NHL playoff watch: Who's winning the Presidents' Trophy?

4 hours ago 1

ESPN staffMar 20, 2026, 07:30 AM ET

Beginning with the 1985-86 season, the NHL has awarded the Presidents' Trophy to the team with the best regular-season record.

In the salary cap era (since 2005-06), only two teams have won the Presidents' Trophy then gone on to win the Stanley Cup: the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings and the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks. Two of the past seven Presidents' Trophy winners have lost int he first round.

So while the team that wins the prize this season does get home-ice advantage for as long as it lasts in the playoffs, it's clearly no shoo-in to make it to the ultimate stage.

Nevertheless, that advantage is a nice benefit to have in a club's pocket, and with less than a month remaining, there are six teams within 10 points at the top of the league standings.

The team that has been in first place for the vast majority of the season, the Colorado Avalanche, takes the ice tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
Also on Friday, the Eastern Conference's top team, the Carolina Hurricanes, takes on the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET, NHL Network).
The Dallas Stars, two points behind the Avs, next take the ice on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+), skating against the Minnesota Wild, who are eight points back.
Saturday is also the next game day for the Buffalo Sabres, who play the Los Angeles Kings (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
The Tampa Bay Lightning have the most ground to make up, and their journey continues Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

Stathletes projects the Avs to finish with the most points (117.3), followed by the Stars (112.5), Canes (110.1), Lightning (108.1), Wild (106.4) and Sabres (105.8). Is that how the standings will play out, or will one of the other contenders hurdle the Avs?

Every team has about 15 games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 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 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 Detroit Red Wings
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Columbus Blue Jackets

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Los Angeles Kings
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild

P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights

Friday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. (NHL Network)
New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.
Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Utah Mammoth, 10 p.m.

Thursday night's scoreboard

Boston Bruins 6, Winnipeg Jets 1
Ottawa Senators 3, New York Islanders 2
Detroit Red Wings 3, Montreal Canadiens 1
Columbus Blue Jackets 6, New York Rangers 3
Chicago Blackhawks 2, Minnesota Wild 1
Nashville Predators 3, Seattle Kraken 1
Florida Panthers 4, Edmonton Oilers 0
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Vancouver Canucks 2
Utah Mammoth 4, Vegas Golden Knights 0
Buffalo Sabres 5, San Jose Sharks 0
Philadelphia Flyers 4, Los Angeles Kings 3 (SO)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 13
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 15
Points pace: 107.7
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 14
Points pace: 101.3
Next game: vs. NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 88.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 13
Points pace: 99.8
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 57.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 13
Points pace: 99.8
Next game: vs. BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 42.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 95.3
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 52.8%
Tragic number: 23

Florida Panthers

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 85.6
Next game: @ CGY (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 15

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: vs. CAR (Friday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 12

Metro Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 14
Points pace: 110.9
Next game: @ TOR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 101.3
Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 84.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 14
Points pace: 100.1
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 85.3%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 98.6
Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 77.2%
Tragic number: 25

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 94.1
Next game: @ SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 6.2%
Tragic number: 22

Washington Capitals

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 90.3
Next game: vs. NJ (Friday)
Playoff chances: 5%
Tragic number: 18

New Jersey Devils

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 86.8
Next game: @ WSH (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.9%
Tragic number: 16

New York Rangers

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Points pace: 76.1
Next game: vs. WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 6

Central Division

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 15
Points pace: 119.9
Next game: @ CHI (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 12
Points pace: 105.4
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Mammoth

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 13
Points pace: 92.7
Next game: vs. ANA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 97.3%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 85.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 6.4%
Tragic number: 27

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 80.8
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 3.4%
Tragic number: 23

St. Louis Blues

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 78.4
Next game: @ VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.2%
Tragic number: 21

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 64
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 77.2
Next game: vs. COL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 20

Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 14
Points pace: 94.1
Next game: @ UTA (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.2%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 12
Points pace: 90.2
Next game: vs. TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 88.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 13
Points pace: 90.3
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.1%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 14
Points pace: 86.8
Next game: vs. BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 34.4%
Tragic number: N/A

Seattle Kraken

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 85.6
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 11.7%
Tragic number: 27

San Jose Sharks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 15
Points pace: 85.7
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 57.7%
Tragic number: 28

Calgary Flames

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 73.6
Next game: s. FLA (Friday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 17

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 14
Points pace: 60.3
Next game: vs. STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 6

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. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.