Golden Knights Clinch Pacific Division: 2025 NHL Playoff Picture
The final week of the NHL regular season will determine home ice and positioning for the playoffs. Just the final wild cards in the Western Conference are to be determined, along with the Eastern Conference Atlantic division winner, which shows the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-points in front with three games remaining. But the Vegas Golden Knights clinched their fourth Pacific Division title in eight seasons Saturday night with a 5-3 win over The Nashville Predators on home ice in Las Vegas.
Vegas (107 points) will host the top wild card team between the Minnesota Wild (95) and surging St. Louis Blues (94) with Game 1 Sunday, April 20. The Calgary Flames (90) are still chasing the final No. 2 wild card in the West but need to win their final three games and have the Blues lose or tie their one remaining game or the Wild lose.
The Knights secured home ice advantage for at least two rounds and they advance with their seventh playoff appearance in eight seasons continuing one of the great stories in sports in one of the best places to play in the National Hockey League.
'It's like nothing else, and one of the best arenas to play in. It's rocking' and awesome,' Knights forward Ben Hutton said in a post game interview Saturday with VGK play-by-play broadcaster Dan Duva.
Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy acknowledged the teams high expectations and standards with the playoffs ahead, and how the culture has been built and established.
'Players want to play here. It's a good place to play, a great building to play in and great city to be around as the fan base loves the team.'
Cassidy also mentioned The Masters golf tournament and final round ahead near the end of his press conference Saturday. An avid golfer, and someone who is in golf pools, he used the analogy of Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau facing the pressure and performing in the heat of the battle as leaders of the tournament versus players out of the tournament unable to win and still playing Sunday.
The Golden Knights face the pressure and continue to perform at a high level as Pacific Division champions, which has not seen the Edmonton Oilers or Los Angeles Kings on top in more than a decade.
NHL odds and futures on FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks are subject to change, including on props and live betting. The odds to win the Stanley Cup are updated as of April 13, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
East - Panthers (+650), Hurricanes (+750), Capitals (+1000), Lightning (+1000), Maple Leafs (+1300), Senators (+3800), Devils (+4500), Canadiens (+13000).
West - Stars (+650), Golden Knights (+850), Avalanche (+850), Oilers (+950), Jets (+1000), Kings (+2100), Wild (+4500), Blues (+5500), Flames (+65000).
The Vegas Golden Knights lead the NHL in regular season wins (45) with a top power play unit in the league. Now they get key players returning from injury and in better health ahead of the playoffs with proven performers Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo ready for another Stanley Cup run. The Knights made it to the Western Conference Final in their three previous division-winning seasons and twice to the Stanley Cup Final including in 2023 when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup. The chemistry, coaching, top players and key contributors are in place for another playoff run.
You can bet on it.
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