NHL Playoffs And Trophy Watch: Bruins And Senators Could Clinch East's Wild-Card Spots
The stakes are set for the busiest day of NHL hockey we'll see until the fall.
Five teams are able to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs on Saturday.
They include the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators, which could lock up the wild-card spots and leave only third place in the Metropolitan Division up for grabs.
The Detroit Red Wings, which play in the Atlantic Division, could face elimination as a result.
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Western Conference Playoff Race
- The Edmonton Oilerscould become the first team in the Pacific Division to clinch a playoff spot when they play the Los Angeles Kings at 4 p.m. ET. If they get at least one point versus the Kings, they're in.
They can also clinch if the Winnipeg Jets do not beat the Flyers in regulation.
- The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch a playoff spot if they beat the Colorado Avalanche in any fashion.
If the Knights get one point versus the Avalanche, they need the Nashville Predatorsand Jets to lose in any fashion to clinch.
If Vegas loses to Colorado, it needs the Predators and Jets to lose in regulation, and it needs the San Jose Sharks to lose in any fashion.
- The Anaheim Ducks are one of two teams that do not play Saturday, but they could clinch a playoff spot if the Predators and Jets lose in regulation, and if the Sharks lose in any fashion.
- We already know the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild will play each other in the first round. What we don't know yet is who gets home-ice advantage.
If the Stars beat the New York Rangers in any fashion, or if the Wild lose to the Predators in regulation, the Stars would clinch the second seed in the Central Division and home-ice advantage.
If Dallas gets one point versus the Rangers and the Wild lose in any fashion, the Stars also get home-ice advantage.
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Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy Race
1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado: 52 goals, four games left (Colorado plays Vegas at 8 p.m. ET)
2. Cole Caufield, Montreal: 50 goals, three games left (Montreal plays Columbus at 7 p.m. ET)
3. Connor McDavid, Edmonton, 47 goals, three games left (Edmonton plays Los Angeles at 4 p.m. ET)
Art Ross Trophy Race
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton: 133 points, three games left
2. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay: 128 points, three games left (Tampa Bay plays Boston at 12:30 p.m. ET)
3. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado: 126 points
Rookie Scoring Race
1. Ivan Demidov, Montreal: 61 points, three games left
2. Beckett Sennecke, Anaheim: 60 points, three games left (Anaheim is idle)
3. Matthew Schaefer, NY Islanders: 59 points, three games left (New York plays Ottawa at 1 p.m. ET)
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This story was originally published April 11, 2026 at 7:05 AM.