NHL insiders debate biggest game this week, wild-card races
With about three weeks left of the 2022-23 NHL regular season, there are three teams that have clinched a playoff spot and four that have been mathematically eliminated.
Those numbers will both increase in the days ahead, as it's another jam-packed week on the schedule. But which games will have the most importance when it comes to the playoff races? Which team will ultimately win the West's No. 1 seed? What about the wild cards?
Our reporters and analysts are here to debate those very questions.
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Nashville Predators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). The Penguins are trying to find ways to gain separation from the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, while the Predators are trying to gain ground to challenge for the wild card in the Western Conference. Both teams need points, and it's what makes a game like this so potentially enticing.
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Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Tuesday's Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames tilt (9 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+) is a biggie for me. If the Flames can somehow beat the sizzling Kings — or even wrestle a single point out of the affair — that should set the tone for a successful wrapup to the regular season. Seven of Calgary's remaining games feature non-playoff-bound opponents, with the eighth scheduled against the team they're chasing for the second wild-card spot, in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, two points for L.A. could significantly narrow the