Clinching scenarios for 6 remaining NHL playoff matchups
This year's participants in the NHL playoffs are all set in stone, but six of the eight first-round matchups remain up in the air. Every playoff team plays its final game of the regular season Friday, so all series will be set by the end of the night.
The Edmonton Oilers will host the Los Angeles Kings in their first-round series. The Minnesota Wild will play the St. Louis Blues, but home-ice advantage is still on the table. Here are all of the clinching scenarios ahead of Friday's big slate.
Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning will clinch the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Division and set up a first-round matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs if any of the following happen:
Tampa Bay defeats the New York Islanders in any fashion
Tampa Bay gets one point versus the Islanders and Toronto defeats the Boston Bruins in any fashion
Toronto defeats Boston in regulation
Boston Bruins
The Bruins will clinch the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic and set up a first-round matchup against Toronto if any of the following happen:
- Boston defeats Toronto in any fashion and the Islanders defeat Tampa Bay in any fashion
Boston gets one point versus Toronto and the Islanders defeat Tampa Bay in regulation
Whichever team between the Bruins and Lightning that does not finish third in the Atlantic will face off against the Carolina Hurricanes as the first wild card.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins will clinch the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division and a first-round matchup against the New York Rangers if any of the following happen:
Pittsburgh gets at least one point versus the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Rangers defeat the Washington Capitals in any fashion.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals will clinch the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan and a first-round matchup against the Rangers if any of the following happen:
Washington defeats the Rangers in any fashion and Columbus defeats Pittsburgh in regulation.
Whichever team between the Penguins and Capitals that does not clinch the third seed in the Metropolitan will face the Florida Panthers in the first round as the second wild card.
Western Conference
Minnesota Wild
The Wild will clinch the No. 2 seed in the Central Division and earn home-ice advantage in their first-round matchup against the Blues if any of the following happen:
Minnesota gets at least one point versus the Colorado Avalanche
The Vegas Golden Knights defeat St. Louis in any fashion
If St. Louis defeats Vegas in any fashion and Colorado defeats Minnesota in regulation, the Blues will clinch the No. 2 seed and earn home-ice advantage.
Nashville Predators
The Predators will clinch the first wild-card seed and set up a first-round matchup against the Calgary Flames if any of the following happen:
Nashville gets at least one point versus the Arizona Coyotes
The Anaheim Ducks defeat the Dallas Stars in any fashion
Dallas will clinch the first wild-card spot if it defeats Anaheim in any fashion and Arizona defeats Nashville in regulation. Whichever team between the Stars and Predators that does not finish as the first wild card will play the Avalanche in the first round as the second wild card.