Where Kraken Stand in West

Welcome to the Kraken Standings Watch blog. Look for updates on the Western Conference playoffs push following every Kraken game.
Our blog updates will focus on the top three places in the Pacific Division, all of which provide an unconditional invite to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and joining the Western Conference bracket.
Plus, it's instructive to know finishing with the seventh- and eighth-best records in the West is another way to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Those "wild card" teams will come from the Pacific and/or Central divisions.
Feel free to project who looks to finish first, second, or third in the Pacific, but a simpler way to evaluate - and feel the Kraken are "safe" - is to figure where the Kraken sit compared to the ninth and tenth spots in the conference, which you
can check here
.

April 14: Update

Next Kraken Game: Tuesday at Colorado, 7:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (111 points), x-Edmonton (109), x-Los Angeles (104)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (100), x-Winnipeg (95)
On the back of a Nathan MacKinnon hat trick, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Nashville Predators 4-3 on Friday to win the Central Division and finalize the Western Conference playoff picture.
The Avalanche jumped to an early 2-0 lead scoring on their first and third shot of the night but former Avs winger, Kiefer Sherwood netted two goals to tie the game late second period.
MacKinnon would play hero, scoring the game-winner on a blistering wrist shot with just under two minutes to go in regulation. In the final minute, goaltender Alexandar Georgiev pulled off a game-saving right pad save with the Nashville net empty. It was the 40th win of the season for Georgiev, giving him a share of the league lead this season with Boston's Linus Ullmark.
The Kraken fared well against the Avalanche in the season series, picking up wins in October and March and a standings point in a shootout loss in January. Jaden Schwartz led all Kraken skaters in scoring against Colorado with a goal and 3 assists in two games.
Seattle will travel to Colorado and begin the series Tuesday night at Ball Arena (puck drop 7:00pm). Then, first-round action will return to Climate Pledge Arena for Game 3 on Saturday, April 22 at 7:00pm. Here's a look at the Kraken's full schedule for the first round:

April 13: Golden Knights 4, Kraken 1

Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (111 points), x-Edmonton (109), x-Los Angeles (104)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (100), x-Winnipeg (95)
The Kraken closed out the 2022-23 season with a 4-1 loss to Vegas on home ice despite a high-effort outing and plenty of scoring chances, cementing them in the top wildcard position when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin on Monday.
The Vegas win secured the Knights the top spot in the Western Conference and a date with the Winnipeg Jets in round one. The Knights swept the Jets in the season series winning all three games.
The Kraken's opponent in round one will be decided Friday night when Colorado heads to Nashville for a makeup game that was originally intended to be played in November. If the Avalanche win in any fashion they will host the Kraken on Tuesday, April 18. If the Avalanche lose, the Kraken will travel to Dallas and kick off the first round on Monday, April 17.
The other matchups in the Western Conference will be Los Angeles at Edmonton, a rematch of round one last season in which Edmonton won in seven games, and Minnesota visiting either Dallas or Colorado depending on Friday's outcome.
Here's a look at the possible dates that the Kraken will be in action when the first round begins next week:

April 12: Pregame Update

Next Kraken Game: Thursday vs. Vegas, 7:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (109 points), x-Edmonton (107), x-Los Angeles (102)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (100), x-Winnipeg (95)
Dallas skated to a 5-2 victory over the Blues in St. Louis Wednesday night in the only game on the slate that had potential playoff implications for the Kraken.
The win propelled the Stars to the top spot in the Central Division and would mean the Kraken would travel to Dallas to start Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs next week if the season ended now. Colorado trails Dallas by just one standings point but have two games remaining on their schedule and a 50% chance of winning the division.
In the Pacific, the Oilers have a chance of leapfrogging the Knights and claiming the Divisional crown with two points coupled with a Vegas loss on Thursday.
For Seattle, a win over Vegas coupled with an LA loss in regulation against Anaheim on Thursday would catapult the Kraken to 3rd in the Pacific for a potential series with either Vegas or Edmonton - whichever does not win the division.
To help put the Kraken's playoff picture into focus, here is
playoffstatus.com
's first-round matchup probabilities for the Kraken through all games on Tuesday, April 12:

April 11: Kraken 1, Golden Knights 4

Next Kraken Game: Thursday vs. Vegas, 7:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (109 points), x-Edmonton (107), x-Los Angeles (102)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (100), x-Winnipeg (95)
The Winnipeg Jets clinched the 8th and final playoff spot Tuesday night with a 3-1 win over the Wild in Minnesota in a highly physical affair as the league primes for playoff hockey. With all eight teams now accounted for in the Western Conference, the picture becomes only slightly clearer when trying to decipher who may meet in round one.
Heading into Tuesday's action, the Kraken could have faced one of Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, or Edmonton in the opening series. With the loss to Winnipeg, Minnesota is now mathematically eliminated from winning the Central Division and facing the Kraken next week when the Quarter Finals kick off.
Elsewhere, Edmonton topped Colorado 2-1 in overtime with heroics from Evan Bouchard to help the Oilers pick up a necessary two standings points to keep their Pacific Division title hopes alive. The single standings point for Colorado keeps them atop the Central Division (one-point lead over Dallas) with two games remaining.
Vegas' victory against the Kraken keeps the Knights in the driver's seat of the Pacific, needing just a single point on Thursday in Seattle or an Edmonton loss to clinch the #1 seed overall in the Western Conference and a first-round matchup with Winnipeg.
The Kraken still have work to do too. A win against Vegas on Thursday coupled with an LA loss in regulation against Anaheim would catapult the Kraken to 3rd in the Pacific for a potential series with either Vegas or Edmonton - whichever does not win the division.
To help put the Kraken's playoff picture into focus, here is
playoffstatus.com
's first-round matchup probabilities for the Kraken through all games on Tuesday, April 11:

April 10: Kraken 4, Coyotes 1

Next Kraken Game: Tuesday at Vegas, 7:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (107 points), x-Edmonton (105), x-Los Angeles (102)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (100), Winnipeg (93)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (91), Nashville (90)
The Kraken left the cozy confines of Mullet Arena with two standings points to hit the century mark in only the franchise's second season but up north, the Kings took care of business in Vancouver, picking up two points of their own to keep the gap between Seattle and LA at two points.
With two games remaining, the Kraken control their own destiny for third in the Pacific division. Two wins, of any kind, against Vegas Tuesday and Thursday would land the Kraken with 104 standings points and at least 37 regulation wins. The Kings are running out of runway with just one game left, a maximum of 104 points to accumulate, and currently, 36 regulation wins. Should the teams tie in points and regulation wins, the next tiebreaker is regulation/overtime wins, which the Kraken hold.
Elsewhere in the Western Conference, Winnipeg defeated San Jose 6-2 to hold onto the 8th and final playoff position in the West. Winnipeg could clinch as early as Tuesday with a single standings point in Minnesota.
Calgary was eliminated from playoff contention losing to Nashville 3-2 in a shootout Monday night. The win keeps Nashville's playoff hopes alive but the Predators will need from Winnipeg's upcoming opponents, Minnesota and Colorado, to overtake the Jets and clinch.
Current second and third-place teams in the Central Division, Dallas and Minnesota, picked up wins Monday. Colorado and Dallas are now tied with 104 points while Minnesota has 102. The Avalanche have 3 games remaining on their schedule to just two for Minnesota and Dallas.
To help put the Kraken's playoff picture into focus, here is
playoffstatus.com
's first-round matchup probabilities for the Kraken at the conclusion of all games on Monday, April 10:

April 10: Update

Next Kraken Game: Monday at Arizona, 7:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (107 points), x-Edmonton (105), x-Los Angeles (100)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (98), Winnipeg (91)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (90), Nashville (88)
Here's what we know: The Kraken are assuredly through to the postseason and will start the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the road. However, projecting Seattle's first-round opponent gets a little tricky.
For starters, there's no guarantee that the Kraken finish the season in their current first-wild card position. Prior to puck drop on Monday, Seattle trails third-place Los Angeles by just two standings points and have a game in hand over the Kings. According to
playoffstatus.com
, the likelihood of the Kraken leapfrogging the Kings for third in the Pacific is 39%. Finishing third would land Seattle in a first-round matchup with Vegas or Edmonton - whichever does not win the Pacific Division.
The most likely scenario? The Kraken hold onto their top wild-card position and play the division winner that accumulates fewer standings points. The math says that would be current Central Division leader and last year's Stanley Cup Champion, Colorado but the top three teams in the Central (COL, DAL, and MIN) are separated by just 4 points and each has led the division for at least a day in the month of April.
To help put the Kraken's playoff picture into focus, here is
playoffstatus.com
's first-round matchup probabilities for the Kraken prior to puck drop on April 10th:

April 8: Kraken Blackhawks 3, Kraken 7
Next Kraken Game: Monday at Arizona, 7:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (107 points), x-Edmonton (105), x-Los Angeles (100)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (98), Winnipeg (91)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (90), Nashville (88)
It was a busy day around the NHL with all 32 teams in action for the first time in league history and there was a lot on the line with three teams vying for the final wildcard position in the West while others were jockeying for home ice and the division crowns in both the Central and Pacific.
The Kraken took care of business in their penultimate home game of the season, defeating Chicago 7-3 while securing, at least, the first wild-card spot in the West. Despite the storm of goals, there was some cause for concern when starter Martin Jones left the game after the second intermission and did not return to the crease or the bench in the third. Something for Kraken fans to keep an eye on in the remaining three games of the 2022-23 season.
Western Conference action kicked off at 12:30 PDT with Dallas hosting Pacific leader Vegas. Dallas took home two points with the shootout victory that momentarily positioned them first in the Central Division - though that would change later in the evening.
The puck dropped in San Jose 30 minutes later as the Sharks took on the Oilers with Edmonton surging to a 6-1 victory. There was a mathematical chance that the Kraken could clinch home-ice advantage if the Oilers lost all of their remaining games, and the Kraken won all of their remaining games (and picked up more points than LA) but that scenario was erased with the Oilers' victory.
In what was seen as one of the marquee matchups of the day, two Central Division foes, Winnipeg and Nashville faced off in Winnipeg with the final wild card position in the West on the line. Connor Hellebuyck made 28 saves to earn his 4th shutout of the season while giving the Jets a two-point cushion over Nashville in the West.
Calgary, also vying for the final wild-card spot in the West fell to Vancouver in a shootout and now sit in the 9th position, one point behind Winnipeg but with one fewer game remaining on their schedule.
To close out the busy day of hockey, Colorado defeated Los Angeles 4-3. The win propelled Colorado into first in the Central Division (if the season ended today that would make the Avalanche the Kraken's first-round opponent) and kept the Kraken within striking distance of LA for 3rd in the Pacific Division. As it stands the Kraken are two points behind Los Angeles but have a game in hand. Further, if both teams finish the regular season with the same number of standings points the Kraken currently hold the "regulation wins" tiebreaker and would claim 3rd in the Pacific.

April 6: Kraken Coyotes 2, Kraken 4

Next Kraken Game: Saturday vs. Chicago, 7:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (106 points), x-Edmonton (103), x-Los Angeles (100)
Wild Card Spots: x-KRAKEN (96), Winnipeg (89)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (89), Nashville (88)
History was made on Thursday as the Kraken clinched their first-ever playoff berth with a 4-2 win over Arizona.
Earlier in the evening, Nashville shutout Eastern Conference powerhouse, Carolina on the back of a 33-save shutout by Juuse Saros. The Predators' win eliminated a scenario in which the Kraken could still clinch with an overtime or shootout loss but the Kraken players made it clear that they weren't about to back into the 2023 playoffs.
With the Kraken safely in the postseason, what's left to play for in the remaining 4 games (and 8 total standings points)?
The task at hand now is to fend off Winnipeg which currently holds the final wild-card spot. Both the Kraken and Jets have played 78 games but the Kraken have a 7-point advantage over the Jets. This would avoid a first-round showdown with the team that finishes best in the West.
The Kraken can still catch the LA Kings (3rd in the Pacific) too. The Kings have just 3 games remaining and hold a 4 point advantage over the Kraken.
Next up for the Kraken is a Saturday matchup against Chicago, who are just 1-9-0 in their last 10. Watch out for Lukas Reichel, the rookie has picked up points in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games.

April 6: Kraken Clinching Scenarios

Last Kraken Game:Kraken 5, Canucks 2
Next Kraken Game: Thursday vs. Arizona, 7:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (104 points), x-Edmonton (103), x-Los Angeles (100)
Wild Card Spots: KRAKEN (94), Winnipeg (89)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (89), Nashville (86)
In Wednesday's action, Calgary defeated Winnipeg, 3-1. These two teams are now tied in the standings with 89 points apiece, though Winnipeg has a game in hand over the Flames, keeping the Jets in the final wild-card position for now.
Edmonton put away Anaheim by a score of 3-1, keeping them in the race with Vegas and LA for the Pacific Division lead.
So what does this mean for the Kraken?
The simple answer is win Thursday night and they've punched their ticket to the franchise's first-ever playoff appearance.
There's a slightly more roundabout scenario too. Two and a half hours before the Kraken host the Coyotes at Climate Pledge Arena, the puck will drop at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville as the Predators take on the Hurricanes. If the Predators lose in any fashion (regulation, overtime, or shootout), the Kraken would need to pick up just one standings point against Arizona to clinch the franchise's first-ever playoff berth.

April 4: Kraken 5, Canucks 2

Next Kraken Game: Thursday vs. Arizona, 7:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (104 points), x-Edmonton (101), x-Los Angeles (100)
Wild Card Spots: KRAKEN (94), Winnipeg (89)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (87), Nashville (86)
Another Western Conference team clinches a playoff spot. Tonight, it's Colorado. The Avs were led by Nathan MacKinnon's three-point night, including the OT winner.
Chicago helped the Kraken's playoff cause by beating Calgary 4-3 Tuesday night. The Blackhawks rode Andreas Athanasiou's two goals and Petr Mrazek's 33 saves. Calgary will be in Winnipeg tomorrow night for a high-stakes game for both teams.
Nashville, also playing for a second night in a row, downed Vegas 3-2 in overtime. The win keeps Nashville's playoff hopes alive.
The Kraken have an opportunity to clinch on Thursday night.

April 3: Coyotes 1, Kraken 8

Next Kraken Game: Tuesday at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd: x-Vegas (103 points), x-Los Angeles (100), x-Edmonton (99)
Wild Card Spots: KRAKEN (92), Winnipeg (89)
Western Conference 9th, 10th: Calgary (87), Nashville (84)
Monday night, two more Western Conference teams clinched playoff spots. Dallas secured their spot with a 5-1 win over Nashville. The Stars were led by 23-year-old forward Jason Robertson who had a four-point night (1g, 3a).
While Minnesota fell 4-3 in a shootout to Vegas, their one point earned in the shootout loss combined with Nashville's loss secured them their fourth straight playoff appearance.

#

April 3: Pregame Update

Last Kraken Game:Kings 3, Kraken 1
Next Kraken Game:Monday vs. Arizona, 7 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (101 points), Los Angeles (100), Edmonton (99)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (90), Winnipeg (89)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (87), Nashville (84)
Sunday's slate of games saw two teams in the Kraken's rearview inch a bit closer to Seattle's first wild card position.
Winnipeg's Nikolaj Ehlers scored two goals in a 6-1 rout of the Devils. The Jets are now within a point of the Kraken, though Seattle still has two games in hand.
Later in the evening, Calgary overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit to defeat Anaheim and pick up two points and their 4th straight win. The Flames now sit 9th in the conference, 3 points behind the Kraken with 77 games played to Seattle's 75.
Next up for Calgary is a home contest against Chicago on Tuesday.
The following night Calgary and Winnipeg will meet in Winnipeg. A key game for both teams as they battle for the final playoff position in the West.
Nashville was idle on Sunday but return to action against the Stars in Dallas Monday night. While not mathematically eliminated, moneypuck.com has their playoff odds at just 3.4% as of Monday morning.
As we head down the stretch into the final 11 days of the regular season, here's a look at the remaining strength of schedule by opponent point percentage in remaining games from most difficult to easiest:
Nashville: .631
Winnipeg: .558
Kraken: .497
Calgary: .475

April 1: Kings 3, Kraken 1

Next Kraken Game:Saturday: Kraken 1, Wild 5
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (101 points), Edmonton (99), Los Angeles (98)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (90), Winnipeg (87)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (85), Nashville (84)
As the Kraken look to clinch their first-ever playoff spot, fellow Western Conference wild card hopefuls aren't doing Seattle fans any favors.
On Friday night, Winnipeg -- keeper of the final wild card position -- pulled off a convincing win at home against Detroit. Just a few hours later, Calgary, hot on Winnipeg's heels in 9th place came back from two goals down to defeat Vancouver in overtime.
In Saturday's matinee game, Nashville, despite a bevy of injuries defeated St. Louis 6-1 to stay within 3 points of the final wild card position and 6 points behind the Kraken.
Saturday evening, Edmonton blanked Anaheim 6-0 to clinch their spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Kraken had an opportunity to pick up two points against Los Angeles, but ultimately failed to gain any points.

March 29: Update

Last Kraken Game:Monday: Kraken 1, Wild 5
Next Kraken Game:Thursday vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (98 points), Los Angeles (96), Edmonton (95)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (88), Winnipeg (85)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (83), Nashville (82)
Fellow Western Conference contenders did Kraken fans no favors Tuesday night with both Nashville and Calgary picking up important wins in their quest for a playoff position.
The Predators defeated the league-leading Bruins in Boston to close their standings points gap with the Kraken to 6 points. Each team has played 73 games to date.
Calgary ended Los Angeles' 12-game point streak with a 2-1 win at home. The Flames hold the 9th position in the West with 83 points through 75 games played. Like the Kraken, Calgary has a favorable strength of schedule to close out the season with 7 games remaining - 5 of which are against teams that are not in playoff contention.
In the final game of the night, James Reimer shined in the Sharks' 3-0 win against Winnipeg. The Jets maintain the final Wild Card position through 75 games played with 85 standings points.
The Kraken return to Climate Pledge Arena Thursday with an opportunity to rebound from their 5-1 loss to Minnesota with a three-game homestand against Pacific Division foes Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Arizona.

March 27: Kraken 1, Minnesota 5

Next Kraken Game:Thursday vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (98 points), Los Angeles (96), Edmonton (93)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (88), Winnipeg (85)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (81), Nashville (80)
ST. PAUL -Other wild-card contenders Winnipeg, Nashville, and Calgary were idle Tuesday, so the Kraken remain in command of the first wild-card position with 88 points, three points ahead of second wild-card holder Winnipeg and seven ahead of Calgary and eight ahead of Nashville.
The Kraken have a game in hand on both Winnipeg and Calgary while Nashville has played one less game than Seattle. There are nine games remaining in the regular season with the Kraken returning home to face Anaheim Thursday at Climate Pledge Arena.
Edmonton beat Arizona, 5-4, Monday night, to move five points ahead of Seattle in the battle for third place in the Pacific Division.
Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Nashville are all in action Tuesday night. Edmonton, on the second night of a back-to-back, heads to Pacific Division-leading Vegas. Calgary hosts Los Angeles, who are 8-0-2 in their last 10. Winnipeg heads to San Jose and Nashville travels to Boston to take on the league-leading Bruins.

March 26: Update

Last Kraken Game:Saturday: Kraken 7, Predators 2
Next Kraken Game:Monday at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (98 points), Los Angeles (94), Edmonton (91)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (88), Winnipeg (85)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (81), Nashville (80)
ST. PAUL -As the Kraken prepare to play a second first-place team in a week on Monday, wild-card contender Nashville fell to Toronto at home, 3-2. The Predators, playing the second of back-to-games, put up a valiant effort. The Preds scored early third period to make it 2-1 and then again with 90 seconds remaining to get the score to 3-2. But Toronto held and Nashville picks up no ground on Seattle or Winnipeg.
Nashville and the Kraken have now both played 72 games. But the Predators, four points behind Winnipeg for the second wild-card spot, have two games in hand on both the Jets and Calgary. The Predators' next matchup is at Boston Tuesday, then the revised Penguins in Pittsburgh Thursday.
The Kraken are now three points out of third place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on Edmonton. While Seattle battles the Wild Monday, the Oilers travel to Arizona Monday. Calgary doesn't play again until hosting Los Angeles Tuesday. The Kings have won nine of their last 11 games going into a Sunday home game with St. Louis.

March 25: Kraken 7, Nashville 2

Next Kraken Game:Monday at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (98 points), Los Angeles (94), Edmonton (91)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (88), Winnipeg (85)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (81), Nashville (80)
NASHVILLE - The Kraken's rousing victory Saturday put the team travel party into a happy mood en route to a Monday meeting with the Wild in St. Paul. The regulation win also moves Seattle three points ahead of current second wild-card spot holder Winnipeg, defeated in Los Angeles Saturday. Host Nashville is now eight points in the Kraken's rear-view mirror with 10 games left for SEA and 11 for NSH.
With Edmonton's home overtime loss to first-place Vegas Saturday night, the Kraken are now three points out of third place in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on the Oilers. While Seattle battles the Wild Monday, Edmonton travels to Arizona the same night.
Nashville's task doesn't get any easier after facing the Kraken. Toronto comes to town Sunday for a third home game in four days. Calgary doesn't play again until hosting Los Angeles Tuesday. The Kings have won nine of their last 11 games.

March 23: Kraken 1, Nashville 2 (Shootout)

Next Kraken Game:Saturday at Nashville, 11 a.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (96 points), Los Angeles (92), Edmonton (90)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (86), Winnipeg (85)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Nashville (80), Calgary (79)
NASHVILLE - With Nashville earning two points Thursday and Calgary losing in regulation, those two teams switched places in the Western Conference playoffs race. The Predators are now ninth in the West overall at 80 points with a Kraken rematch on the docket for Saturday afternoon.
The Pacific Division fifth-place Flames, who've only won seven of their last 20 games, are now sitting in 10th place overall (79 points) and running out of games to make up ground. Nashville has three games in hand on Calgary and the Kraken have two games in hand against their division rival. Never say never until a team is mathematically eliminated, but Kraken fans should be watching Central Division squads Nashville and Winnipeg more closely to determine which fourth- and/or fifth-place teams will take the wild-card spots.
Seattle remains in the top spot with 86 points and 11 games (22 possible points) remaining. Winnipeg edged Anaheim, 3-2, Friday night with Adam Lowry scoring a third-period game-winning goal to break a tie and move to 85 points. The Kraken have two games in hand on the Jets. Winnipeg travels to Los Angeles to take on the Pacific second-place Kings Saturday afternoon while Calgary has a Saturday night home game versus San Jose.

March 21: Kraken 5, Dallas 4 (OT)

Next Kraken Game:Thursday at Nashville, 5:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (94 points), Los Angeles (92), Edmonton (88)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (85), Winnipeg (83)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (79), Nashville (78)
Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson's overtime heroics fueled Seattle's hold on the first wild-card positions in the Western Conference playoff race. All three of the other wild-card contenders, Winnipeg, Nashville, and Calgary, took care of business with wins.
Nashville routed Buffalo, dousing Sabres' slim hopes in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. Nashville now heads home to face the Kraken Thursday night and again Saturday afternoon. Big games for both teams. The Kraken win in Dallas makes the games even more vital for the Predators.
Winnipeg beat Arizona, 2-1, in a game that should notify Kraken fans that those three games against the Coyotes on the April schedule will not be easy. The Kraken are 6 points ahead of Calgary and 7 ahead of Nashville.

March 21: Update, Pre-Game

Last Kraken Game:Saturday: Oilers 6, Kraken 4
Next Kraken Game:Tuesday at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (92 points), Los Angeles (92), Edmonton (88)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (83), Winnipeg (81)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (77), Nashville (76)
Let's get right to the point(s). The wild-card standings have not changed but both Calgary and Nashville have one less game to catch up to the Kraken or Winnipeg. Both teams lost their last games; Calgary was downed, 8-2 by the LA Kings Monday and the New York Rangers shut out Nashville, 7-0, with six goals in the first period alone.
Nashville visits Buffalo Tuesday before returning home to host the Kraken Thursday and Saturday. The Predators and Sabres both enter the game with three-game losing skids. Calgary visits Anaheim Tuesday night.
The distance between Seattle and third-place Edmonton is five points, but the Kraken have two games in hand on the Oilers. Edmonton visits Arizona (playing well lately and proving a tough matchup at home) Wednesday.

March 20: Update

Last Kraken Game:Saturday: Oilers 6, Kraken 4
Next Kraken Game:Tuesday at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (92 points), Los Angeles (90), Edmonton (86)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (83), Winnipeg (81)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (77), Nashville (76)
Vegas inched closer to securing their ticket to the NHL Playoffs with a convincing win over Columbus on Sunday that puts the Knights in the driver's seat of the Pacific Division with 92 points - two ahead of LA with the same number of games played. Jack Eichel recorded the 4th hat trick of his career in the Knights' 7-2 victory and is averaging just over a point per game since February 1st. Vegas hits the road this week for a tour of Western Canada visiting Vancouver Tuesday, Calgary Thursday, and Edmonton on Friday.
In the wild-card race, Kraken fans received some much-needed relief on the out-of-town scoreboard Sunday. Two teams hot on the Kraken's trail, Winnipeg and Nashville, both failed to pick up points.
The Predators allowed four goals in under three minutes (and 6 goals in the first 14 minutes) of the first period in a 7-0 loss to the Rangers. Roman Josi, Nashville's 2020 Norris Trophy Winner for best defenseman in the NHL, did not suit up in the loss after leaving Saturday's game against Winnipeg with an undisclosed injury. He is considered day-to-day. Nashville now has just one game in hand on Seattle and sits at a 7-point deficit. The Kraken visit Nashville for back-to-back games this week on Thursday and Saturday.
Winnipeg was shut out by St. Louis Sunday afternoon keeping the Jets two points back of the Kraken. Seattle now has two games in hand on Winnipeg. The Jets host Arizona on Tuesday and then set off for California with games against Anaheim and Los Angeles.

March 18: Oilers 6, Kraken 4

Next Kraken Game:Tuesday at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (90 points), Los Angeles (90), Edmonton (86)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (83), Winnipeg (81)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (77), Nashville (76)
The Kraken remain in the first wild card position after a 6-4 loss to Edmonton Saturday afternoon at Climate Pledge Arena. The Kraken went into the matinee matchup with an opportunity to leapfrog division rival Edmonton but instead lost ground on the Oilers who now sit 3rd in the Pacific Division with 86 points through 70 games played. The Kraken have earned 83 points through 69 games.
Earlier in the day Winnipeg topped Nashville in overtime meaning both Western Conference contenders picked up crucial points. With the win, Winnipeg, the current holder of the final wild-card spot, now has 81 points through 70 games played. Winnipeg travels to St. Louis on Sunday with an opportunity to tie the Kraken in total points.
By picking up a point for the overtime loss, Nashville now sits at 76 points but has two games in hand on the Kraken and two big matchups at Bridgestone Arena when Seattle visits later this week. Keep an eye on the Predators' injury report this week. All-star defenseman Roman Josi left Saturday's game against Winnipeg after the first period and did not return.
Calgary also picked up ground on the Kraken by clinching a point in a 6-5 overtime loss to Dallas. Calgary now holds the 9th position in the West with 77 points but the Kraken still hold a game in hand over the Flames.
The Kings fell in a shootout to Vancouver but picked up a point as they push for the lead in the Pacific Division. They are now tied with Vegas at 90 points, though the Golden Knights have played one fewer game.
Seattle hits the road for a four-game trip in the Central Division starting in Dallas on Tuesday. But circle your calendars for Thursday, March 23 and Saturday, March 25 when the Kraken face-off against Nashville in back-to-back tilts with big implications in the Western Conference wild-card race. Seattle finishes off the road trip with a meeting in Minnesota (also at 86 points) before heading home.

March 16: Update

Last Kraken Game:Thursday: Kraken 2, Sharks 1 (OT)
Next Kraken Game:Saturday vs. Edmonton, 1:00 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (90 points), Los Angeles (89), Edmonton (84)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (83), Winnipeg (79)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Calgary (76), Nashville (75)
The Kraken's 2-1 overtime victory Thursday puts them squarely in the first wild-card position in the Western Conference race and one point behind Edmonton for third place in the Pacific Division. The Kraken have played 68 games while the other four playoff contenders in the Pacific have all logged 69 games.
Edmonton remains in third place in the Pacific Division with a convincing 4-1 home win over Dallas Thursday. The Oilers will present a major challenge at Climate Pledge Arena Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. puck drop) for a divisional showdown. A win for the Kraken would move them back into third place.
Pacific leader Vegas has its four-game winning streak snapped by host Calgary Thursday. The Flames' 7-2 convincing win moved them into 9th place in the conference. Next up for Calgary is a home matchup against Dallas Saturday while VGK is hosting Columbus Sunday afternoon.
Second-place Los Angeles (89 points) beat Columbus Thursday in the second of six consecutive games at home, next up is Vancouver Saturday.
In more helpful news, Nashville lost at home to Chicago and has 75 points with two games in hand on the Kraken. The Predators have a Saturday showdown with Winnipeg, which is also battling Colorado for third place in the Central Division.

March 14: Update

Last Kraken Game:Monday: Dallas 5, Kraken 2
Next Kraken Game:Thursday at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (90 points), Los Angeles (87), Edmonton (82)
Wild Card Spots:KRAKEN (81), Winnipeg (79)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Nashville (75), Calgary (74)
With Tuesday's results around the NHL, Seattle is now leading the Western Conference wild-card race. Edmonton jumped into third place in the Pacific Division with a Tuesday win over Ottawa. The Oilers, who host Dallas Thursday, will be at Climate Pledge Arena Saturday afternoon (1 p.m. puck drop) for a divisional showdown.
Pacific leader Vegas is on a four-game winning streak, equating to 90 points. Next up for VGK is hosting Calgary Thursday and Columbus Sunday afternoon. Second-place Los Angeles (87 points) beat the New York Islanders Tuesday in the first night of a six-game homestand that continues Thursday with Columbus and Saturday versus Vancouver.
Nashville won a third straight game Tuesday to move into the 9th spot in the overall Western Conference standings. The Predators have two games in hand on Seattle and three games in hand on the current second wild-card team, Winnipeg. The Predators are home this week, facing Chicago Thursday, then a Saturday showdown with Winnipeg, which is also battling Colorado for third place in the Central Division. Colorado, like Nashville, has played only 65 games compared to most playoff contenders sitting at 67 or 68.
Calgary, 10th in the conference standings with 74 points, fell to Arizona in overtime Tuesday. The Flames visit Vegas Thursday, then are home Saturday against Dallas.

March 13: Dallas 5, Kraken 2

Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (88 points), Los Angeles (85), KRAKEN (81)
Wild Card Spots:Edmonton (80), Winnipeg (79)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Nashville (73), Calgary (73)
With the Kraken loss, the Seattle good guys remain at 81 standings points, good for third place in the Pacific Division. Going into Tuesday's NHL action, all five of the top teams in the division have played 67 games, making a good point for comparison.
Pacific leader Vegas is on a three-game winning streak, equating to 88 points going into a road matchup at lowly Philadelphia. Second-place Los Angeles (85 points) is hosting the New York Islanders, currently in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Calgary and Nashville, both with 73 points, are for 9th/10th in the wild card race. Calgary hosts Arizona Tuesday.
Nashville picked up two points Sunday in an overtime win at Anaheim after beating LA by shootout Saturday. The Predators have three games in hand on Seattle, which could escalate them to 79 points if they won each game. They earned nine of a possible 12 points on the just-completed six-game road trip and are 7-2-1 in the last 10 despite being sellers at the trade deadline. Nashville heads home for three games this week versus Detroit Tuesday, Chicago Thursday, and a Saturday showdown with Winnipeg, which is battling Colorado for third place in the Central Division.
Edmonton is holding the first wild-card position with 80 points and will face Ottawa at home Tuesday. Colorado is currently in third place with 80 points, but like Nashville, has only played 65 games. The Avalanche beat Montreal on the road Monday.

March 11: Dallas 3, Kraken 2 (OT)

Pacific Division 1st, 2nd, 3rd:Vegas (88 points), Los Angeles (85), KRAKEN (81)
Wild Card Spots:Edmonton (80), Colorado (78)
Western Conference 9th, 10th:Nashville (73), Calgary (73)
Saturday's game took on a bit more urgency for any scoreboard watchers among us. That's because Vegas won again against a tough Eastern Conference foe Carolina with trade acquisition Jonathan Quick posting the 4-0 shutout and his second win in a Vegas uniform. That score was final when the Kraken were still trying to tie the Stars.
With the Vegas win (88 standings points after winning, 5-3, in St. Louis Sunday) and Kraken (81) overtime loss, Seattle is seven points behind the division leader with the Kraken having a game in hand.
If you're wondering how a two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie with the LA Kings ended up bridging the goaltending needs for division rival Vegas, here's the trade trail. Los Angeles and Columbus completed a trade in which the Kings sent Quick and two draft picks (conditional 2023 first-rounder and 2024 third-rounder) to the Blue Jackets for goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Then Columbus moved Quick the next day to Vegas in exchange for goaltender Michael Hutchinson and a 2025 7th-round draft pick. Columbus retains 50 percent of Quick's remaining salary this season.
Korpisalo has won two games himself so far with the Kings, who lost to Nashville in a shootout Saturday. LA stands at 85 points, good for second place in the Pacific Division. Gavrikov is playing second-pair minutes for the Kings, who face the New York Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets at home Tuesday and Thursday. The Kraken have one game in hand to potentially gain one to two additional points.
Calgary hosted and beat Ottawa Sunday, now at 73 points, and tied with Nashville for 9th/10th in the wild card race. Nashville picked up two points Sunday in an overtime win at Anaheim after beating LA by shootout Saturday. The Predators have two games in hand on Seattle, which could escalate them to 77 points if they won each game. They earned nine of a possible 12 points on the just-completed six-game road trip. Nashville heads home for three games this week versus Detroit, Chicago, and a Saturday showdown with Winnipeg, which is battling Colorado for third place in the Central Division.
Edmonton is currently holding the first wild card spot after dropping a 7-4 game in Toronto Saturday. The Oilers have 80 points with one more game played than Seattle. Edmonton faces Ottawa at home Tuesday. Colorado is currently in the second wild-card spot with 78 points, but, like Nashville has only played 64 games. The Avalanche play at Montreal on Monday.

March 5: Kraken 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)

Seattle fans are happy for the chance to do some scoreboard watching and peaking at the NHL standings on the Kraken app this March. It comes with some stress, yes, and disappointment when teams ahead of the Kraken in the Pacific Division earn two points for a win, especially if the losing opponent is an Eastern Conference powerhouse team that could have done a favor for the SEA good guys.
But the team is playing "meaningful games we have earned the right to play" says alternate captain and leading scorer Jordan Eberle. It's the least fans can do to fret, er, follow along.
Assessing the standings requires simple guidelines. Only worry about the Western Conference, that's a known given.
The focus instead is on the top three places in the Pacific Division, all of which provide an unconditional invite to professional sports' most exciting postseason. Consider how far the Kraken might be from first or second places, both of which translate to first-round home-ice advantage. As you size up, it is important to note if Seattle has played fewer games than teams ahead of the second-year franchise. Those "games in hand" represent an opportunity to add one or two points per pending game, which could well be enough to move up a place.
Next, it's instructive (and perhaps settles the nerves) to know finishing with the seventh- and eighth-best records in the West is another way to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The final two "wild card" teams can derive in three ways: Two teams (fourth- and fifth place) from the Pacific Division or the same deal with two teams from the Central or the fourth-place teams from both divisions. It's all about who has the most standings points. There may be tiebreakers for squads finishing with the same number of points, but let's park that for another day.
In the current state of the Western Conference, Kraken fans certainly glean what it will take to beat out Vegas (and this week, Los Angeles) to finish first in the Pacific Division. But a simpler way to evaluate - and feel the Kraken are "safe" - is to figure how far ahead the Kraken sit compared to the ninth and tenth spots in the conference, which you can
check here
.
Going into Sunday's game, that translates to determining the margin between your Seattle Kraken (76 points in 62 games) and Nashville and Calgary. Nashville, which traded a number of key players at the recent deadline, has won six of their last eight games and now have 68 points with two games in hand on Seattle. The Predators are now officially a team to watch for Kraken fans until proven otherwise. Calgary, fading a bit lately, has 67 points in 63 games played. Both teams play Monday, Nashville visits Vancouver and Calgary will be in Dallas.