NHL playoff watch: Will the Capitals or Jets win the Presidents' Trophy? (2025)

The NHL began handing out the Presidents' Trophy to the team with the best regular-season record beginning in the 1985-86 campaign. In its history, it has been awarded 37 times to 18 clubs.

Those teams have been anything but a shoo-in to win the Stanley Cup, however. Just two clubs in the salary cap era (since 2005-06) have won the Presidents' Trophy and hoisted the Stanley Cup: the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings and the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks. Two of the past six Presidents' Trophy winners have lost in the first round.

So, that's the challenge ahead for whomever claims the trophy this season. At this juncture, it appears to have been whittled down to one of two teams: the Winnipeg Jets (with 106 points through 74 games) or the Washington Capitals (103 through 73).

The Capitals will face off against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+), while the Jets will take on the Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

From an overall strength of schedule standpoint, the Jets have a more difficult route. According to Stathletes, the win percentage of their remaining opponents is 51.3%, which is 12th toughest. Compare that to 47.3% -- the 28th toughest -- for the Capitals.

Despite that, Stathletes gives Winnipeg the edge, projecting the Jets for 115.9 points and the Caps for 114.7. It appears this race will come down to the very end!

There are less than three weeks left until season's end on April 17, and we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Clinching scenarios
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Clinching scenarios

The Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs will both clinch a playoff berth if either of the following occurs:

• The Montreal Canadiens lose to the Florida Panthers in any fashion

• The Columbus Blue Jackets lose to the Nashville Predators in any fashion

The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion, AND both of the following occur:

• The Canadiens lose to the Panthers in regulation

• The Blue Jackets lose to the Predators in regulation

The Panthers will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Canadiens in regulation AND the Blue Jackets lose to the Predators in regulation.

The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch a playoff berth if they defeat the Edmonton Oilers in any fashion, OR:

They lose in OT/shootout to the Oilers and either:

• The Calgary Flames lose to the Utah Hockey Club in any fashion

• The St. Louis Blues lose to the Detroit Red Wings in regulation

The Golden Knights also clinch a playoff spot regardless of their own outcome if the Flames lose to the Hockey Club in regulation.

Tuesday's games

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

Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Detroit Red Wings at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Calgary Flames at Utah Hockey Club, 9 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks, 10 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.

Monday's scoreboard

New Jersey Devils 3, Minnesota Wild 2 (SO)
Philadelphia Flyers 2, Nashville Predators 1
Calgary Flames 3, Colorado Avalanche 2 (SO)
Dallas Stars 3, Seattle Kraken 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 104.2
Next game: vs. FLA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 94.4
Next game: vs. BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 86.5
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 44%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.9%
Tragic number: 16

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 76.4
Next game: @ OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 115.7
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: vs. WSH (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 6
Points pace: 93.9
Next game: vs. NYR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 85.3
Next game: vs. MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 27.8%
Tragic number: 17

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 17.1%
Tragic number: 19

New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 8.7%
Tragic number: 16

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 77.6
Next game: @ STL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Points pace: 76.6
Next game: @ MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 7

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 117.5
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 8
Points pace: 113.0
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 7
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: @ CHI (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 88
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 7
Points pace: 96.2
Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 93.4%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Points pace: 95.1
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 95.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 86.4
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.5%
Tragic number: 8

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 68.7
Next game: @ CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 56.5
Next game: vs. COL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 110.1
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 100.0
Next game: @ VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.5%
Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 92.1
Next game: @ UTA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 7.9%
Tragic number: 14

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. SEA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 3.3%
Tragic number: 11

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 80.9
Next game: vs. SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: 4

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 74.4
Next game: @ VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 55.0
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An "x" means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

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 No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23

4. Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

5. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

6. Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

7. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

8. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23

10. New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25

11. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23

13. New York Rangers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 25

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26

16. Calgary Flames

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 26