One Week Left and the Kraken Are Running Out of Time
We are officially in crunch mode. One week from tonight, the 2025-26 NHL regular season wraps up and the Stanley Cup playoffs kick off on April 18. But before the bracket is set, Thursday's massive 14-game slate is going to determine a lot of playoff fates, and Seattle fans need to pay attention to what's happening in the Pacific Division.
The Kraken are sitting on the edge of a knife right now. Mathematically, they are staring down elimination unless two very specific things happen: they have to beat the Vegas Golden Knights at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+, and the Nashville Predators have to lose in regulation to the Utah Mammoth at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+. That's it. If either one of those doesn't go the way Seattle needs, the Kraken's season is over.
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It's not all doom and gloom around the NHL on Thursday night, though. The Pittsburgh Penguins sit at the No. 2 seed in the Metro Division and have a magic number of two. They clinch a playoff spot with a win over the New Jersey Devils at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, or if the Columbus Blue Jackets lose in regulation to the Buffalo Sabres at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and the New York Islanders lose any way to the Toronto Maple Leafs at 6:45 p.m. ET on ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+.
The Boston Bruins also have a magic number of two and can clinch their own spot even though they don't play Thursday. They get the X in the standings if the Blue Jackets lose in regulation and the Islanders lose in either regulation or overtime/shootout.
The Presidents' Trophy Is Up for Grabs
At the top of the league, the Colorado Avalanche can secure the No. 1 overall seed and the Presidents' Trophy on Thursday. Colorado clinches the top spot with a win of any kind over the Calgary Flames at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+, or if the Carolina Hurricanes lose in regulation to the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Every team still has five or fewer games left before the regular season ends April 16. For Seattle, that Vegas game is do or die. The Kraken need to take care of business and hope Nashville stumbles. One week. That's all that's left to sort out who plays for the Cup.
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