Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Blue Jackets have chance to climb standings

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2018 NHL postseason.
There are 25 days left in the regular season and the races in each conference are wide open. Here is a look at the NHL standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

What's on Tap

There are nine games on the schedule Thursday and each could have an impact on the race for positioning in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
- The Blue Jackets can jump over the New Jersey Devils for the first wild card in the East and draw even in points with the third-place Flyers with a regulation victory. The Flyers are four points behind the Penguins and Capitals in the Metropolitan.
- The Maple Leafs are coming off a 6-5 shootout victory against the Dallas Stars. They are seven points behind the second-place Boston Bruins in the Atlantic. The Sabres are 23 points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card with 13 games remaining.
- The Capitals are in first place in the Metropolitan Division, tied in points with the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins, but have two games in hand. The Islanders are nine points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, RD-S, TSN2, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV) - The Penguins are second in the Metropolitan Division, tied in points with the first-place Capitals, who have two games in hand. This is the first meeting of the season between the Penguins and Canadiens, who will play each other three times in the next 16 days. The Canadiens are 15 points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card.
- The Bruins are in second place in the Atlantic Division, four points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning. The Panthers are four points out of the second wild card spot.
- The Blues, who expect defenseman Joel Edmundson (broken forearm) to play, are three points behind the Avalanche for the second wild card spot. The Avalanche are one point behind the Stars for the first wild card, and three points behind the third-place Minnesota Wild in the Central.
Chicago Blackhawks at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, NBCS-CH, NHL.TV) - The Jets are eight points behind the first-place Nashville Predators and seven points ahead of the third-place Wild in the Central. The Blackhawks are 14 points out of a playoff spot.
Nashville Predators at Arizona Coyotes (10 p.m. ET; FS-A PLUS, FS-TN, NHL.TV) - The Predators are first in the Western Conference and Central Division with 100 points. They haven't won at Gila River Arena since March 9, 2015. The Coyotes have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Detroit Red Wings at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN360, FS-D, NHL.TV)- The Kings are third in the Pacific Division, three points behind the second-place San Jose Sharks. The Red Wings are 16 points out of the second wild card in the East.

Need to know

Pittsburgh Penguins: The Penguins were not happy about coming out of their game against the New York Rangers on Wednesday with one point.
Dan Rosen has the story
.
Nashville Predators:The Predators are the first Western Conference team to reach 100 points this season. They stayed on top of
NHL.com's Super 16 Power Rankings for a second straight week
.
Anaheim Ducks: Forward Jason Chimera had no issues moving across the country after he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks from the New York Islanders.
Lisa Dillman explains why
.

Thought of the Day

The Dallas Stars lost a 6-5 shootout at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, and afterward coach Ken Hitchcock said several times the Stars ran out of gas or were running on fumes. For the Stars, who have a one-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild-card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, finding their energy is going to be key.
The Stars are 0-2-1 on their six-game road trip, which continues at the Ottawa Senators on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; RD-S, TSN5, FS-SW+, NHL.TV). The Stars' loss in Toronto on Wednesday was their fourth game in six days. The Stars are also without goaltender Ben Bishop, who suffered a lower-body injury in a 3-2 loss against the Senators on March 5. That injury has put the onus on Kari Lehtonen, who is 1-3-1 with a .912 save percentage and 2.60 goals-against average in Bishop's absence.
Hitchcock talked about the Stars playing with pressure, and they're feeling it right now. The competition gets tougher as their road trip continues, with the Stars at the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday and at the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.
For the Stars, any points are welcome. But between a tough road schedule, missing their No. 1 goaltender and fighting some fatigue, they need to find the resolve to get through this difficult stretch. -- Tracey Myers, NHL.com Staff Writer

About last night

There were five games and plenty of movement in the playoff races on Tuesday:
New Jersey Devils 8, Vegas Golden Knights 3 - The Devils jumped ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, and moved within one point of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers in the Metropolitan Division. The Golden Knights, who have a 10-point lead for first in the Pacific Division, remained five points behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Western Conference.
- Forward James van Riemsdyk scored a hat trick to help the Maple Leafs climb to within seven points of the second-place Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division. The Stars moved one point ahead of the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild card in the Western Conference.
- The Penguins moved into a tie for first place in the Metropolitan Division with the Washington Capitals, who have played two fewer games than Pittsburgh. Center Mika Zibanejad had two goals for the Rangers, who are eight points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East.
- The Sharks moved three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks for second place in the Pacific Division, and within 10 points of the first-place Golden Knights. The Oilers are 17 points behind the Avalanche for the second wild card.
Anaheim Ducks 3, Vancouver Canucks 0 - The Ducks moved into a tie in points with the third-place Kings in the Pacific Division and with the Avalanche, who own the second wild card in the West. Los Angeles and Colorado each hold tiebreakers over Anaheim. The Ducks win eliminated the Canucks and Arizona Coyotes from playoff contention.

If playoffs started Thursday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Thursday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) New Jersey Devils
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Philadelphia Flyers
(2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference
(1C) Nashville Predators vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
(2C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) San Jose Sharks vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings