Faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM CDT / 8:30 PM EDT
Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: CHSN (Blackhawks), NBC Sports California (Sharks regional), ESPN+ (national)

This Western Conference finale features two non-playoff teams wrapping up the 2025-26 regular season. The Sharks sit 5th in the Pacific Division and are mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, while the Blackhawks are 8th in the Central Division and have been out of the playoff picture for weeks. Both clubs are playing for pride, lottery positioning, and momentum heading into the offseason.

Injury Report

San Jose Sharks (limited forward depth):

Ryan Reaves (RW): OUT (hand; week-to-week but listed out for this contest)

Logan Couture (C): OUT for season / long-term IR (groin/knee)

The Sharks are without veteran grit in the bottom six and rely heavily on their young core and call-ups. Goaltending rotation (Yaroslav Askarov or Alex Nedeljkovic) remains intact.

Chicago Blackhawks (significant forward and defensive absences):

Andrew Mangiapane (LW): OUT (undisclosed/lower body; day-to-day but unavailable)

Oliver Moore (C): OUT (lower body; long-term)

Artyom Levshunov (D): OUT for season (hand)

Shea Weber (D): OUT (long-term IR)

Chicago is skating with a depleted lineup, leaning on prospects and call-ups. Goaltender Spencer Knight or Drew Commesso is expected in net.

Recent Team Forms

San Jose Sharks: 5-3-2 in their last 10 games. They enter on a modest recovery after a three-game skid, highlighted by a 3-2 road win at Nashville (Apr 13), a 3-4 SO home loss to Vancouver (Apr 11), a 1-6 loss at Anaheim (Apr 9), and a 2-5 home loss to Edmonton (Apr 8). Offense has been led by their young stars, but defensive consistency has been an issue on the road (17-20-2 away).

Chicago Blackhawks: 1-8-1 in their last 10 games with a dismal -24 goal differential. They are mired in a lengthy losing skid, including recent defeats to Buffalo (5-1 on Apr 13), St. Louis (5-3), and Carolina (7-2). Chicago has struggled mightily to score and defend, particularly at home where they sit 13-19-8.

Series History

The 2025-26 season series is tied 1-1. San Jose won the most recent matchup 3-2 at SAP Center on Apr 6; Chicago took the earlier contest 6-3 on Feb 2 at United Center. All-time, the series is nearly even (Sharks hold a slight 60-56-5-4 edge across 120+ meetings). The Blackhawks are 1-4 SU in their last 5 home games vs. San Jose in recent seasons.

Key

Player Matchups to Watch

Sharks’ Top Line (Macklin Celebrini – others) vs. Blackhawks’ Defense: Celebrini has exploded in his second NHL season (~41-42 goals, 66 assists, 107+ points) and remains a dynamic two-way threat.

Chicago’s depleted blue line (missing Levshunov) will struggle to contain San Jose’s speed and skill.

Blackhawks’ Top Line (Connor Bedard – others) vs. Sharks’ Defense: Bedard continues to produce at an elite level (~30 goals, 42+ assists) despite the team’s struggles. San Jose’s structure must limit his transition game and creativity.

Goaltending: San Jose’s Askarov/Nedeljkovic duo has been serviceable; Chicago counters with Knight/Commesso. Expect a matchup that favors the Sharks’ overall depth and goaltending stability.

Betting Trends

Sharks are road favorites (~ -140 to -155 across books); Blackhawks +120 to +130 underdogs.

Total set around 6–6.5 goals (OVER trends in 6 of San Jose’s last 9 games; Blackhawks unders in recent low-output contests).

Sharks are 5-3-2 SU in their last 10 but 4-10 SU in their last 14 road games; Blackhawks are 1-8-1 in their last 10.

OVER has hit in 6 of San Jose’s last 9 overall and 3 of Chicago’s last 5 Wednesday games.

Sharks are 3-6 SU in their last 9 head-to-head meetings with Chicago.

Game Odds

San Jose Sharks                – 125

Chicago Blackhawks       6.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT
Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
TV/Streaming: Sportsnet (national), TSN5 (Ottawa regional), MSG-B (select markets), Hulu/ESPN+ (national streaming)

This Battle of Ontario clash is a late-regular-season tilt with major playoff implications for Ottawa and little left for Toronto. The Senators sit 4th in the Atlantic Division and are fighting for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, while the Maple Leafs are 7th in the division and mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. Both teams have already played 81 games; this is one of the final regular-season contests before the 2025-26 campaign concludes.

Injury Report

Toronto Maple Leafs (significant forward and blue-line attrition):

Auston Matthews (C): Day-to-Day (upper body) — questionable; missed portions of recent games.

Mitch Marner (RW): OUT (lower body) — week-to-week, unlikely tonight.

John Tavares (C): OUT for season (hip).

Morgan Rielly (D): OUT (personal).

Jake McCabe (D): Day-to-Day (illness).

Additional depth: Pontus Holmberg (C) and Max Domi (C) are also questionable with minor ailments.

Toronto is skating with heavy call-up reliance and a patchwork defense, limiting their offensive ceiling.

Ottawa Senators (goaltending and depth concerns):

Linus Ullmark (G): Day-to-Day (lower body) — game-time decision; backup Anton Forsberg expected if Ullmark sits.

Brady Tkachuk (LW): OUT (upper body) — missed last two games but could return.

Thomas Chabot (D): OUT (lower body).

Shane Pinto (C): Day-to-Day (undisclosed).

Additional: Jake Sanderson (D) is questionable after taking a hit in the last contest.

Ottawa will lean on its remaining top-line talent and depth forwards if key pieces are unavailable.

Recent Team Forms

Toronto Maple Leafs: 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. They enter on a three-game losing streak, including a 2-4 home loss to Montreal (Apr 13), a 1-3 road defeat at Boston (Apr 11), and a 4-5 OT loss vs. Buffalo (Apr 9). Offense has dried up (averaging 2.4 goals per game in the stretch), and road struggles (14-19-7 away) continue to define their late-season slide.

Ottawa Senators: 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Fresh off wins over Montreal (5-2 on Apr 13), Detroit (4-3 on Apr 11), and a shootout victory vs. Pittsburgh (Apr 9), Ottawa is averaging 3.8 goals scored and 2.6 allowed. They are 23-12-5 at home and have been excellent in tight, one-goal games.

Series History

The 2025-26 season series is tied 2-2 entering tonight. Ottawa won the most recent meeting 4-2 (Mar 28 at Canadian Tire Centre). All-time Battle of Ontario, Ottawa holds a slight edge in recent seasons (approximately 38-35-8-12). The Senators are 5-2 SU in their last 7 home games against Toronto and have dominated the last two home head-to-heads. Toronto is 3-7 SU in its last 10 visits to Ottawa.

Key Player Matchups to Watch

Maple Leafs’ Top Line (William Nylander – Max Pacioretty or call-up – others) vs. Senators’ Top Defense (Jake Sanderson / Thomas Chabot pairing if healthy): Nylander has been Toronto’s most consistent producer (~38 goals, 45 assists); Ottawa’s speed on the back end must contain him without full health.

Senators’ Top Line (Tim Stützle – Brady Tkachuk if available – Claude Giroux) vs. Maple Leafs’ Depleted Defense: Stützle leads Ottawa with ~40 goals and 55 assists; Toronto’s makeshift blueline (missing Rielly) will be heavily tested by Ottawa’s transition game and forecheck.

Goaltending: Toronto’s Joseph Woll (or backup) faces a Senators attack that has been clicking lately. Ottawa counters with Ullmark/Forsberg; the Senators’ home goaltending has posted a sub-2.50 GAA in recent outings.

Betting Trends

Ottawa is a solid home favorite (~ -145 to -165 across books); Toronto sits as +130 to +145 underdogs.

Total is set around 6 goals (OVER -110 / UNDER -110 in early lines).

Senators are 8-2 SU in their last 10 overall and 6-1 ATS as home favorites of -140 or better.

OVER has hit in 6 of Toronto’s last 8 Wednesday games and 5 of Ottawa’s last 7 home contests.

Ottawa is 7-3 in the last 10 Battle of Ontario meetings and 4-1 SU in its last 5 vs. Toronto when the total is 6 or higher.

Maple Leafs are 2-8 SU as road underdogs of +120 or greater this season.

Game Odds

Toronto Maple Leafs                      6.5

Ottawa Senators                              – 180

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT
Venue: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL
TV/Streaming: TNT, truTV, HBO Max (national); FDSNDET, SCRIPPS (regional)

This Atlantic Division matchup is a late-season contest between two teams that have already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Red Wings sit 6th in the Atlantic (10th in the East), while the Panthers are 7th in the division. Both clubs are playing out the string with little but pride and draft positioning on the line in the final days of the 2025-26 regular season.

Injury Report

Detroit Red Wings (depth and goaltending questions):

Mason Appleton (C): Day-to-Day (upper body) — missed recent games; questionable for Wednesday.

Michael Rasmussen (C): OUT (lower body) — sidelined since early April.

Cam Talbot (G): OUT (undisclosed).

John Gibson (G): Day-to-Day (neck).

Additional depth notes: Justin Faulk (D) has been questionable in recent weeks with upper-body issues.

Detroit will rely on call-ups and veterans in the bottom six and on the blue line, with goaltending potentially falling to a backup if Gibson is unavailable.

Florida Panthers (massive absences across the roster):

Carter Verhaeghe (C): Day-to-Day (lower body).

Sam Bennett (C): Day-to-Day (lower body/undisclosed).

Matthew Tkachuk (LW): Day-to-Day (personal).

Seth Jones (D): OUT for season (foot).

Aaron Ekblad (D): OUT (broken finger; multiple weeks — likely season).

Additional long-term/out: Aleksander Barkov (knee — missed 80+ games), Jonah Gadjovich, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart, Anton Lundell, Evan Rodrigues, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, and more. The Panthers have effectively wrapped up their season due to the injury toll.

Florida is skating with a heavily depleted lineup, leaning on call-ups and remaining depth players under coach Paul Maurice.

Recent Team Forms

Detroit Red Wings: 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. They enter on a 1-3-2 skid, including a 3-4 OT loss at Tampa Bay (Apr 13), a 3-5 home loss to New Jersey (Apr 11), a 6-3 win vs. Philadelphia (Apr 9), and a 3-4 SO loss to Columbus (Apr 7). Offense has shown flashes (e.g., Dylan Larkin’s production), but defensive lapses and goaltending inconsistency have been issues.

Florida Panthers: Struggling lately at 3-7-0 in their last 10. Recent results include a 3-2 home win over the Rangers (Apr 13), but losses to Ottawa (1-5 on Apr 9) and other road setbacks. The Panthers have been inconsistent offensively and defensively amid the injury wave, averaging low goal output in several recent contests.

Series History

The 2025-26 season series is 1-2-0 in favor of Florida (Panthers won the most recent two meetings).

Oct 15, 2025: DET 4-1 FLA (at Detroit).

Mar 6, 2026: FLA 3-1 DET (at Detroit).

Mar 10, 2026: FLA 4-3 DET (at Florida).

All-time, the Panthers hold a 42-22-5-7 edge over the Red Wings. Florida has been strong in recent home games against Detroit, but the Red Wings took the lone 2025-26 victory in the series opener.

Key Player Matchups to Watch

Red Wings’ Top Line (Dylan Larkin – Alex DeBrincat – others) vs. Panthers’ Depleted Defense: Larkin has been a bright spot for Detroit (career-high goal totals mentioned in recent coverage). Florida’s blue line is missing Jones, Ekblad, and others, creating opportunities for Detroit’s speed and skill.

Panthers’ Remaining Forwards (e.g., any available Tkachuk/Verhaeghe/Bennett if they play) vs. Red Wings’ Defense (Moritz Seider pairing): Seider has had a Norris-caliber season; Detroit’s structure will be tested by whatever speed Florida can muster.

Goaltending: Detroit’s Gibson (or backup) faces a Panthers attack missing most of its stars. Florida will likely counter with Sergei Bobrovsky or a backup, but the Panthers’ overall depth issues make this a favorable matchup for Detroit’s scorers. Patrick Kane also hit a milestone (1,400 career points) recently and remains a threat.

Betting Trends

Red Wings are slight road favorites or near pick-’em (~ -105 to +110 range in early lines); Panthers around -116.

Total set around 6–6.5 goals (OVER trends in 4 of Panthers’ last 5; Red Wings overs as road underdogs).

Panthers are 1-4 in their last 5 games and 1-4 ATS; totals have gone OVER in 4 of Panthers’ last 5.

Red Wings are 9-1 in their last 10 as road favorites of -151 to -200 (though lines here are closer); UNDER has hit in several of Detroit’s recent low-scoring affairs against weaker opponents.

Historical: Panthers strong as home favorites, but current injuries flip the script.

Game Odds

Detroit Red Wings           – 130

Florida Panthers               6.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT
Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
TV/Streaming: MSG (Rangers), The Spot (Lightning regional), TVAS2 (select markets), ESPN+ (national streaming)

This late-regular-season contest features a struggling Rangers squad looking to snap a three-game losing skid against a surging Lightning team locked into playoff positioning and jockeying for Atlantic Division seeding. Tampa Bay has already clinched a postseason berth and enters the finale with momentum, while New York is playing out the string in 8th place in the Metropolitan Division.

Injury Report

New York Rangers (thin blue line and forward depth):

Matt Rempe (C): OUT for season (thumb)

Urho Vaakanainen (D): OUT (upper body)

New York is down key depth pieces on the back end and in the bottom six, forcing greater reliance on veterans and call-ups in what has been a disappointing campaign.

Tampa Bay Lightning (goaltending and defensive depth in flux):

Brandon Hagel (LW): Day-to-Day (lower body) — game-time decision

Darren Raddysh (D): Day-to-Day (undisclosed)

Jonas Johansson (G): Day-to-Day (undisclosed)

Victor Hedman (D): OUT (personal)

Pontus Holmberg (RW): OUT (upper body)

Max Crozier (D): OUT (abdomen)

Dominic James (C): OUT (leg)

Tampa will likely turn to Andrei Vasilevskiy in net (assuming Johansson is unavailable) and lean on its veteran core up front, with Hagel’s status a major storyline heading into puck drop.

Recent Team Forms

New York Rangers: 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. They enter on a three-game losing streak, including a 0-2 road loss to Dallas (Apr 11), a 3-5 home loss to Buffalo (Apr 8), and recent results that have seen them average 3.5 goals scored while allowing just 2.0 per game in the sample. Offense has been inconsistent, and the road woes (19-19-2 away) continue to plague them.

Tampa Bay Lightning: 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. Fresh off back-to-back wins — a 4-3 OT victory over Detroit (Apr 13) and a 2-1 road win at Boston (Apr 11) — Tampa is averaging 2.8 goals scored and 2.4 allowed in the stretch. They are 26-13-1 at home and have been excellent when opponents take more penalties.

Series History

The teams are meeting for the third time in the 2025-26 regular season. Tampa Bay won the most recent matchup 4-1 (with Brandon Hagel scoring twice). Overall in 2025-26, the Lightning lead the season series 2-0 (exact prior split before the last game was 1-1). All-time, the series is nearly even, with Tampa holding a slight historical edge (approximately 54-51-5-7). Lightning are strong at home against New York in recent seasons.

Player Matchups to Watch

Lightning’s Top Line (Nikita Kucherov – Brayden Point – Jake Guentzel) vs. Rangers’ Defense: Kucherov remains a perennial Hart candidate and scoring machine; New York’s depleted blueline (without Vaakanainen and with Hedman already out for Tampa’s side) will be tested by Tampa’s speed and skill.

Rangers’ Key Forwards (e.g., Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin if healthy/available) vs. Lightning’s Back End: Rangers need secondary scoring to keep pace, but Tampa’s home defensive structure and potential Vasilevskiy start make it a tall order.

Goaltending: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Lightning) has been stellar in big moments; Rangers will counter with Igor Shesterkin (or backup), who has kept games close despite the team’s record. Hagel’s potential return adds another layer to Tampa’s offensive threats.

Betting Trends

Lightning are heavy home favorites (around -185 to -284 across books), with Rangers as +138 to +155 underdogs.

Total is set around 6.5 goals (OVER +105 / UNDER -125 in early lines).

Lightning are 3-2 in their last 5 overall; Rangers are 3-14 in their last 17 after scoring 2 or fewer in the prior game.

OVER has hit in 3 of Lightning’s last 5; Rangers are 5-0 to the OVER in their last 5 Wednesday games.

Tampa is strong as a home favorite of -200 or greater; New York has struggled as a road underdog.

Game Odds

New York Rangers           5.5

Tampa Bay Lightning      – 135

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026

Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT
Venue: KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
TV/Streaming: TNT, truTV, HBO Max, MORE27, Victory+ (regional)

This late-regular-season matchup pits two strong contenders against each other. The Stars sit 2nd in the Central Division and Western Conference, while the Sabres top the Atlantic Division and rank 2nd in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have clinched playoff spots and are jockeying for seeding with just days left in the 2025-26 schedule.

Injury Report

Dallas Stars (significant absences on the blue line and up front):

Roope Hintz (C): OUT (lower body, expected return ~Apr 18)

Miro Heiskanen (D): OUT (lower body; ruled out for Dallas’ final regular-season games)

Nathan Bastian (RW): OUT (hand)

Tyler Seguin (C): OUT for season (ACL)

Sam Steel (C): Day-to-Day (hip; questionable)

Nils Lundkvist (D): Day-to-Day (illness)

The Stars will lean heavily on their depth forwards (Wyatt Johnston, Mavrik Bourque) and a makeshift defense without Heiskanen and potentially Lundkvist.

Buffalo Sabres (depth and goaltending concerns):

Jiri Kulich: OUT for season (ear)

Sam Carrick (C): OUT (arm; week-to-week, unlikely for this game and possibly early playoffs)

Alex Lyon (G): OUT (lower body)

Noah Ostlund (C): OUT (upper body, expected ~Apr 18)

Justin Danforth: OUT (lower body, per earlier reports)

Buffalo will rely on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (or backup Colin Ellis) in net and call on depth forwards.

Recent Team Forms

Dallas Stars: 6-3-1 in their last 10 games (entering this contest). They enter on a 4-game win streak, including a 6-5 road win over Toronto (Apr 13), a 2-0 shutout of the Rangers (Apr 11), a 5-4 win vs Minnesota (Apr 9), and a 4-3 OT victory vs Calgary (Apr 7). The Stars have been excellent defensively and opportunistic offensively despite injuries.

Buffalo Sabres: Also 6-3-1 in their last 10. They are riding momentum with recent wins over Chicago (5-1 on Apr 13), Columbus (5-0), the Rangers (5-3), and Tampa Bay (4-2). Buffalo’s offense has been explosive, but they have shown occasional defensive lapses.

Both clubs are playing meaningful hockey with playoff positioning on the line.

Series History

The all-time series is nearly even (Stars hold a slight edge historically around 57-57-20). In 2025-26, the teams have met once: Buffalo won 4-1 at American Airlines Center on Dec 31, 2025/Jan 1, 2026. Dallas is 14-6 SU in the last 20 meetings overall and 5-2 SU in its last 7 road games against Buffalo.

Key

Player Matchups to Watch

Stars’ Top Line (Jason Robertson – Wyatt Johnston – Mavrik Bourque) vs. Sabres’ Top Defense (Rasmus Dahlin pairing): Robertson leads Dallas with ~45 goals and 51 assists (96 points). Johnston has added ~45 goals. Dahlin has been hot lately (7 points in his last 5 games). This will be a marquee matchup.

Sabres’ Top Line (Tage Thompson – others) vs. Stars’ Defense: Thompson has 38 goals and 41 assists (79 points) and remains a constant scoring threat. Dallas’ depleted blue line (no Heiskanen) must contain him and Buffalo’s speed.

Goaltending: Jake Oettinger (Stars, ~2.59 GAA, .900 SV%) has been stellar. Buffalo’s Luukkonen will be tested by a Stars team that generates quality chances even without key pieces.

Betting Trends

Dallas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games overall and 8-4 SU in its last 12 road games.

Dallas is 14-6 SU in the last 20 head-to-head meetings and 5-2 SU in its last 7 road games vs Buffalo.

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas’ last 7 Wednesday games and 4 of Buffalo’s last 6 games.

Stars are strong as road favorites/under dogs in recent history; Buffalo is 9-3 after scoring 5+ goals previously.

Game Odds

Dallas Stars                         6.5

Buffalo Sabres                   – 115

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, April 14, 2026