Stretch Run Preview

For the final month-plus of the NHL season, we’re adding the ‘Stretch Run’ feature. It will be posted every morning after the ‘Morning Skate’, looking at key playoff-implication games for that day and current odds of making the postseason. We'll also have daily videos of past playoff moments to get you jacked up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs! Tonight we take an extensive look at how each conference race will play out down the stretch…

Here are the current Eastern Conference standings:
1. Washington… 90 PTS, 62 GP
2. New Jersey… 77 PTS, 61 GP
3. Ottawa… 76 PTS, 63 GP
4. Pittsburgh… 76 PTS, 62 GP
5. Buffalo… 75 PTS, 60 GP
6. Philadelphia… 67 PTS, 60 GP
7. Boston… 65 PTS, 60 GP
8. Montreal… 64 PTS, 63 GP
9. Tampa Bay… 63 PTS, 61 GP
10. NY Rangers… 63 PTS, 62 GP
11. Atlanta… 62 PTS, 60 GP
12. Florida… 58 PTS, 61 GP
13. NY Islanders… 58 PTS, 62 GP
14. Carolina… 55 PTS, 61 GP
15. Toronto… 49 PTS, 61 GP
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1. Washington Capitals
Record: 41-13-8, 90 points
Games Remaining: 20 (12 home, 8 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/20 – 3/30 (at TB, vs. PIT, at CAR, vs. CGY, vs. OTT)
Predicted finish: 14-5-1, 119 points, 1st East

2. New Jersey Devils
Record: 37-21-3, 77 points
Games Remaining: 21 (11 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/10 – 3/17 (vs. NYR, vs. PIT, at NYI, vs. BOS, vs. PIT)
Predicted finish: 13-4-4, 107 points, 2nd East

3. Ottawa Senators
Record: 36-23-4, 76 points
Games Remaining: 19 (7 home, 12 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/18 – 3/26 (at ATL, at DAL, at MTL, vs. PHI, at BUF)
Predicted finish: 10-7-2 points, 5th East

4. Pittsburgh Penguins
Record: 36-22-4, 76 points
Games Remaining: 20 (10 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/17 – 3/24 (at NJ, at BOS, vs. CAR, at DET, at WSH)
Predicted finish: 14-4-2, 106 points, 4th East

5. Buffalo Sabres
Record: 33-18-9, 75 points
Games Remaining: 22 (9 home, 13 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 4/3 – 4/11 (at MTL, vs. NYR, at BOS, at OTT, at NJ)
Predicted finish: 11-7-4, 101 points, 3rd East

6. Philadelphia Flyers
Record: 32-25-3, 67 points
Games Remaining: 22 (10 home, 12 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/21 – 3/28 (vs. ATL, at OTT, vs. MIN, at PIT, vs. NJ)
Predicted finish: 12-7-3, 94 points, 6th East

7. Boston Bruins
Record: 27-22-11, 65 points
Games Remaining: 22 (10 home, 12 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/7 – 3/15 (at PIT, at TOR, at PHI, at MTL, at NJ)
Predicted finish: 12-6-3, 92 points, 7th East

8. Montreal Canadiens
Record: 29-28-6, 64 points
Games Remaining: 19 (9 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/25 – 4/3 (vs. FLA, vs. NJ, vs. CAR, at PHI, vs. BUF)
Predicted finish: 10-7-2, 86 points, 10th East

9. Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 26-24-11, 63 points
Games Remaining: 21 (11 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/6 – 3/14 (vs. ATL, at MTL, at TOR, at WSH, vs. PIT)
Predicted finish: 10-8-3, 86 points, 11th East

10. New York Rangers
Record: 28-27-7, 63 points
Games Remaining: 20 (8 home, 12 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/7 – 3/16 (vs. BUF, at NJ, at ATL, vs. PHI, vs. MTL)
Predicted finish: 11-7-2, 87 points, 9th East

11. Atlanta Thrashers
Record: 26-24-10, 62 points
Games Remaining: 22 (14 home, 8 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/23 – 3/30 (vs. BOS, vs. TOR, at CAR, vs. CAR, at TOR)
Predicted finish: 13-8-1, 89 points, 8th East

12. Florida Panthers
Record: 24-27-10, 58 points
Games Remaining: 21 (11 home, 10 away)
Predicted finish: 6-10-5, 75 points, 12th East

13. New York Islanders
Record: 25-29-8, 58 points
Games Remaining: 20 (11 home, 9 away)
Predicted finish: 4-13-3, 69 points, 14th East

14. Carolina Hurricanes
Record: 24-30-7, 55 points
Games Remaining: 21 (10 home, 11 away)
Predicted finish: 6-12-3, 70 points, 13th East

15. Toronto Maple Leafs
Record: 19-31-11, 49 points
Games Remaining: 21 (12 home, 9 away)
Predicted finish: 6-12-3, 64 points, 15th East

Predicted final standings:
1. Washington… 119 points
2. New Jersey… 107
3. Buffalo… 101
4. Pittsburgh… 106
5. Ottawa… 98
6. Philadelphia… 94
7. Boston… 92
8. Atlanta… 89
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9. NY Rangers… 87
10. Montreal… 86
11. Tampa Bay… 86
12. Florida… 75
13. Carolina… 70
14. NY Islanders… 69
15. Toronto… 64

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Here are the current Western Conference standings:
1. San Jose… 89 PTS, 62 GP
2. Chicago… 87 PTS, 61 GP
3. Vancouver… 76 PTS, 61 GP
4. Phoenix… 79 PTS, 63 GP
5. Los Angeles… 78 PTS, 61 GP
6. Colorado… 76 PTS, 61 GP
7. Nashville… 71 PTS, 61 GP
8. Calgary… 69 PTS, 62 GP
9. Dallas… 68 PTS, 61 GP
10. Detroit… 68 PTS, 61 GP
11. Anaheim… 67 PTS, 62 GP
12. St. Louis… 65 PTS, 62 GP
13. Minnesota… 64 PTS, 61 GP
14. Columbus… 60 PTS, 63 GP
15. Edmonton… 44 PTS, 61 GP
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1. San Jose Sharks
Record: 40-13-9, 89 points
Games Remaining: 20 (10 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/27 – 4/4 (vs. VAN, vs. COL, at DAL, at MIN, at COL)
Predicted finish: 14-5-1, 118 points, 2nd West

2. Chicago Blackhawks
Record: 41-15-5, 87 points
Games Remaining: 21 (10 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/10 – 3/18 (vs. LA, at PHI, vs. WSH, at ANA, at LA)
Predicted finish: 16-4-1, 120 points, 1st West

3. Vancouver Canucks
Record: 37-22-2, 76 points
Games Remaining: 21 (10 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/24 – 4/2 (vs. ANA, at SJ, vs. PHX, at LA, at ANA)
Predicted finish: 12-7-2, 102 points, 3rd West

4. Phoenix Coyotes
Record: 37-21-5, 79 points
Games Remaining: 19 (8 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/20 – 3/27 (vs. CHI, at DAL, at CHI, at NSH, vs. COL)
Predicted finish: 10-6-3, 102 points, 5th West

5. Los Angeles Kings
Record: 37-20-4, 78 points
Games Remaining: 21 (11 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/30 – 4/8 (at NSH, vs. VAN, vs. ANA, at ANA, vs. PHX)
Predicted finish: 12-5-4, 106 points, 4th West

6. Colorado Avalanche
Record: 35-20-6, 76 points
Games Remaining: 21 (11 home, 10 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/28 – 4/6 (at SJ, vs. ANA, vs. CGY, vs. SJ, at VAN)
Predicted finish: 10-8-3, 99 points, 6th West

7. Nashville Predators
Record: 33-23-5, 71 points
Games Remaining: 21 (12 home, 9 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/7 – 3/14 (vs. VAN, at ATL, at SJ, at ANA, at LA)
Predicted finish: 10-7-4, 95 points, 8th West

8. Calgary Flames
Record: 30-23-9, 69 points
Games Remaining: 20 (9 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/15 – 3/23 (vs. DET, at COL, vs. SJ, at MIN, vs. ANA)
Predicted finish: 8-8-4, 89 points, 12th West

9. Dallas Stars
Record: 28-21-12, 68 points
Games Remaining: 21 (12 home, 9 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/23 – 3/31 (at NSH, at SJ, at LA, at ANA, vs. SJ)
Predicted finish: 10-9-2, 90 points, 11th West

10. Detroit Red Wings
Record: 28-21-12, 68 points
Games Remaining: 21 (12 home, 9 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/3 – 3/11 (vs. VAN, vs. NSH, at CHI, vs. CGY, vs. MIN)
Predicted finish: 13-6-2, 96 points, 7th West

11. Anaheim Ducks
Record: 30-25-7, 67 points
Games Remaining: 20 (12 home, 8 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/23 – 3/31 (at CGY, at VAN, at EDM, vs. DAL, at COL)
Predicted finish: 12-5-3, 94 points, 9th West

12. St. Louis Blues
Record: 28-25-9, 65 points
Games Remaining: 20 (8 home, 12 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/18 – 3/25 (at NYR, at NJ, vs. NSH, at DET, vs. LA)
Predicted finish: 13-7-0, 91 points, 10th West

13. Minnesota Wild
Record: 30-27-4, 64 points
Games Remaining: 21 (10 home, 11 away)
Key 5-game stretch: 3/21 – 3/29 (vs. CGY, vs. SJ, at PHI, at DET, vs. LA)
Predicted finish: 9-8-4, 86 points, 13th West

14. Columbus Blue Jackets
Record: 25-28-10, 60 points
Games Remaining: 19 (10 home, 9 away)
Predicted finish: 5-11-3, 73 points, 14th West

15. Edmonton Oilers
Record: 19-36-6, 44 points
Games Remaining: 21 (9 home, 12 away)
Predicted finish: 3-14-4, 54 points, 15th West

Predicted final standings:
1. Chicago… 120 points
2. San Jose … 118
3. Vancouver… 102
4. Los Angeles… 106
5. Phoenix… 102
6. Colorado… 99
7. Detroit… 96
8. Nashville… 95
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9. Anaheim… 94
10. St. Louis… 91
11. Dallas… 90
12. Calgary… 89
13. Minnesota… 86
14. Columbus… 73
15. Edmonton… 54