NHL playoff watch: Can the Jets win the West’s No. 1 seed?

Last summer, there was some thought that the Winnipeg Jets would be entering a period of rebuilding, as goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele were entering the final season of their contracts, with many thinking both of them would be moved for prospects and draft picks. Instead, both signed long-term contracts, and with about a month to go in the season, the Jets have a real shot at earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Heading into Friday night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks (8 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), the Jets are TK points behind the pace in the Central Division, with TK games in hand. The Vancouver Canucks currently sit atop the entire conference with 92 points, but the Jets have two games in hand on them.

Stathletes gives the Jets a 28.3% chance of winning the Central, and projects them for 108.2 points in the standings (compared to 112.1 for the Canucks).

Tonight’s game against the Ducks is one of eight of the Jets’ final 17 on the schedule against teams currently outside of playoff position. Vitally, they’ll play the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars once again apiece, and their final game of the season is against, you guessed it, the Canucks. So there might be something pretty significant on the line for that contest on Apr. 18.

As we traverse the final stretch of the regular season, it’s time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2024 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 New York Islanders
A2 Boston Bruins vs. A3 Toronto Maple Leafs
M1 New York Rangers vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Winnipeg Jets
P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. WC2 Vegas Golden Knights
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Friday’s games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available via NHL Power Play, which is included in an ESPN+ subscription (local blackout restrictions apply).

Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. (NHLN)

Thursday’s scoreboard

Buffalo Sabres 4, New York Islanders 0
Boston Bruins 2, Montreal Canadiens 1 (OT)
Arizona Coyotes 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, New York Rangers 3
Pittsburgh Penguins 6, San Jose Sharks 3
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Florida Panthers 0
Ottawa Senators 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2 (SO)
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Philadelphia Flyers 2
New Jersey Devils 6, Dallas Stars 2
Minnesota Wild 2, Anaheim Ducks 0
Calgary Flames 4, Vegas Golden Knights 1
Washington Capitals 2, Seattle Kraken 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 115
Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 112
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 106
Next game: vs. CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 94
Next game: @ FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 92.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 90
Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 12.1%
Tragic number: 32

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 85
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 13.2%
Tragic number: 27

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 76
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 21

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 74
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 22

Metropolitan Division

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 16
Points pace: 112
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 107
Next game: @ TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 15
Points pace: 93
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 65.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 17
Points pace: 91
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 61.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 90
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 37.8%
Tragic number: 33

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 85
Next game: @ ARI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 14.0%
Tragic number: 28

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 85
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 4.0%
Tragic number: 29

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 68
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 15

Central Division

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 109
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 107
Next game: vs. LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 110
Next game: vs. ANA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 98
Next game: @ SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 95.0%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 89
Next game: @ STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 25.8%
Tragic number: 26

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 88
Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.6%
Tragic number: 26

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 72
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 12

Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 51
Next game: vs. LA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 113
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 106
Next game: vs. COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 97
Next game: @ CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 85.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 16
Points pace: 96
Next game: vs. NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 84.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 86
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.8%
Tragic number: 24

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 86
Next game: vs. NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 4.1%
Tragic number: 25

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 61
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 4

Points: 39
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 49
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

P — Clinched Presidents’ Trophy; Y — Clinched division; X — Clinched playoff berth; E — Eliminated from playoff contention

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can 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. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Macklin Celebrini, a freshman at Boston University.

Points: 39
Regulation wins: 12

Points: 41
Regulation wins: 13

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 19

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 27

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 26

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 27