NHL Playoff Standings: How Will the Pacific Division Finish? The Pacific Division’s playoff race has become a topic of discussion among NHL players, with Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid joking that the competition feels like a “pillow fight.” The remark came after a weekend marked by six Pacific teams going winless in a three-day stretch, highlighting the division’s tight race for playoff spots. While the current standings show the Anaheim Ducks leading the pack, the outcome remains uncertain as teams jockey for positions in both the playoffs and the 2026 NHL draft lottery. The Ducks currently hold the top spot in the Pacific with 84 points and 24 regulation wins through 71 games. They face the Calgary Flames on Thursday, a matchup that could impact the draft lottery standings. Calgary, battling for the No. 2 seed in the lottery, will also take on the Vancouver Canucks, who are chasing the No. 1 spot. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings, trailing the Nashville Predators by three points and seven regulation wins for the second wild-card spot, play the Canucks in a crucial game. McDavid’s Oilers, ranked No. 2 in the division, will face the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, a matchup projected to be one of the most likely first-round series in the playoffs, with a 62.54% chance of occurring. The Golden Knights, currently in third place, are expected to finish ahead of the Kings, Sharks, and Kraken in Stathletes’ projections. The Predators, however, are projected to secure the second wild-card spot, leaving the Sharks and Kraken in a tight race for the final playoff berth. The San Jose Sharks, whose playoff hopes have waned recently, face the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, while the Seattle Kraken, five points behind the Predators in the wild-card race, take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.#calgary_flames #vancouver_canucks #nhl #anaheim_ducks #connor_mcdavid
