Super 16: Remaining schedules of playoff contenders examined down stretch

Avalanche must press on without Makar; Flyers enter power rankings

Apr. 2, 2026 at 4:00am

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The NHL's Super 16 power rankings for the final stretch of the regular season examine the tough remaining schedules facing several playoff contenders, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, and Philadelphia Flyers.

Why it matters

With the playoffs rapidly approaching, the final weeks of the regular season will be crucial for teams jockeying for playoff positioning. The tough remaining schedules of several contenders could determine which teams clinch postseason berths and which ones fall short.

The details

The Blue Jackets are facing one of the toughest closing stretches in the league, with road games against Carolina, Detroit, Buffalo and Montreal, and home games against Winnipeg, Boston and Washington. The Islanders have hit a speed bump with back-to-back regulation losses, and five of their remaining six games will be played at home, including three against teams outside of playoff position. The Oilers control their own playoff fate with seven games remaining, including four against Pacific Division opponents and three against teams holding playoff positions. The Senators have hit a rough patch with three straight losses and will face a gauntlet of Buffalo, Minnesota, Carolina and Tampa Bay in their next four games. The Flyers will play six of their final eight games against teams holding a playoff spot, plus one at the Jets, all in a span of 13 days.

  • The Blue Jackets have seven games remaining in the regular season.
  • The Islanders have six regular-season games left, with five at home.
  • The Oilers have seven games remaining, including four against Pacific Division opponents.
  • The Senators have eight games left, with a tough four-game stretch coming up.
  • The Flyers have eight games remaining, with six against playoff teams.

The players

Rick Bowness

The head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Paul Strizhevsky

A staff writer for NHL.com.

Brian Compton

The managing editor of NHL.com.

Derek Van Diest

A staff writer for NHL.com.

Dan Rosen

A senior writer for NHL.com.

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What they’re saying

“The Blue Jackets are staring down one of the toughest closing stretches in the League, and it comes at the worst possible time. They have dropped four in a row (0-3-1) and five of six (1-4-1), their first real skid under coach Rick Bowness, and there is no soft landing ahead.”

— Paul Strizhevsky, staff writer

“The Islanders have hit a speed bump on their path to the playoffs with back-to-back regulation losses, and they have another back-to-back set Friday and Saturday with a home game against the Flyers before visiting Carolina.”

— Brian Compton, managing editor

“The Senators have hit a rough patch with three straight losses and there are questions about their defense and goaltending holding up.”

— Dan Rosen

“If the Flyers are able to reach the playoffs, they will have earned it with a stretch that sees them play six of their final eight games against teams holding a playoff spot, plus one at the Jets, who are one point out of the second wild card in the West -- all in a span of 13 days.”

— Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

“The Mammoth are in good shape in the playoff race. They're in the first wild-card spot, five points ahead of the Predators, who hold the second one.”

— Tracey Myers, staff writer

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

The final weeks of the NHL regular season will be a grueling test for several playoff contenders, with tough remaining schedules that could determine which teams clinch postseason berths and which ones fall short. Teams like the Blue Jackets, Islanders, Senators, and Flyers face daunting slates of games against fellow playoff hopefuls, raising questions about their ability to hold onto their current positions.