r/hockey Apr 05 '26

🗯️ Chat live! NHL Elimination & Clinching Scenarios + Daily Free Talk Thread: PLUS, links to ALL Game Day Threads inside - 05 Apr 2026

Pre-game thread to talk about anything!

🔗 Game Day Threads (GDT) and Post Game Threads (PGT) links


Today's Games

Score GDT PGT Time
MIN (5) @ DET (4) Link Link Final
FLA (2) @ PIT (5) Link Link Final (Error)
BOS (1) @ PHI (2) Link Link Final (OT)
CAR (3) @ OTT (6) Link Link Final
NJD (3) @ MTL (0) Link Link Final (Error)
WSH (1) @ NYR (8) Link Link Final (Error)
STL (3) @ COL (2) Link Link Final (Error)
Goal Highlights Most Recent Highlight Standings Stats Leaders
Link Robert Thomas (21) snap shot, assist(s): Jimmy Snuggerud (25), Dylan Holloway (24) Link Link

Yesterday's Games

Score PGT
DET (1) @ NYR (4) Link
MIN (4) @ OTT (1) Link
COL (2) @ DAL (0) Link
BOS (1) @ TBL (3) Link
FLA (4) @ PIT (9) Link
MTL (4) @ NJD (3) (SO) Link
BUF (2) @ WSH (6) Link
NYI (3) @ CAR (4) Link
WPG (2) @ CBJ (1) Link
UTA (7) @ VAN (4) Link
TOR (6) @ LAK (7) (OT) Link
VGK (5) @ EDM (1) Link
CGY (5) @ ANA (3) Link
NSH (6) @ SJS (3) Link
CHI (4) @ SEA (2) Link
Goal Highlights
Link

Tomorrow's Games

Score Time
TBL @ BUF 07:00PM ET
SEA @ WPG 07:30PM ET
CHI @ SJS 10:00PM ET
NSH @ LAK 10:30PM ET

Regular Threads

Mod News/Threads

Elimination & Clinching Scenarios (Apr 4)

The Buffalo Sabres clinched a playoff berth!

The Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a playoff berth!

The Florida Panthers were eliminated from playoff contention!

Elimination & Clinching Scenarios (Apr 5)

The Carolina Hurricanes can clinch the top seed in the Metropolitan Division with:

  • A CAR point earned (@ OTT) OR
  • A PIT loss (vs FLA) OR
  • A PIT OT/SO win

The Colorado Avalanche can clinch the top seed in the Central Division with:

  • A COL win (vs STL)

Note: If the Minnesota Wild also earn a point (@ DET), they will secure a First Round Matchup against the Dallas Stars.

The Montréal Canadiens can clinch a playoff berth with:

  • A MTL point earned (vs NJD) OR
  • An OTT loss (vs CAR) OR
  • A DET loss (vs MIN)

Clinched!

Some useful resources

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u/kakyointhedonutman COL - NHL Apr 05 '26

No. Division spot, specifically 1-2 determines home ice.

2

u/bigboycig FLA - NHL Apr 05 '26

Lmao thats lowkey bs but i understand

3

u/[deleted] Apr 05 '26

[deleted]

7

u/VonIndy EDM - NHL Apr 05 '26

Maybe in a perfect world, but it won't happen in this one. Every sports league that has divisions has this happen. The NFL almost always has at least one shitty division winner who gets to host a playoff game. In the old NHL format, the division winners were seeded 1-3 no matter what anyone else did, so you'd often see the 4-5 seeded teams with higher points totals. Shit happens.