NHL Playoffs Preview: Projected Matchups If They Started Today

With 17 days remaining before the NHL playoffs, much remains undecided. Final wild‑card berths, division crowns and home‑ice advantage are still in play.

Filmogaz.com presents a concise playoffs preview with projected matchups if they started today. Below are seeded pairings, key storylines, injuries and remaining schedules.

Eastern Conference

Buffalo Sabres (Atlantic 1) vs. Boston Bruins (Wild‑Card 1)

Buffalo recently reclaimed first place in the Atlantic. The Sabres are nearly certain to reach the postseason with seven games left.

Buffalo has its first 100‑point season since 2009‑10. Coach Lindy Ruff has overseen a notable single‑season turnaround.

• Alex Lyon: 6‑1‑1 in his last eight appearances.
• Remaining Sabres schedule (7 games): at Ottawa; at Washington; vs. Tampa Bay; at Rangers; vs. Columbus; at Chicago; vs. Dallas.

The Bruins have received strong goaltending from Jeremy Swayman. He has lost three times in his last 11 games.

Boston won many home games this season, but will likely miss home‑ice in the final stretch.

• Bruins home record: 27‑10‑1.
• Remaining Bruins schedule (7 games): at Florida; at Tampa Bay; at Philadelphia; at Carolina; vs. Tampa Bay; at Columbus; vs. New Jersey.

Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic 2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (Atlantic 3)

Tampa Bay sits among teams vying for the top Eastern seed. Advanced models still favor the Lightning for deep Cup odds.

The roster features Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and coach Jon Cooper among notable award candidates.

• Remaining Lightning schedule (8 games): vs. Pittsburgh; vs. Boston; at Buffalo; at Ottawa; at Montreal; at Boston; vs. Detroit; vs. Rangers.

Montreal has strung together a six‑game winning streak. The team has dealt with injuries of late.

Defenseman Alexandre Carrier could miss up to four weeks with an upper‑body injury.

• Remaining Canadiens schedule (8 games): at Rangers; at New Jersey; vs. New Jersey; vs. Florida; vs. Tampa Bay; vs. Columbus; at Islanders; at Philadelphia.

Carolina Hurricanes (Metro 1) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (Wild‑Card 2)

Carolina sits near the top of the Eastern standings. Their remaining slate could determine final placement and playoff path.

The Hurricanes will face Columbus again and several other challenging opponents late in the regular season.

• Remaining Hurricanes schedule (8 games): vs. Columbus; vs. Islanders; at Ottawa; vs. Boston; at Chicago; at Utah; at Philadelphia; at Islanders.

Columbus surged into contention after hiring Rick Bowness in mid‑January. Recent form has been rough, however.

The Blue Jackets lost four of five and surrendered a 3‑0 lead in a shootout loss to Boston.

• Mathieu Olivier is expected to miss several weeks after sustaining an injury.
• Remaining Blue Jackets schedule (7 games): at Carolina; vs. Winnipeg; at Detroit; at Buffalo; at Montreal; vs. Boston; vs. Washington.

Pittsburgh Penguins (Metro 2) vs. New York Islanders (Metro 3)

Pittsburgh holds second in the Metro and looks positioned to return to the postseason. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have returned.

Erik Karlsson has 21 points in his last 14 games, bolstering Pittsburgh’s push.

• Remaining Penguins schedule (7 games): at Tampa Bay; vs. Florida; vs. Florida; at New Jersey; vs. Washington; at Washington; at St. Louis.

The Islanders remain in the hunt and could climb the division standings. Key players continue to lead the club.

• Names cited as leaders: Matthew Schaefer, Matthew Barzal, Bo Horvat and Ilya Sorokin.
• Remaining Islanders schedule (6 games): vs. Philadelphia; at Carolina; vs. Toronto; vs. Ottawa; vs. Montreal; vs. Carolina.

Other Eastern playoff candidates include Ottawa, Detroit and Philadelphia. Each sits two points behind Columbus with 86 points. Washington follows with 85 points.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche (Central 1) vs. Nashville Predators (Wild‑Card 2)

Cale Makar suffered an injury against Calgary and will miss time. The team plans to manage his recovery ahead of the postseason.

Colorado still leads the race for the Presidents’ Trophy and home‑ice advantage.

• Remaining Avalanche schedule (9 games): vs. Vancouver; at Dallas; vs. St. Louis; at St. Louis; vs. Calgary; vs. Vegas; at Edmonton; at Calgary; vs. Seattle.

Nashville has dropped three straight games and faces heavy pressure for the second wild‑card slot.

Several teams lie close behind the Predators in the standings.

• Remaining Predators schedule (8 games): at Los Angeles; at San Jose; at Los Angeles; at Anaheim; at Utah; vs. Minnesota; vs. San Jose; vs. Anaheim.

Dallas Stars (Central 2) vs. Minnesota Wild (Central 3)

The Stars and Wild appear likely to meet in round one. Dallas struggled late and needs points to hold position.

Dallas has lost seven of its last nine games. Jason Robertson has 14 points in his last 11.

• Remaining Stars schedule (7 games): vs. Winnipeg; vs. Colorado; vs. Calgary; vs. Minnesota; vs. Rangers; at Toronto; at Buffalo.

Minnesota remains well ahead of the fourth seed. The Wild possess a deep roster and steady goaltending.

• Goaltending duo: Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt.
• Remaining Wild schedule (8 games): vs. Vancouver; at Ottawa; at Detroit; vs. Seattle; at Dallas; at Nashville; at St. Louis; vs. Anaheim.

Anaheim Ducks (Pacific 1) vs. Utah Mammoth (Wild‑Card 1)

Anaheim’s youth movement has pushed the club to the brink of a Pacific title. Injuries have surfaced late in the season.

Cutter Gauthier left Monday’s game and is day‑to‑day. Leo Carlsson nearly suffered an injury in the same contest.

• Remaining Ducks schedule (8 games): at San Jose; vs. St. Louis; vs. Calgary; vs. Nashville; vs. San Jose; vs. Vancouver; at Minnesota; at Nashville.

The Utah Mammoth aim to protect their margin above the second wild‑card. Their recent form has been streaky.

Utah has won four of its last 10 games but benefits from rivals slipping.

• Mammoth strengths include shot attempts, high‑danger chances and expected goals.
• Remaining Mammoth schedule (8 games): at Seattle; at Vancouver; vs. Edmonton; vs. Nashville; vs. Carolina; at Calgary; vs. Winnipeg; vs. St. Louis.

Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (Pacific 3)

Goaltending has taken center stage for Edmonton. Connor Ingram has won his last two starts with a .919 save percentage.

Tristan Jarry also recently posted a win. The Oilers are 6‑3‑1 in their last 10 games.

• Missing player note: Leon Draisaitl remains out and is still missed by the lineup.
• Remaining Oilers schedule (7 games): vs. Chicago; vs. Vegas; at Utah; at San Jose; at Los Angeles; vs. Colorado; vs. Vancouver.

Vegas is 1‑0 under John Tortorella after Bruce Cassidy’s late‑season firing. The new coach has limited time to influence outcomes.

Five of Vegas’s seven remaining games are against non‑playoff opponents. That offers a chance to gain points.

• Remaining Golden Knights schedule (7 games): vs. Calgary; at Edmonton; at Vancouver; at Seattle; at Colorado; vs. Winnipeg; vs. Seattle.

Other Western candidates include Los Angeles and Winnipeg, each one point behind Nashville with 76 points. Seattle and San Jose sit at 75 points. St. Louis has 73 points.

This Filmogaz.com playoffs preview offers projected matchups based on current standings and trends. With 17 days left, many scenarios remain possible.