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Tim KavanaghESPN.com
As we gaze upon the current NHL standings, one first-round playoff matchup appears to be more locked in than all of the rest: the Minnesota Wild vs. the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division’s No. 2-vs.-No. 3 seed matchup.
Luckily for us, we get a preview of that series Friday night.
These two teams have met only once thus far this season, a 6-4 win by the Blues in the 2022 Winter Classic. They’ll play Friday night’s matchup indoors at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, so fans can keep their winter weather gear at home.
The clubs both come into this matchup reasonably hot, with the Wild on an 8-1-1 streak in their past 10, and the Blues going 6-3-1 in that same span. Both teams are also somewhat banged up, with the Wild’s Matt Dumba, Jon Merrill and Matt Boldy on the injury report, joined there by the Blues’ Scott Perunovich, Logan Brown and Torey Krug.
Will we get the intensity ramped up to full volume Friday night, or will the clubs hold a little bit back for their eventual meetings down the road? The game streams live for out-of-market for ESPN+ subscribers, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.
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:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s games
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Boston Bruins
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
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
Friday night’s games
Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available on ESPN+
Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. (NHLN)
Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m.
New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Last night’s scoreboard
Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.
New York Rangers 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 0
Philadelphia Flyers 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
Nashville Predators 3, Ottawa Senators 2
Montreal Canadiens 7, New Jersey Devils 4
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Buffalo Sabres 3
Seattle Kraken 2, Chicago Blackhawks 0
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Dallas Stars 3 (OT)
Vancouver Canucks 5, Arizona Coyotes 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Los Angeles Kings 2
Calgary Flames 4, San Jose Sharks 2
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 104
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. BUF (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 12
Next game: @ TB (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. BOS (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ FLA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Metropolitan Division
Points: 100
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. NYI (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 98
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ CAR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 13
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 6
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Central Division
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 12
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 91
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 13
Next game: @ STL (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. MIN (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 84
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 88%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. COL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 14
Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. DAL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E
Pacific Division
Points: 95
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 11
Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 89
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 93%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 81%
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. ARI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 41%
Tragic number: 18
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 14
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 4
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 7
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CGY (Saturday)
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 may 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.
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 52
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31