NHL playoff watch standings update: The path for the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers to meet ...

Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon are two of the best hockey players in the world. Neither has come close to winning the Stanley Cup yet, but if things break a certain way this postseason, one of them could be guaranteed a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Avs have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and are in the mix for the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top team overall this regular season. They'll face the West's No. 2 wild card (currently the Dallas Stars) in the first round, followed by the winner of the St. Louis Blues-Minnesota Wild series in the second round in order to get to the conference finals. Per Money Puck, the Avs have a 43.4% chance of making it that far.

As for the Oilers, they've got a series forthcoming against the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division, currently the Los Angeles Kings. Win that one, and they'll face the winner of the series pitting the Calgary Flames against the West's No. 1 wild card (currently the Nashville Predators). Money Puck gives the Oilers a 24.6% chance of getting to the conference finals.

The still-raging Western wild-card race will have much to do with both teams' paths to another showdown. But we'll be keeping a close eye on their game Friday night (9 ET, streaming live ESPN+ for out-of-market subscribers) to get a preview of this possible future matchup.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:br/>Current playoff matchupsbr/>Friday's gamesbr/>Thursday night's scoresbr/>Expanded standingsbr/>Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals

>A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

>M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins

>M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars

>C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues

>P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators

>P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Tonight's games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available to stream on ESPN+.

Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.

>Seattle Kraken at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. (NHLN)

>Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m.

>Washington Capitals at Arizona Coyotes, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Philadelphia Flyers 6, Montreal Canadiens 3

>Florida Panthers 5, Detroit Red Wings 2

>Buffalo Sabres 5, New Jersey Devils 2

>Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Boston Bruins 0

>Carolina Hurricanes 4, Winnipeg Jets 2

>New York Rangers 6, New York Islanders 3

>Tampa Bay Lightning 8, Toronto Maple Leafs 1

>Minnesota Wild 6, Vancouver Canucks 3

>Calgary Flames 4, Dallas Stars 2

>Los Angeles Kings 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1

>St. Louis Blues 3, San Jose Sharks 1

Expanded standings

Note: x = clinched playoff spot; y = clinched division title; z = clinched best conference record; e = eliminated

Atlantic Division

z - Florida Panthers

Points: 118

>Regulation wins: 41

>Playoff position: A1

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 108

>Regulation wins: 43

>Playoff position: A2

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ FLA (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 102

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: A3

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Boston Bruins

Points: 99

>Regulation wins: 36

>Playoff position: WC1

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 71

>Regulation wins: 24

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 70

>Regulation wins: 19

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. PIT (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Ottawa Senators

Points: 65

>Regulation wins: 24

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: @ CBJ (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51

>Regulation wins: 14

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ OTT (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 108

>Regulation wins: 44

>Playoff position: M1

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ NJ (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 108

>Regulation wins: 43

>Playoff position: M2

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

strong>Tragic number: N/A

x - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 99

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: M3

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ DET (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 97

>Regulation wins: 34

>Playoff position: WC2

>Games left: 5

>Next game: @ ARI (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

e - New York Islanders

Points: 80

>Regulation wins: 32

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 76

>Regulation wins: 24

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. OTT (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 61

>Regulation wins: 19

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 59

>Regulation wins: 19

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. PIT (Sunday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Central Division

z - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 116

>Regulation wins: 45

>Playoff position: C1

>Games left: 5

>Next game: @ EDM (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 105

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: C2

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. SEA (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

x - St. Louis Blues

Points: 105

>Regulation wins: 42

>Playoff position: C3

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ ARI (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 93

>Regulation wins: 35

>Playoff position: WC1

>Games left: 5

>Next game: @ TB (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 98%

>Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 91

>Regulation wins: 29

>Playoff position: WC2

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 77%

>Tragic number: N/A

e - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 81

>Regulation wins: 28

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. COL (Sunday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 63

>Regulation wins: 15

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ SJ (Saturday

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 50

>Regulation wins: 16

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. WSH (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

y - Calgary Flames

Points: 106

>Regulation wins: 43

>Playoff position: P1

strong>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 100%

>Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 96

>Regulation wins: 36

>Playoff position: P2

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. COL (Friday)

>Playoff chances: >99%

>Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 94

>Regulation wins: 33

>Playoff position: P3

>Games left: 3

>Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 95%

>Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 89

>Regulation wins: 33

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: vs. SJ (Monday)

>Playoff chances: 28%

>Tragic number: 7

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 87

>Regulation wins: 31

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 2%

>Tragic number: 5

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74

>Regulation wins: 21

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 4

>Next game: @ LA (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 72

>Regulation wins: 21

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 5

>Next game: vs. CHI (Saturday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 58

>Regulation wins: 22

>Playoff position: N/A

>Games left: 6

>Next game: @ MIN (Friday)

>Playoff chances: 0%

>Tragic number: E

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team might move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. The 2022 draft lottery will be held on May 10.

1. Arizona Coyotes

Points: 50

>Regulation wins: 16

2. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51

>Regulation wins: 14

3. Seattle Kraken

Points: 58

>Regulation wins: 22

4. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 59

>Regulation wins: 19

5. New Jersey Devils

Points: 61

>Regulation wins: 19

6. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 63

>Regulation wins: 15

7. Ottawa Senators

Points: 65

>Regulation wins: 24

8. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 70

>Regulation wins: 19

9. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 71

>Regulation wins: 24

10. San Jose Sharks

Points: 72

>Regulation wins: 21

11. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74

>Regulation wins: 21

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 76

>Regulation wins: 24

13. New York Islanders

Points: 80

>Regulation wins: 32

14. Winnipeg Jets

Points: 81

>Regulation wins: 28

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 87

>Regulation wins: 31

16. Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 89

>Regulation wins: 33

Notes on conditionally traded picks impacting the top 16:

• Columbus will receive Chicago's first-round pick if Chicago does not win either of the two draws in the 2022 draft lottery. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.


• Buffalo will receive Vegas' first-round pick if it is outside the top 10 selections. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.