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NHL Clinching Scenarios: Will Golden Knights secure Pacific Division crown?

Matt Larkin
Matt Larkin(MLarkinHockey)
Apr 15, 2026, 08:52 EDTUpdated: Apr 15, 2026, 08:56 EDT
Mark Stone, Rasmus Andersson and Ivan Barbashev
Credit: Apr 13, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) celebrates with right wing Mark Stone (61) and left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) after scoring a goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Welcome to the home stretch of the 2025-26 NHL season. This deep into the schedule, something significant is on the line virtually every day, whether it’s a playoff spot, division title to clinch or a major individual milestone. At Daily Faceoff, we’re breaking down what you need to know every day between now and the end of the season April 16.

So what’s at stake across the six-game slate for Wednesday, April 15?

– The Pacific Division crown is the Vegas Golden Knights’ (38-26-17) to lose. All they need is a single point tonight in their home game versus the Seattle Kraken, and it’s official. If the Golden Knights do it, they’ll be the 10th team in NHL history to win a division after making a coaching change in-season, and the second-latest team to do it, having moved from Bruce Cassidy to John Tortorella after 74 games. A Pacific title would also lock Vegas into a first-round matchup against the Utah Mammoth.

– If the New York Rangers (33-39-9) lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation, the Rangers will secure the third-best odds in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.

– The Toronto Maple Leafs (32-35-14) will finish in the bottom five of the overall standings if (a) they lose to the Ottawa Senators in any fashion or (b) the Kraken (34-35-11) muster a point or more vs. Vegas. Finishing with the fifth-worst record would, at least temporarily, secure Toronto’s top-five-protected 2026 first-round pick from the Boston Bruins. The traded pick could still go to Boston if a team with lower odds than the Leafs’ wins the lottery and bumps them down to sixth in the draft order, however.

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PRESENTED BY STAKE

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