The Vegas Golden Knights are closing in on their eighth playoff appearance in nine seasons, but their first-round opponent remains a mystery with four games left in the regular season. After a four-game winning streak under new coach John Tortorella, the Knights sit at 88 points, two behind the Edmonton Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division. The Seattle Kraken, whom Vegas faces Thursday, have lost five straight and are on the brink of elimination.
Edmonton Oilers (90 points)
The Oilers hold the tiebreaker over the Knights and have played one more game. A first-round meeting between the past two Western Conference champions would be a blockbuster, but the Anaheim Ducks’ recent slide has dimmed the division-title hopes that would set up that matchup.
Anaheim Ducks (87 points)
If the season ended today, the Knights would face the Ducks in an Interstate 15 showdown. Anaheim swept the season series, but injuries to captain Radko Gudas (lower body) and top scorer Cutter Gauthier (upper body) have hurt their depth. The Ducks have lost six straight.
Utah Mammoth (88 points)
Should Vegas win the division, they’d draw the first wild card, likely Utah. The Mammoth have won four straight and seven of ten, led by 38-goal scorer Dylan Guenther. They boast six 20-goal scorers and a deep blue line.
Nashville Predators (84 points)
The Predators are four points back of the wild card but have gone 9-4-2 since the trade deadline. They’d need a collapse from Utah to leapfrog into the first-round picture.
Los Angeles Kings (83 points)
The Kings have points in seven of eight games and hold a game in hand on Nashville and Anaheim. Their final five games include three on the road against Seattle, Vancouver, and Calgary.
San Jose Sharks (81 points)
The Sharks are still alive with a game in hand. A win Thursday at Anaheim could set up a potential Knights-Sharks playoff rivalry revival.
