The NHL resumed play Saturday following a thrilling 4 Nations Face-Off tournament and a two-week break.
With just under a third of the season left to go, there are plenty of hot-button questions the teams will face as a heated playoff race continues. Let’s take a look at the 10 hottest issues heading into the last part of the season.
1. The Eastern Conference wild-card race
The Eastern Conference wild-card race is as close as ever, with eight teams within seven points of one another. As of Tuesday, Detroit and Ottawa hold the first and second wild-card spots with 64 and 62 points, respectively; Columbus (62 points), Boston (61 points) and the New York Rangers (60 points) are hot on their trail.
Coming down the stretch, it will be an incredibly tight race to see who can get into the playoffs, and it will certainly be exciting to watch.
2. Big names available at the trade deadline
The NHL’s March 7 trade deadline is approaching, and although some big names have already been moved, there are still plenty of impact players available.
New York Islanders center Brock Nelson will be one of the top targets, especially for teams looking to add down the middle. Other pending free agents include Seattle center Yanni Gourde, Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov and Boston forward Trent Frederic; teams looking to increase their playoff hopes might have to shell out some assets to secure a top player.
3. Players with term: will they be moved?
Although the trade deadline usually features pending free agents on the move, there are a handful of players with multiple years left on their contracts who could also see some interest.
Buffalo center Dylan Cozens has been the speculation of trade rumors for most of the season. The 24-year-old former first-round pick had a career-high 68 points in 81 games during the 2022-23 season but has struggled to replicate those numbers and could use a change of scenery. Other names to keep an eye on are goaltender John Gibson, winger Rickard Rakell and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.
4. The Atlantic Division race
The Atlantic Division looks to be the best in the NHL, with five teams currently on pace to make the playoffs. At the top of the division, the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs will likely duke it out for the division crown.
As of Tuesday, the two teams are separated by one point (Toronto with 72 and Florida with 71). A first-place finish means a more favorable playoff matchup against a wild-card team instead of potentially facing off against the current third-place team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. It should be a close race as the season concludes and is a major story to watch.
5. The Pacific Division race
Like the Atlantic, the Pacific Division is also incredibly tight, with Vegas, Edmonton and Los Angeles separated by five points. If the current standings hold that way, Edmonton and Los Angeles would be set to face off in the first round for the fourth year in a row.
With Edmonton getting the best of Los Angeles in all three previous matchups, the Kings will do their best to avoid their first-round foes.
6. Calgary or Vancouver: who will claim the last wild-card spot?
Pacific Division rivals Calgary and Vancouver are battling for the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. As of Tuesday, just one point separates the two teams.
Vancouver has dealt with many injuries this season, including starting goaltender Thatcher Demko and star defenseman Quinn Hughes. Calgary, on the other hand, is a surprise playoff contender. With nearly identical records, it should come down to the wire for the last spot.
7. Who will secure the best draft odds?
Although many fans are watching their team’s playoff race, there are a handful of fans who will be cheering for their squad to finish last. The team that finishes with the worst record will have a 25.5 percent chance at the first overall pick, which is a significant jump from the second-best odds (13.5 percent).
San Jose, Chicago and Nashville currently have the three worst records and fans of those teams will probably be rooting for some losses down the stretch.
8. The NHL’s scoring race
The Art Ross Trophy will be handed out to the player who finishes with the most points in the league. Similar to last season, Nathan MacKinnon (87 points) and Nikita Kucherov (83) are atop the pack, along with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (86).
With just four points separating the three superstars, the Art Ross race may come down to the last game of the season.
9. The President’s Trophy duel
The President’s Trophy is awarded to the team that finishes with the best record in the league. In a surprise turn of events, the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals seem to be the two teams who will duel it out for that honor.
In 58 games played, Winnipeg has 85 points, while Washington has 84 points in 57 games. Washington does have the 29th-easiest schedule remaining compared to Winnipeg’s 13th, so it may be the Capitals’ to lose.
10. Ovechkin’s chase for greatness
At 39 years old, Alex Ovechkin’s incredible season has been historic. With 29 goals in 41 games, Ovechkin sits just 13 goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky in all-time NHL goals scored.
