NHL playoff watch: What’s on the line for the Blues and Predators on Sunday?

Sunday’s matchup between the Nashville Predators and the St. Louis Blues (6 ET, NHL Network) is the final contest of the 2021-22 regular season between the two clubs, as they both prepare for (likely) playoff runs. St. Louis has won two of three games in the season series thus far, with the most recent bout ending in a 7-4 win for the Blues in Nashville.

The Blues are coming off a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild (their likely first-round opponent) on Saturday, while the Predators earned a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis now has a one-point edge over Minnesota in the race to earn home-ice advantage and a seven-game edge in the regulation wins column. Meanwhile, Nashville is holding strong to the West’s No. 1 wild card (and most likely a first-round matchup against the Calgary Flames), with an equivalent 91 points to the Dallas Stars but a six-game edge in regulation wins.

As it pertains to the rest of the playoff race for each team, the Preds are in need of points a little more than the Blues; five out of the remaining six games for Nashville down the stretch are against playoff-bound teams, while St. Louis plays only two such games in its final six (plus one matchup with the bubble-residing Vegas Golden Knights). Will that mean Nashville will be pressing harder in this one?

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 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 St. Louis Blues vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Today’s games

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

Florida Panthers at Detroit Red Wings, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers, 5 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators, 6 p.m. (NHLN)
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 6 p.m.
New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Anaheim Ducks, 8:30 p.m.

Last night’s scoreboard

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

Boston Bruins 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
New York Rangers 4, Detroit Red Wings 0
Nashville Predators 4, Chicago Blackhawks 3
St. Louis Blues 6, Minnesota Wild 5 (OT)
Edmonton Oilers 4, Vegas Golden Knights 0
Buffalo Sabres 4, Philadelphia Flyers 3
Washington Capitals 8, Montreal Canadiens 4
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Ottawa Senators 4 (OT)
Tampa Bay Lightning 7, Winnipeg Jets 4
Dallas Stars 2, San Jose Sharks 1
Colorado Avalanche 7, Carolina Hurricanes 4
Calgary Flames 9, Arizona Coyotes 1
Seattle Kraken 4, New Jersey Devils 3 (SO)
Los Angeles Kings 2, Columbus Blue Jackets 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Points: 112
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 8
Next game: @ DET (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: @ PHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 6
Next game: @ ARI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Next game: @ TOR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ VGK (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

Points: 116
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. WSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 7
Next game: @ NSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 8
Next game: vs. SJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. STL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 90%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Next game: @ VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 89%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 2

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. CAR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Points: 101
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. DAL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 98%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 50%
Tragic number: N/A

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 63%
Tragic number: 9

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 10%
Tragic number: 8

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. CBJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Next game: @ MIN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Next game: vs. OTT (Monday)
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: 54
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 18

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 22

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 18

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 20

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30

Points: 87
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.

Source: www.espn.com