What tonight means for the Montréal Canadiens' playoff race
The Montréal Canadiens are 4-3-1, 9 points with a magic number of 153 and a tragic number of 152 — chasing Buffalo Sabres for a wild card spot.
Tonight they host San Jose Sharks.
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
Playoff berth
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
The Montréal Canadiens can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 152 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
The Montréal Canadiens can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 153 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 39 games from now.
Games that matter tonight
- San Jose Sharks at Montréal Canadiens
- Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders
- Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils
- Detroit Red Wings at Seattle Kraken
- Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals
4 other NHL games with a smaller bearing on this race were left out of the enumeration, so a path that depends on one of them isn't listed. Every path shown is a real guarantee.
Every combination of these results (0 in all) was checked with the same conservative math as the standings page, so each path listed is a mathematical guarantee — no tiebreaker assumptions in your favor. Want the result-by-result version? The rooting guide on the team page shows what each game does to the numbers.
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Frequently asked questions
How can the Montréal Canadiens clinch a playoff spot tonight?
The Montréal Canadiens can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 153 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 39 games from now.
Can the Montréal Canadiens be eliminated tonight?
The Montréal Canadiens can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 152 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
What is the Montréal Canadiens magic number right now?
The Montréal Canadiens magic number is 153 and their tragic number is 152.
How are these scenarios calculated?
Every combination of results in the NHL games that bear on the race tonight is enumerated, and the magic and tragic numbers are recomputed in each one with the same conservative math as the standings page. The paths listed are the minimal sets of results that guarantee the outcome no matter how the other games end.