expect physical play along the boards and battles in front of the net at Canada Life Centre.

Betting Trends & Market Snapshot

Jets are 4-1 straight up and 3-2 ATS in their last 5; strong at home.

Flyers are competitive on the road but have struggled against top goaltending lately.

Season series game (Oct 16) went Over (7 goals total).

Game Odds

Philadelphia Flyers         5.5

Winnipeg Jets                   – 130

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 10, 2026