A 12-hour NHL slate puts 11 of the top 12 Eastern Conference teams in action Saturday, reshaping the playoff race. Saturday at 12: 30 p. m. ET a huge wild-card matchup between Washington and Boston kicks off the schedule and will affect nhl standings 2026 for teams jockeying for postseason spots.
Nhl Standings 2026: Sabres’ Position, Recent Results and Odds
The Buffalo Sabres received help from losses by Atlantic Division rivals Detroit (in regulation) and Montreal (in a shootout), and Sabres playoff odds, MoneyPuck. com: 97. 2%. The Sabres can extend their winning streak to six games and, with a Lightning loss, gain sole possession of first place in the Atlantic.
Washington vs. Boston at 12: 30 p. m. ET and the John Carlson Trade
The 12: 30 p. m. ET wild-card game between Washington and Boston matters because the Bruins are fending off a host of competitors for the second wild card; the Capitals sit four points back. This will be Washington’s first game after Friday’s surprise trade that sent longtime defenseman John Carlson to Anaheim, and Sabres fans would prefer a Capitals win.
Penguins’ Malkin Suspension, Blue Jackets’ Deadline Move and Other Chase Implications
The Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin after he was suspended five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin in the throat on Thursday; the Penguins remain in a top-three spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets have won three straight and sit one point behind the Bruins for the second wild card after adding forward Conor Garland at yesterday’s deadline; they remain the closest non-playoff team to the Sabres, eight points back with a game in hand. The Senators sit four points out of the second wild card, with MoneyPuck giving them a 47. 2-percent chance to make the playoffs. The Canadiens continue their tour of California after a high-scoring shootout loss in Anaheim, and the Hurricanes have won two straight and sit six points ahead of the Sabres in the conference race. A Leafs win combined with a Sabres win would leave the Sabres alone in first place overnight if those outcomes occur.
For fans tracking nhl standings 2026, eight teams from the Eastern Conference will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs under the division-based bracket: the top three teams in each division make up six slots, and the remaining two spots are filled by the next two highest-placed finishers in the conference as wild cards, based on regular-season record regardless of division.
Next confirmed event: the Buffalo Sabres open their five-game homestand against the Predators at 5: 30 p. m. ET.
