The end of the NHL’s regular season is about to get wild.

The following 48 hours in the National Hockey League will be crazy. We’ve got playoff spots still open, streaks alive, and teams trying to make that last-ditch effort to qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Frank Seravalli: Let’s take a look at what’s still on tap. We’ve mentioned the New York Islanders; they can officially puncture the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff chances with any one-point game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, who, again, don’t really have much to play for. When you think about what’s to play for the Dallas Stars, well, how about a Central Division title? The Stars are very much in the mix against the Colorado Avalanche and still have two games remaining. When you look at the standings here, there’s a lot to still determine for the West. The Mark Wild are locked into the third spot in the central, and they will face one of Colorado or Dallas in the first round. 

Frank Seravalli: The Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights are battling it out not just for the Pacific Division crown but also for the top number-one seed in the entire Western Conference. So the Oilers, by virtue of their win over the Avalanche on Tuesday evening, are in a spot where they have something significant to play for on home ice Thursday. The Los Angeles Kings are still not locked into that third spot yet; the Seattle Kraken can catch them and hold the tiebreaker. So in order for the Oilers to win the West and the Pacific, they need the Seattle Kraken to get a regulation win on Thursday night. This would also put the Kraken in a position to get out of the Wild Card spot and get into the Pacific Division side of the bracket—certainly, a lot for everyone to play for. The Winnipeg Jets sit in the eighth spot and second Wild Card spot. They and the Minnesota Wild are the only two locked-in positions. 

Frank Seravalli: If we take a look at the Eastern side of the bracket, as mentioned, the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are battling it out for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Rangers are currently in the number three position. The Panthers can still remain in that first Wild Card spot, although that will come down to the final day as well. We know the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning have been locked in, and we had a first-round preview on Tuesday evening. But, Mike, what do you think when you look at all of these potential matchups? First off, which one is the juiciest what are you rooting for to see over these next two days and if you’re one team in particular, is there one matchup you want to avoid?

Mike McKenna: Well, for me, it’s the Islanders tonight because they can clinch, and that game is of paramount importance for that team and especially against Montreal. But beyond that, I think it’s interesting to watch in the West just how competitive it is. I want to see if Edmonton can catch Vegas if Dallas can overcome Colorado, and that’s going to matter. You’re figuring out where you will be seeded and who you are going to face. Those matter to me, but I think also, you’re not going to see the load management as much in the West as you do in the East because the East is pretty much determined by where they will be playing, and these games truly do matter in terms of seeding. I think those games out there with Colorado, Edmonton, Dallas, Vegas, you name it, there’s going to be some pretty high intensity for the last game or two. 

Frank Seravalli: Let’s say you’re Seattle, you’re trying to avoid Colorado in the first round, and you’re trying to get into that third spot in the Pacific where you could face either Edmonton or Vegas, not that either of them is a cupcake, but Colorado I think a lot of people view as one of the teams to beat in the West provided they’re healthy.

You can watch the full episode here…