NHL playoffs latest bracket, standings, games today and who can clinch

An NHL rarity could happen on Thursday, April 2: The Buffalo Sabres could clinch a playoff berth and end a league-record 14-year postseason drought.

All the Sabres need to do is beat the Ottawa Senators and they're in the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11, although there are other ways to clinch.

Buffalo was in last place in the Eastern Conference on Dec. 8 before winning three in a row to get back to .500.

They thenfired general manager Kevyn Adamson Dec. 15 and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen to the position.

The team took off, extending their winning streak to 10 games. They have gone 32-7-4 under the former Columbus Blue Jackets GM heading into Thursday's game.

The Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild also are in position to clinch on Thursday. In the late game, the Nashville Predators visit the Los Angeles Kings, who passed them on Wednesday and moved into the second wild-card spot in the West.

Here's what to know about theNHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, who can clinch today and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:

Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 19: San Jose Sharks goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (left) fights Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Nov. 6: Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) fights Minnesota Wild center Tyler Pitlick (19) after his hit injured Carolina's Jalen Chatfield.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Oct. 18: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) is held back by a linesman after scuffling with Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Marchand is holding Dahlin's helmet and later pulled off the straps in the penalty box.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits

Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference:None

Western Conference:Colorado, Dallas

Who can clinch today?

• The Buffalo Sabres will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Ottawa Senators. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose.

• The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch if they beat the Blue Jackets. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Red Wings lose, plus the Senators lose in regulation.

• The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch if they beat the Penguins in regulation and all of the following occur: the Senators lose and the Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose in regulation. They would also clinch if they beat the Penguins in overtime or a shootout and the Red Wings, Blue Jackets and Senators lose in regulation.

• The Minnesota Wild will clinch if they get at least one point against the Canucks. They would also clinch if they get one point and 1) the Sharks lose and the Oilers and Golden Knights lose in regulation or 2) the Sharks lose in regulation or 3) the Kings fail to win in regulation.

NHL games today (Thursday, April 2)

All times p.m. Eastern

• Buffalo at Ottawa, 7

• Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, 7

• Boston at Florida, 7

• Montreal at N.Y. Rangers, 7

• Detroit at Philadelphia, 7

• Columbus at Carolina, 7

• Washington at New Jersey, 7:30

• Winnipeg at Dallas, 8

• Vancouver at Minnesota, 8

• Chicago at Edmonton, 9

• Calgary at Vegas, 10

• Toronto at San Jose, 10

• Utah at Seattle, 10

• Nashville at Los Angeles, 10:30

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 1 games.x-clinched playoff spot.z-eliminated

Metropolitan Division

• Carolina Hurricanes (100)

• Pittsburgh Penguins (92)

• New York Islanders (89)

Atlantic Division

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• Buffalo Sabres (100)

• Tampa Bay Lightning (98)

• Montreal Canadiens (96)

• Boston Bruins (94)

• Columbus Blue Jackets (88)

Sitting out of playoff position: Ottawa Senators (86), Detroit Red Wings (86), Philadelphia Flyers (86), Washington Capitals (85), New Jersey Devils (78), Toronto Maple Leafs (77), Florida Panthers (75),z-New York Rangers (71)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 1 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated

Central Division

• x-Colorado Avalanche (108)

• x-Dallas Stars (100)

• Minnesota Wild (94)

Pacific Division

• Anaheim Ducks (87)

• Edmonton Oilers (85)

• Vegas Golden Knights (82)

• Utah Mammoth (82)

• Los Angeles Kings (78)

Sitting out of playoff position:San Jose Sharks (77), Nashville Predators (77), Winnipeg Jets (76), Seattle Kraken (75), St. Louis Blues (74), Calgary Flames (70), Chicago Blackhawks (68),z-Vancouver Canucks (52)

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 1:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Columbus (WC2)

• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)

• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)

• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.Key: M -Metropolitan Division.A -Atlantic Division.WC -wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 31.

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)

• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)

• Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)

• Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.Key: C -Central DivisionP -Pacific Division.WC -wild card

More:Vegas Golden Knights fire coach Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins

2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)

3. Total wins

4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.

5. Goal differential

6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NHL playoff bracket, latest standings and clinching scenarios

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 02, 2026

NHL playoffs latest bracket, standings, games today and who can clinch

An NHL rarity could happen on Thursday, April 2: The Buffalo Sabres could clinch a playoff berth and end a league-record ...

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Geno Auriemma against WNBA draft age change: 'Women's basketball would suffer'

PHOENIX –UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemmawould not be a fan of any potential WNBA rule change that would allow players to join the league sooner.

NBA players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft. However, the WNBA requires any player drafted to be at least 22 years old in the year theWNBA drafttakes place. The player must also have no remaining college eligibility or renounce any remaining eligibility. International players must be at least 20 years old on the year the draft takes place. Auriemma says changing the WNBA's rule would not be good for the league or college basketball.

"I think it would be a really bad rule. I'm not saying they need to stay four years. I've coached players, (who) after their freshman year, they would be able to handle it," Auriemma told the media Thursday ahead of the Final Four.

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More:Geno Auriemma blasts NCAA over 'frustrating' Sweet 16, Elite Eight setup

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in the NCAA women's basketball tournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kamy Peppler #1 of the Green Bay Phoenix reacts against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the third quarter during the First Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at Williams Arena on March 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Phoenix 75-58.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

March Sadness hits hard in the Women's NCAA basketball tournament

Michigan State's Rashunda Jones (1) walks off the court following a second-round game in theNCAA women's basketballtournament between the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan State Spartans at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Sunday March 22, 2026.

"I do think women's basketball would suffer in that you wouldn't get the recognition around the country that Azzi Fudd has if you're in college one year, okay? If Sarah (Strong) would have left after last year, you wouldn't have that continued (chance to watch) her grow, and she would go to the WNBA. Great for her. Great opportunity for her. But a bad opportunity 'cause you're not going to replace her with somebody equal."

Auriemma says women's basketball would be "diminished" if players only completed one year of college play before moving on to the pro level. He also said very few players would be able to do as some baseball players do and be a pro right out of high school.

Auriemma even joked he likes the way football requires players to wait, saying you wouldn't send a college freshman or sophomore to play against "grown men" who would "break you in half." The UConn coach eventually said if a change was going to be made, the "baseball model" would be his preference.

"I do think there's benefits for them to grow," Auriemma said. "Now with the money they're making, you got pros wanting to come back to college."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:UConn coach Geno Auriemma against potential WNBA draft age rule change

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 02, 2026

Geno Auriemma against WNBA draft age change: 'Women's basketball would suffer'

PHOENIX –UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemmawould not be a fan of any potential WNBA rule change that would ...

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The NBA is planning a European basketball league. Investors think it's worth billions.

Decades after the NBA first took an interest in Europe, it took a significant step this week toward establishing a new basketball league on the continent. It heard from potential investors, who valued some clubs in the proposed league there at $1 billion.

In the fall of 2027, the NBA expects to open a league of 14 to 16 teams in 12 European cities. Yet while the NBA has been public in recent years about its desire for a league across the Atlantic, it didn't have a formal measure of interest on the European side. That was until this week, when potential investors had until Tuesday to submit nonbinding bids.

The NBA received multiple bids worth more than $500 million, including some at and over $1 billion, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly. The person said that more than 120 investors were involved in the bid process.

"The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace's belief in our proposed model and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball," said Mark Tatum, the NBA's deputy commissioner and chief operating officer, in a statement. "We will now review the bids in more detail and shortlist the partners who share our vision and commitment to accelerating the growth of the game across the continent."

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With multiple bids in hand, the NBA now plans to select those it considers the best, using input from its Board of Governors. Because of that process, teams in the European league are expected to be announced in stages, instead of all at once.

The NBA has long wanted a permanent foothold in Europe, going back to the 1980s and the tenure of former Commissioner David Stern. The league believes basketball's popularity in Europe — its data suggests there are 270 million basketball fans there — is a largely untapped business opportunity, with large markets such as London and Rome devoid of top-flight basketball teams.

Stern pushed for NBA players to take part in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The league took teams abroad for exhibitions against European clubs. Eventually Stern's successor, Adam Silver, began hosting regular-season NBA games on the continent, too, with stops in Berlin and London as recently as January.

Yet the proposed league, which is also backed by FIBA, international basketball's governing body, is not intended to act as an easternmost conference of the current 30-team NBA, which is mulling its own domestic expansion in Las Vegas and Seattle.

Instead, the NBA's European league would be its own, distinct entity, anchored by 10 to 12 permanent members, with the remaining league slots earned by teams that qualify through other competitions, similar to European soccer leagues. At a March meeting of the NBA's Board of Governors, Silver said 12 cities were being targeted for the launch but did not go into detail. Currently, the league is focused on placing teams in London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul.

That doesn't mean the NBA and its European cousin would be entirely separated. The NBA has already looked at creating competitions that could pit NBA teams against their European counterparts, said one person with knowledge of plans. Tatum, the NBA's deputy commissioner, last fall described a "preseason cup" as one hypothetical possibility in the short term.

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"Five, 10 years down the road, you could see a situation where the winners of the top two finishers in the European league get entered into the NBA Cup tournament," Tatumtold Sports Business Journal.

The NBA's in-season cup tournament, which began in 2023, drew inspiration from European soccer, whose popularity in the U.S. has partly factored into the league's belief that now is the right time to launch a league on the continent. Despite the time difference, U.S. fans have gotten used to watching England's Premier League on weekends, plus European competitions during the week.

The geographic divide also hasn't limited interest in the NBA from abroad. European-raised NBA superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic led to record viewership numbers for the NBA in Europe last season.

The European cities the NBA has targeted come with complications. Though Manchester and London have arenas that would meet the league's state-of-the-art standard, others would likely need renovations.

Not all cities currently have top-flight basketball clubs, either, which is why any new European league would require some clubs founded from scratch.

The NBA has also sought to determine whether established, high-profile soccer clubs in some of their desired markets would be open to adding a basketball team. And while some cities do have established and high-profile clubs, they currently play in EuroLeague, a closed league of 20 teams including such powers as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The bids that arrived by Tuesday's deadline followed discussions in recent weeks between the NBA and more than a dozen existing European basketball teams about potential inclusion. Among those interested were teams that currently play in the EuroLeague, one of the people said. Under the NBA and FIBA's proposal, the only way a team can guarantee a permanent place in their European league would be to go through its investment process.

The NBA and EuroLeague are expected to resume talks soon that would explore a potential collaboration, rather than a collision.

"I think for the betterment of European basketball, the best outcome would be if we came together with the EuroLeague here and that we came up with a systematic approach to growing the game throughout Europe," Silver told reporters last month.

EuroLeague had taken a defiant tone as the NBA's interest in Europe became public; in January,it reportedly warnedthe NBA of legal action if it spoke to EuroLeague-affiliated clubs. But in March, EuroLeague hired Chus Bueno, a new chief executive with a more conciliatory stance. He previously worked as an executive in the NBA league office for 12 years.

"If they raise the money, the most logical thing would be a joint competition," Bueno told Spain'sMundo Deportivo in March. "Having two top-level competitions would split the market and lower the average level. It wouldn't help anyone. The best thing is to do it together, even if it means compromises from both sides."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

April 02, 2026

The NBA is planning a European basketball league. Investors think it's worth billions.

Decades after the NBA first took an interest in Europe, it took a significant step this week toward establishing a new ba...

Read More