Colin Kaepernick is serious about wanting to return to the NFL and he's willing to be a backup quarterback if that's what it takes to get back into the league.

"I know I have to find my way back in," Kaepernick told Brandon Marshall, Chad Johnson and Pacman Jones in an interview with the I AM ATHLETE podcast. "So, yeah, if I have to come in as a backup, that fine. But that's not where I'm staying. And when I prove that I'm a starter, I want to be able to step on the field as such. I just need that opportunity to walk through the door."

Kaepernick hasn't played in the NFL since 2016, the same season he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. He said in the interview that if there was an aversion to signing him because of his protest, today's NFL should be more aligned with his views.

"You have End Racism in the back of your end zone. You have Black Lives Matter on your helmet. Everything I've said should be in alignment with what you're saying publicly," he said. "It's a $16 billion business. When I first took a knee, my jersey went to No. 1. When I did the deal with Nike, their value increased by six billion dollars. Six billion. With a B.

"... So if you're talking about the business side, it shows (it's) beneficial. If you're talking about the playing side, come in, let me compete. You can evaluate me from there. The NFL's supposed to be a meritocracy. Come in, let me compete. If I'm not good enough, get rid of me. But let me come in and show you."

Kaepernick recently threw to undrafted receivers for NFL scouts at halftime of Michigan's spring game, at the invitation of Jim Harbaugh, his former San Francisco 49ers coach. In the interview with I AM ATHLETE, Kaepernick noted that both of his 49ers coaches, Harbaugh and Chip Kelly, said he "made the locker room better," contrasting a narrative that he would be a distraction for any team that signs him.

"That 2016 season, my last year, my teammates voted me most courageous and inspirational player. So, when you're talking about the people that are in the building, that has never come out that I've been a distraction. That's never come out that I've been an issue for the people I've played with," he said.

Kaepernick noted that he hasn't done interviews about his desire to play in the NFL again and that's because he didn't want to feed the narrative that there would be a "media circus" if a team signed him. Privately, however, Kaepernick has reached out to teams for a workout but the only one he's received was from the Seattle Seahawks, in 2017.

"No team's brought me in for a workout," Kaepernick said. "No team has brought me in for an opportunity. I had the one meeting with Seattle in 2017. And out of that, Pete Carroll said, 'Hey, he's a starter, we have a starter.' And things moved on from there. But they don't have a starter right now," he said.

Kaepernick said he ultimately wants to win a championship after coming so close with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII but falling "one play away" in a 34-31 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

"I need to finish that. My mentality isn't just to go out, 'oh I want to compete.' No, I want to win a championship," he said.

The only place you'll see four of the last five NFL MVPs competing at the same time and same place this year is on a golf course.

This year's version of Capital One's The Match will feature a foursome of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. The 12-hole exhibition will take place on June 1 (6:30 p.m. ET on TNT) at Wynn Las Vegas, the only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip.

It will be the old guard against the youngsters with Brady and Rodgers versus Mahomes and Allen, Turner Sports announced on Monday.

Brady and Rodgers played in The Match last year but as opponents. They were paired with PGA Tour stars Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau last July in Big Sky, Montana. Rodgers and DeChambeau won the match, with Rodgers clinching the victory by making a 12-foot putt on the 16th hole.

There have been five previous editions of Capital One's The Match that have raised nearly $33 million for various charitable organizations, according to Turner Sports.

Rodgers, the two-time reigning NFL MVP, and Brady both decided this offseason to continue their NFL careers after contemplating retirement. Brady actually retired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then changed his mind, while Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract to return to the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers is listed as a 4.6 handicap by the Wisconsin State Golf Association, and Brady was reportedly an 8.1 handicap before last year's match. Rodgers is also a regular participant in the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, and Mahomes took part in the event last summer.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen played in the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am in February as a 9.0 handicap.

Mahomes is reportedly a 7.7 handicap, according to Golf.com.

The Washington Commanders on Monday strongly disputed claims of financial improprieties in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, laying out the case for why there should be no investigation by the government institution.

The 22-page letter -- written by team attorney Jordan Siev, addressed to FTC chair Lina M. Khan and obtained by ESPN -- rebutted allegations by former team employee Jason Friedman that the team had engaged in nefarious financial practices, impacting consumers and the NFL, to increase their revenue. In addition to the letter, there were 83 pages of signed affidavits, emails and texts.

Paul Szczenski, the team's former director of finance for more than eight years, said in a signed affidavit that, "I can state unequivocally that I never helped maintain, or saw anyone else maintain, a 'second set' of books.'" He was one of three former high-ranking team officials who submitted signed affidavits.

Those points were made by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in a letter to the FTC last week, highlighting allegations made by Friedman, who spent 24 years in the organization's ticket department as the vice president of sales and customer service. He was fired in October 2020, two months after Jason Wright took over as team president.

The FTC acknowledged receiving the letter, but typically does not state whether it will investigate the matter. It also could be turned over to the attorney generals in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia; all were copied on the letter to the FTC.

Washington's letter called Friedman's claims "baseless" as well as "false and reckless" and based on "pure speculation," according to Mitch Gershman, Washington's former chief operating officer, who left the team in 2015 but five years later was accused by former employees of sexual harassment in a Washington Post article. Gershman and others said Friedman was out of the loop because he did not work in the accounting department and was therefore not privy to all financial discussions. Friedman worked at the team's stadium in Landover, Maryland, which is approximately one hour from the practice facilities in Ashburn, Virginia, where according to the letter the finance and accounting departments worked.

Also, the letter said the committee never gave the team a chance to respond to Friedman's charges. It also painted Friedman as a disgruntled former employee who, until recently, had lobbied several people in the organization -- including Wright -- via email and by text to allow him to return, while also sending a letter to owner Dan Snyder after his firing in October 2020 praising him.

In January, he told Wright via email, "I've had a year to reflect on my past shortcomings. I've learned, and I am remorseful for these shortcomings. If you welcomed me, I'd be back there to help at a moments notice."

Friedman claimed the organization had knowingly categorized revenue from standing-room only tickets to Washington games as revenue collected from college games and concerts, thereby allowing them to pocket the money and not share a portion with the NFL. He also stated that they failed to refund security deposits on season tickets, alleging it affected 2,000 customers at a cost of $5 million.

But Washington's letter says it has proof that it did not divert revenue from NFL games to other events. Friedman had produced a May 6, 2014, email with Stephen Choi, then Washington's chief accounting officer, that requested help on processing additional ticket sales and revenue.

The email stated that Friedman was charging $55 per ticket, but they were priced at $44 in the system. The difference would be written off as bogus licensing fees. According to the email, Choi directed him to apply the "juice" from that extra $11 per ticket to the Navy-Notre Dame game to be held that same year. Friedman said "juice" was a term for hidden revenue for the team. Washington's letter stated that "juice" was slang for "an upside in revenue."

Teams are required to share 40% of their revenue with the other 31 teams. But the college game was considered non-shareable revenue, which meant that Washington would receive an additional $162,360 without losing a portion to the revenue-sharing pool.

Washington's letter stated that Choi forwarded this email to accountants, dropping Friedman from the chain. In an August email, Trey Flythe, then listed as a manager in the team's ticket finance department, told Choi and Szczenski that the "Navy licensing fee has been switched to a 14RedRev." That meant it was now considered 2014 Redskins revenue; the email included a screenshot of the accounting for the amount of $162,360 listed under 14RedRev.

The letter also pointed out that the team is subjected to yearly audits by an outside firm, BDO, and every several years by an NFL auditor, Ernst & Young. Friedman alleged that revenue from non-NFL events at FedEx Field were not subjected to those audits. Washington's letter says that's not true.

In his affidavit, Szczenski said, "there were no categories of events that were 'excluded' from external audits; concerts, college football games, and soccer matches were all part of the Team's audited financial statements, and all could be subjected to scrutiny by the auditors." Former general counsel David Donovan said the same in his affidavit.

The letter also says the Committee should not have relied on Friedman's testimony regarding when the alleged revenue-sharing scheme occurred. Friedman said it occurred "primarily from 2010 to 2015." Washington's letter says the team had a $27 million waiver from the NFL that limited revenue sharing because it was paying for projects approved in 2013 and finished two years later. The letter says this waiver was known in the team's accounting and finance department, but "unbeknownst to Friedman." Before that, Washington had a 15-year waiver that ended in 2012 because it had paid for the stadium itself.

The letter also says Friedman was wrong about how the team handled security deposits. He claimed after Snyder bought the team in 1999 that the team created artificial barriers to make it difficult for consumers to collect security deposits. Or they would target deposits from people who had forgotten they made one, or those who inherited seats and didn't know one existed. He said with corporate accounts, the name on the agreement might change over time and, once again, the new person might not know about the initial deposit. Friedman said team executives told employees to make it difficult for customers to receive their deposits by increasing the steps needed to receive the money. Some deposits did get returned.

Also, Friedman noted to the Committee that the team stopped charging security deposits a year after Snyder became owner. Donovan, who left the team in 2011, said Friedman never brought these allegations to him. In his affidavit, Szczenski said the only deposits converted to revenue occurred when a customer defaulted on their contract. He said in a 10-year span that resulted in an extra $200,000 of revenue.

The letter also included a copy of a letter the organization sent to customers in 2014, informing them that they might be entitled to a refund based on their remaining balance. It included boxes to check as to whether the name and address on the account were correct. It also contained an address to send the letter back to collect the refund as well as an email address customers could send to instead.

Additionally, the letter states that the team's unclaimed property, including security deposits, was reviewed in 2014 by the Unclaimed Property Division of Virginia's Department of the Treasury, which had full access to the team's security deposit information. After the review, the department did not recommend further action but instead demanded the team pay $7,330.15 in unclaimed funds to the state as "abandoned property."

Finally, the letter said the team did not approve of Friedman's practice of selling general admission tickets to brokers in 2009.

Friedman had alleged to the Committee that he was made the fall guy for this practice, telling them Choi and Gershman told him to misrepresent their ticket situation. Friedman said he would tell potential customers that no general admission tickets were available and push them toward buying club level seats. According to the letter, there was no NFL policy against selling to ticket brokers in 2009. It also stated that none of the contracts entered into by Friedman were approved by the team's finance or legal department. The letter alleged that Friedman used a rubber stamp of Gershman's signature, allowing him to "keep the agreements secret."

"When [Snyder] was informed, he was not happy," Gershman said in his affidavit. "He directed me and other senior executives to cancel the contracts immediately, and we spent months negotiating with brokers to undo the deals insofar as we could. It would have made no sense for Mr. Snyder to have directed these broker sales only to turn around and cancel them later, with substantial financial cost to the Team."

Donovan said in his affidavit he recommended to Snyder that Friedman be fired after this incident. Friedman alleged that instead of being fired, he received a raise.

PHILADELPHIA -- Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Monday before shootaround ahead of Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers that rookie forward Scottie Barnes won't play, and that it was unlikely guard Gary Trent Jr. or Thaddeus Young would, either.

"Scottie's out," Nurse said. "Gary is not here for shootaround, he's still doubtful and Thad is, I mean, he's got some damage there in his thumb. They are going to try to tape him up here today and see what it looks like here shootaround, but I would imagine he's doubtful, too."

All three players had been listed as doubtful, as Nurse had said they would be following Sunday's practice. Barnes suffered a left ankle sprain when 76ers star Joel Embiid accidentally stepped on his foot in the fourth quarter of Game 1, while Young sprained his left thumb in the second quarter. Trent played through a non-COVID illness that bothered him in the week leading up to the game and forced him to miss Sunday's practice and Monday's shootaround.

The focus Monday, though, was on Barnes, who appeared and spoke to the media for the first time since suffering the injury, and was wearing a large boot on his left foot.

Barnes, who went down in a heap and yelled in pain before getting to his feet after a few minutes and gingerly making his way off the court and to the locker room with some assistance when the injury happened, said he initially feared it would be far worse than an ankle sprain.

"I thought it was going to be bad, man," Barnes said. "I hit the ground and I was like, 'Damn. It's just the beginning, just getting started.

"But, afterward, I was just still trying to have positive thoughts, and keep myself into it."

One of the finalists for this year's Rookie of the Year award, Barnes was arguably Toronto's best player in Game 1, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes before exiting with the injury.

He declined to give a timeline for his return, but said he multiple times he was feeling better each day.

"I don't know," he said with a smile, when asked when he could be back on the court. "Might be soon. We just have to see. Feeling better, though, each and every day."

All of it adds up to a situation that's far less than ideal for the Raptors, who came into this series, in the eyes of many observers, with a real shot of beating the favored 76ers, only to both get blown out in Game 1 and potentially lose three rotation players -- including two starters -- for Game 2.

But the team's two veteran leaders, Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, have reiterated over the past 24 hours that they've been in these types of situations plenty of times before, and that it's up to them to rally the team together and move things forward in a positive direction entering Game 2.

"I think everyone roles kind of go up a little bit," Siakam said. "There's somebody that's going to be there for Scottie, and somebody that's going to be there for whoever's not playing. So I think that everyone's got to step up. We all got to step up. And those guys [are] a big part of our team.

"So, you know, weed them out, you know, obviously, we're missing something. So people got to step up. We all got to step up."

As far as who, specifically, will step up -- and into the starting lineup in place of Barnes and Trent, assuming the latter also can't play -- Nurse declined to say who would do so.

"I'm just going to have to see all the way up to game time as who is actually going to be in there," Nurse said. "[It] could go a lot of ways. It could be used in you know, bit minutes for a bunch of different guys. We'll just have to wait and see on that."

Kenyans dominate an exciting 126th Boston Marathon

It was one of the most exciting women’s marathon in history with the lead changing repeatedly in the closing stages with the finish resembling a tactical track cycling race.

The win was gained by Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir in 2:21:01 who endured one of her toughest ever marathons only breaking clear for good in the last 200 metres.

Four seconds back came Ababel Yeshaneh who has now managed top threes in Chicago, New York and Boston.

The race was expected to be between Jepchirchir and London winner at 2:17:43 Joyciline Jepkosgei and these two controlled the race for much of the event.

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir won a thrilling women’s race at Boston in 2:21:01 as the lead changed repeatedly in the final miles with a final surge getting her 4 secs clear of Ababel Yeshaneh.
Charlotte Purdue was first non African in 9th in 2:25:26. #bostonmarathon2022

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 18, 2022

The women’s race started slowly with a 17:42 opening 5km with 25 in the group but the tempo lifted a minute in that second 5km as the pack now a dozen went through 10km in 34:21 (16:39) but the two main protagonists wanted faster still and it went up almost another minute through 15km in 50:10 (15:49) and the now the group was down to four.

A 16:00 fourth 5km brought them through 20km in 66:10 and half-marathon was passed in 69:41 and 25km in 1:22:20 (16:10) and it was now down to the big three.

With seemingly the first three now established the pace through the hills slowed through 30km in 1:39:20 (17:00) and they were through 20 miles in 1:46:58.

The race remained tactical through 35km in 1:56:46 (17:26) and 40km in 2:13:39 (16:53) though it proved too much for Jepkosgei who covered that last full 5km outside 18 minutes and a final mile outside seven miles dropped her back to seventh.

An astonishing finish in the women's @bostonmarathon as Peres Jepchirchir claims her third marathon title in under 12 months ? #AbbottWMM pic.twitter.com/ybGDjNiTY3

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) April 18, 2022

As the pace slowed in those final miles, Jepchirchir was content to follow the taller Yeshaneh though with the watch on 2:15 she sprinted past and opened up 20 metres and it seemed over but she was unable to maintain and her Ethiopian rival got back.

Yeshaneh lost five metres on the last right turn and then as they hit the final straight on 2:18, Jepchirchir kicked again but again it was covered and the Ethiopian looked the favourite but one last surge got her clear.

The winner said: “I was not expecting that. The course was tough. When we bumped into each other we said sorry to each other. I was feeling strong but then fell behind but I didn’t lose hope.”

With all the tactical slowing over the closing miles, Mary Ngugi closed up well in third in 2:21:32 while close behind the former double world champion Edna Kiplagat had her best marathon since 2018 with fourth place in 2:21:40.

Though there was much attention on some quality American competitors, the leading non-African was actually Britain’s Charlotte Purdue who was a superb ninth in 2:25:26.

Peres Jepchirchir's last three marathons. In less than 12 months:@Olympics ?@nycmarathon ?@bostonmarathon ?#AbbottWMM pic.twitter.com/0e2ek0XEr4

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) April 18, 2022

She looked under pressure as she held on to the leaders but she got back into a ore comfortable pace at 20km in 67:53, halfway in 71:39 and maintained that tempo pretty much to the end.

Her 5km splits were 17:42, 16:41, 16:23, 17:07, 17:13, 17:41 and 17:34.

The men’s race was a much more cagier affair for longer with the early splits disappointing as they went through 5km in 14:58, 10km in 29:40, 15km in 44:45 and 20km in 60:03 and halfway in 63:26.

The lead group was still around 25 as they carried on at a fairly similar pace with 25km in 75:27, 30km in 1:31:00 and 20 miles in 1:37:57 as the pace slowed a little over the Heartbreak Hill section.

Evans Chebet wins the 126th Boston Marathon in 2:06:51 with splits of 63:26 and 63:25 winning with a stunning 13:55 5km from 35km including a 4:27 22nd mile.
Fellow Kenyans Lawrence Cherono (2:07:21) and Benson Kipruto (2:07:27) complete the top three #bostonmarathon2022

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 18, 2022

It all changed in the final miles though.

Evans Chebet seemed to change from near jog to near sprint in a few strides and 4:27 22nd mile broke the field into smithereens but once Chebet got the gap he slowed no sign of slowing as he followed that up with two further miles of 4:26 and that 5km stretch between 35km and 40km was covered in 13:55!

Chebet’s halfs were 63:26 and 63:25 and his incredibly powerful finish left the rest of the field over half a minute in arrears.

Chebet was fourth in last year’s London in 2:05:26 and his best time remains his 2020 win in 2:03:00 at Valencia though this victory will be the one that cements his place among the world’s greatest marathoners.

Fellow Kenyans Lawrence Cherono (2:07:21) and Benson Kipruto (2:07:27) completed the top three though three-time World Half-marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor faded to 18th in 2:11:49 having looked strong until Chebet’s surge.

Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay was fourth in 2:07:27 while Scott Fauble was the leading American in seventh in 2:08:33.

The wheelchair races lacked the drama of the running races with wins for Daniel Romanchuk (1:26:58)  and Swiss Manuela Schar (1:41:08).

Britain’s Johnboy Smith was third man in 1:32:55.

The Boston AA Invitational mile races the day before were won by John Gregorek (4:08.16) and Annie Rodenfels (4:35.51).

The Boston marathon was also held in the UK on Monday – in Lincolnshire – and it resulted in wins for William Strangeway (2:25:11) and Natasha White (2:59:07).

Newcastle Falcons wing Mateo Carreras has signed a new two-year contract with the Premiership club.

He was banned for nine games last March after admitting intentional contact with Wasps winger Josh Bassett's eye.

But he signed a one-year deal last June and since scored his first Falcons try.

Carreras has now made 13 appearances for the Falcons, including that first five-pointer in the home defeat by Gloucester in January.

"The Falcons have given me the opportunity to play top-level rugby in a great league like the Premiership," Carreras said.

"The coaches here have really improved me as a player and I know this is a club where I can continue to get better.

"It's thanks to Newcastle that I'm now playing for my country."

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards added: "Mateo is a real livewire in attack. His pace and footwork are obvious but he also possesses incredible strength for a relatively small guy, which makes him a real handful for any defence. He will be a key weapon for us as we continue to build.

"As well as that he's just got a really positive attitude and a desire to keep improving, so it's been great to see him stepping up and earning his first few caps for Argentina."

Carreras follows flanker Connor Collett and England Under-20 winger Iwan Stephens in agreeing new terms at Kingston Park in the last week.

With 11 days left in the 2021-22 NHL regular season, one of the hottest remaining playoff races is the scramble for the two Western Conference wild cards.

Heading into Monday night's games, the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators hold a four-point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights (and the Stars have a game in hand on both of the other clubs). Looking at the regulation wins column (the first tiebreaker), the Predators lead the trio, with 35, followed by the Knights (33) and Stars (29). Note that the Knights could also overtake the Los Angeles Kings for the No. 3 seed in the Pacific, as they are currently three points behind in that race.

Both Vegas and Dallas are back on the ice this evening, with the Knights hosting the New Jersey Devils at 10 p.m. ET and the Stars traveling to take on the Vancouver Canucks at 10:30 p.m. ET; the Predators will be hoping to regroup after Sunday's 8-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues, as they host the Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames on Tuesday.

Looking beyond Monday night, the Knights host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, followed by the San Jose Sharks on Sunday; the Stars visit the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, then the Flames on Thursday, before hosting the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. On April 26, the Knights and Stars will face off in Dallas, in what could be a pivotal matchup. The Predators avoid these two teams, but including the Flames game on Tuesday, five of their final six contests are against playoff-bound clubs. This will be a fun one to watch over the final two weeks.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's games
Last night's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 St. Louis Blues vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Dallas Stars
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Today's games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market, non-NHL Network games available to stream on ESPN+.

Calgary Flames at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. (NHLN)
Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Vegas Golden Knights, 10 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Florida Panthers 6, Detroit Red Wings 1
Buffalo Sabres 5, Philadelphia Flyers 3
St. Louis Blues 8, Nashville Predators 3
Minnesota Wild 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (OT)
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New York Islanders 2
Anaheim Ducks 6, Columbus Blue Jackets 4

Expanded standings

Note: x = clinched playoff spot; z = clinched best Conference record; e = eliminated

Atlantic Division

x - Florida Panthers

Points: 114
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Boston Bruins

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 4
Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Ottawa Senators

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 6
Next game: @ ARI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. BOS (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

e - New York Islanders

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: @ VGK (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

z - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 116
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. WSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - St. Louis Blues

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 101
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 7
Next game: @ MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ VAN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 89%
Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 3

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. CAR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

x - Calgary Flames

Points: 101
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 7
Next game: @ CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. DAL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 5
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 66%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 6
Next game: vs. NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 42%
Tragic number: 9

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 10%
Tragic number: 8

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 5
Next game: vs. LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Next game: vs. OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team may move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here.

1. Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16

2. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 14

3. Seattle Kraken

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20

4. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 57
Regulation wins: 18

5. New Jersey Devils

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 18

6. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 15

7. Ottawa Senators

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 24

8. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 18

9. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

10. San Jose Sharks

Points: 70
Regulation wins: 20

11. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 21

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

13. New York Islanders

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 32

14. Winnipeg Jets

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 28

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 30

16. Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33

Notes on conditionally traded picks impacting the top 16:

• Columbus will receive Chicago's first-round pick if Chicago does not win either of the two draws in the 2022 draft lottery. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.

• Buffalo will receive Vegas' first-round pick if it is outside the top 10 selections. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.

With less than two weeks left in the regular season, teams are still jockeying for playoff spots, players are padding award résumés and the pressure is ratcheted up.

We've gathered our panel of experts to break down all the big topics ahead of the upcoming week, including if the Los Angeles Kings can hold on to a playoff spot, and who would have the edge in a postseason matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

1. Do you think the Kings can hold on to a playoff spot?

Arda Ocal: I think so. The Kings face all non-playoff teams the rest of the way, and heading into the week's action they are still three points ahead of Vegas for the third spot in the Pacific (though the Golden Knights have one game in hand). The Golden Knights have three matchups left with teams currently in playoff spots, including one with the Dallas Stars, whom they are battling for a wild-card spot, so on paper that's tougher sledding. Honestly, I'm just loving the chaos that could unfold right up to the final day of the regular season.