NHL playoff watch: Knights-Oilers is Wednesday's key game - ESPN

The Wednesday night schedule in the NHL is significantly lighter than Tuesday, with just three games compared to 13. But, there is one doozy on the docket.

The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Edmonton Oilers (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT) in a game that will have implications on the Pacific Division and the entire Western Conference playoff bracket.

For the Oilers, there is a path to winning the division. Entering Wednesday, Edmonton trails the Vancouver Canucks by five points and five regulation wins, though it has two games in hand. The Canucks are in action Wednesday night as well, against the Arizona Coyotes (10:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+). The Oilers don't necessarily have to win out to take the division title, but there's not a ton of wiggle room. Of note, they will host the Canucks on Saturday.

The Golden Knights are nearly a lock for a playoff spot, but their first-round matchup remains in flux. Heading into Wednesday, they are in the second wild-card spot, and would face the Western division champ with the most points (currently the Dallas Stars). However, they are one point and three regulation wins behind the Los Angeles Kings for the No. 3 seed in the Pacific, while they are three points and four regulation wins behind the Nashville Predators for the first wild-card spot.

Put another way: While there is little doubt which eight Western teams are making the playoffs, there are a great many permutations regarding the first-round matchups — and this game on Wednesday will have a notable impact on determining which of those is most likely.

As we traverse the final stretch of the regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2024 NHL draft lottery.