NHL Playoff Race Heats Up: Critical Tuesday Night Clashes & Draft Lottery Implications

Playoff Push & Draft Drama Collide in 10-Game NHL Spectacle

Tuesday's schedule delivers fireworks as teams jockey for postseason positioning while others battle for draft lottery odds. Here's your breakdown of every must-watch game:

Atlantic Division Showdowns

🔥 Toronto Maple Leafs @ Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET)

• Maple Leafs can clinch Atlantic title with single point
• Sabres fighting to improve draft position (No. 7 lottery spot)
• Buffalo's late-season surge vs. Toronto's playoff prep

⚡ Florida Panthers @ Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET)

• Potential first-round playoff preview
• Lightning chasing Leafs for division crown
• Physicality meter: Expect playoff-intensity hits

Western Conference Wild Card Wars

🎯 Utah Hockey Club @ St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET)

• Blues can clinch playoff spot with regulation win
• Utah's impressive expansion season finale
• RW (regulation wins) tiebreaker implications

🌲 Anaheim Ducks @ Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET)

• Wild control destiny: Win = playoff berth
• Ducks' draft lottery positioning at stake (No. 9 spot)
• Minnesota's defensive structure vs. Anaheim's youth movement

🔥 Vegas Golden Knights @ Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET)

• Flames' last stand: Must-win scenario
• Vegas can eliminate Calgary from contention
• Battle of goaltenders: Markstrom vs. Thompson

Eastern Conference Contenders

🏆 Washington Capitals @ NY Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET)

• Capitals locked as East's No. 1 seed
• Islanders' final home game with draft implications
• Ovechkin's pursuit of Gretzky's record (rest watch)

🔵 Columbus Blue Jackets @ Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET)

• Columbus needs miracle: 2 wins + Montreal collapse
• Flyers' disastrous season finale at 76 points
• Potential Jack Roslovic showcase for trade value

Key Storylines to Watch

• Draft Lottery Watch: 9 teams separated by 3 points (75-78) in lottery positioning
• Regulation Wins Tiebreaker: Critical for Blues/Flames wild card race
• Goalie Workload Management: Playoff-bound teams balancing rest vs. momentum
• Rivalry Reignited: Panthers-Lightning could preview bloodiest first-round series

Updated Playoff Probability Matrix

Tonight's X-Factors

• Matthew Tkachuk (FLA): Needs 3 points for 100-season milestone
• Connor Bedard (CHI): Final showcase before draft lottery
• Cale Makar (COL): Norris Trophy favorite tuning up

All games available on ESPN+ unless noted. Follow live updates with the ESPN app's real-time alerts.