NHL playoff standings: Can the Flames make the playoff cut?

A legendary Canadian anthem from the 1980s said "you can't touch a flame when it's red hot," and while we wouldn't classify 5-3-2 in their past 10 games as being «red hot,» the Calgary Flames are getting dangerously close to the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference wild-card playoff race.

In fact, if the Flames beat the Vancouver Canucks tonight (10 ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), coupled with a Jets loss to the Detroit Red Wings (8 ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), the two clubs will be tied in standings points with six games remaining apiece.

No matter what happens tonight, the Jets will hold an edge in regulation wins; heading into the games, their margin is 31-28. But can the Flames overtake them cleanly before the end of the campaign?

After the matchup against the Canucks, the rest of the Flames' schedule, save for one game, is against lottery teams. That atypical game is Wednesday against, you guessed it, the Jets. Meanwhile, the Jets face the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, followed by the Calgary game, a pair of matchups against lottery teams, then a devastating closing duo of games: on the road against the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche.

Heading into tonight, the projection model at FiveThirtyEight still likes the Jets' chances, giving Winnipeg a 60% chance of making the playoffs, compared with Calgary's 28%. How much does that change based on tonight's results?

As we enter the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2023 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight.

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Eastern Conference

A1 Boston