2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Who Wants the Last Spot in the Eastern Conference?
The Wild and Whacky Eastern Conference Will Come Down to the Final Days
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs are about five weeks away from starting. Things in the Western Conference are slightly clearer than in the Eastern Conference. Several teams are vying for the wild spot, and at some point, somebody has to want it.
The final stretch of the 2024-25 NHL regular season is here, and the NHL Trade Deadline has come and gone. The teams battling for the final wild card spot in the East did not do much at the trade deadline, except for the New York Islanders, who sold off one piece, while the rest stood pat.
Nobody in the Eastern Conference really wants the final wild card spot in the East. With the Ottawa Senators solidifying the wild card one in the East, it is a five-team race for the final wild card spot between the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Islanders.
Currently, the Canadiens hold the final wild card spot in the East, but that could change. Montreal, with its 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers, passed the New York Rangers. But everyone is asking which team really wants this final wild card spot.
As asked by Mr. Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, “Anyone…? Anyone…? Bueller…? Bueller…?” While it is funny, one of these teams has to want to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, right?
Does anyone want the final wildcard spot in the East? #cbj #isles #lgrw #nyr #gohabsgo
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) March 30, 2025
The regular season's final weeks will determine who gets in and who goes home. The final wild card spot could come down to Game 82. Not to mention, some of these teams play each other to finish the regular season.
Again, why does the NHL need a play-in round when the play-in round is now? Let's see where things stand and who could make the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Which Team Gets The Final Spots in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs
As it stands now, one of the Canadiens, Rangers, Blue Jackets, Red Wings, or Islanders could get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the Canadiens have been in this position before and did not take advantage of it. Nothing is given and everything has to be earned. A winning streak or losing streak can change these standings quickly. We have just seen that.
The race for 8th in the East is begging for a team to take control.
Record in last 10 games:
8. Habs (75 pts), 3-3-4
9. NYI (74 pts), 4-3-3
10. NYR (74 pts), 3-6-1
11. CBJ (73 pts), 2-7-1
12. Detroit (72 pts), 3-7-0— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 28, 2025
The standings on March 28, 2025, are similar to those on March 31st, but that could easily change. None of these teams has really impressed over the last 10 games. Montreal has the best record, but that isn’t saying much.
8. Montréal Canadiens (79pts) 36-30-9 (4-3-3)
9. New York Rangers (77pts) 36-32-7 (5-4-1)
10. Columbus Blue Jackets (75pts) 34-30-9 (3-6-1)
11. Detroit Red Wings (74pts) 34-33- 7 (4-5-1)
12. New York Islanders (74pts) 32-32-10 (3-4-3)
The next five games will tell us what these teams do to get into the playoffs. But then again, it might not, and we could be in this position again down the road.
We already know the West is pretty much set with the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild in the final two spots. That is why the focus is on the East. Again, things can change on a dime in the final weeks of this season, and we will revisit the East later.
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Eastern Conference Wild Card Race
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are playing meaningful hockey. This was a position most people did not expect they would be outside of those inside the organization. Remember, they talked about the right things and taking the next steps in the rebuild. Not to mention who doesn’t want playoff hockey at the Bell Centre. But this was the year they needed to play meaningful hockey with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Kaiden Guhle. The goal was to be in the mix before the new Guhle and Slafkovsky deals kick in. Then the playoffs next season. Adding Patrik Laine helped along with the emergence of Lane Hutson on the backend. That is why Montreal is in this position. Their captain said they liked this group, so GM Kent Hughes stood pat at the deadline, and now they have a chance to make the playoffs.
New York Rangers
Not too many had the New York Rangers in this position when the season started. As a matter of fact, many expected the President Trophy Winning team from a year ago to battle for one of the top three in the Metro. But the Rangers brought this on themselves with dysfunction to start the season after a good start. GM Chris Drury wanted to change the mix, which caused dissension amongst the ranks. While the addition of J.T. Miller has been good, is the hole too dig to climb out of? With the bottom of the conference being so bad and the Rangers having the goalie in Igor Shesterkin to go on a run by getting their acts together, they are the most dangerous team. However, it won’t be easy with the second toughest schedule.
Columbus Blue Jackets
After the tragedy that was the passing of Matthew Gaudreau and Johnny Gaudreau at the beginning of the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves with a chance to make the playoffs. Columbus has the seventh toughest schedule remaining. The return of Sean Monahan and Erik Gudbranson has helped their cause. Columbus went on a nice little run through the Outdoor Game against Detroit before losing six in a row. That should have put them out of the running, but teams in front of them lost, and with a win the other night, they are sticking around. Columbus is doing this for Johnny like Boone Jenner, Adam Fantilli, and Zach Werenski.
Detroit Red Wings
If the Detroit Red Wings make the playoffs, it is because they are supposed to make it. They have the toughest schedule remaining. Detroit was always in the mix with the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres about who wanted to take the next step. While Ottawa is doing it, now it is time for the Red Wings to get there. The coaching change definitely helped the club find their game under Todd McLellan. However, a long-gated losing streak has put the Red Wings behind the eight-ball again. Though they tied the Washington Capitals in points last year, they missed out because of tiebreakers. Detroit needs to find its game, or else there will be questions about what the Red Wings do next.
New York Islanders
As far as the New York Islanders go, losers of five straight, the clock is ticking on their season. It is a tough road ahead for the Islanders as well. New York has the eighth hardest strength of schedule. The Islanders dropped a games to the Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, and Blue Jackets. Even with trading away Brock Nelson the Islanders find themselves in the hunt because Noah Dobson is finding his game and goaltender Illya Sorokin. But they are a marginal team at best. If they get in, the Islanders will be out in the first round. New York needs a new direction, which is to get younger and faster.
Again, these standings will change day to day and hour by hour. Things might not get settled until Game 82 on April 17th. Which team really wants to make the playoffs and earn the final wild card spot? Right now, nobody does, but one team has to.
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