Sports
Robert Saleh wants to be a head coach again — but isn’t desperate after 49ers return
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With a quarterback to pay, more than a dozen pending free agents and an aging nucleus, the San Francisco 49ers entered the 2025 offseason with plenty of uncertainty. But there was one move they knew they wanted to make above all others: bring Robert Saleh back for a second stint as defensive coordinator.
“Whether we played with a bunch of young guys, old guys, I wanted Robert Saleh on our staff,” general manager John Lynch said. “We were in pursuit of Robert as soon as we knew that was a viable option.”
That pursuit didn’t come sans drama. The New York Jets had fired Saleh as coach five games into the 2024 season, and he went on to spend the final weeks of the campaign as a consultant for the Green Bay Packers. But when the season was over, Saleh had no shortage of suitors for his services — whether as a potential head coach or as a coordinator.
On Jan. 7, the Niners fired Nick Sorensen after one season as their defensive coordinator. They immediately reached out to Saleh, who ran their defense from 2017 to 2020. During initial discussions, they made it clear they were willing to make Saleh one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in the NFL and that they didn’t want anyone else for the job.
In the ensuing 17 days, Lynch and 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan anxiously waited for Saleh to sort through his options. There were head coaching interviews with the Dallas Cowboys, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
According to league sources familiar with the discussions, Saleh was the perceived leader in Jacksonville for about 24 hours before Liam Coen opted to take the job after initially declining. Saleh also was a finalist for the Raiders’ coaching job then rejected an offer to be the Raiders’ defensive coordinator and the eventual successor to coach Pete Carroll. Saleh finally reunited with the Niners on Jan. 24.
Saleh told ESPN recently that he was “always” going to return to San Francisco unless he got a head coaching job.
“He was definitely our first choice; we were hoping that we would be his, and that’s what he told me early on,” Shanahan said. “I was glad he stuck with his word or we would’ve had beef.”
Saleh has rewarded the Niners’ patience with his blend of energy, familiar but evolving scheme and player-friendly messaging. He has their patchwork defense — which lost star veterans Nick Bosa and Fred Warner early in the season — staying afloat in the face of adversity and straining to exceed the sum of its parts. A win Monday night (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) at the Indianapolis Colts would clinch a playoff spot for San Francisco and shine further light on Saleh’s candidacy for another head coaching opportunity. And some coaches around the league already believe he will get another shot — if he wants it.
Saleh knew nothing would come easy upon his return to San Francisco. The 49ers quickly told him of the plan for a dramatic roster reset that saw the departure of such defensive stalwarts as linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Talanoa Hufanga, along with other veterans.
What nobody could have prepared for is the position Saleh and the defense are in because of the season-ending injuries to Bosa (knee) and Warner (ankle), the defense’s two best and most important players.
Beyond Bosa and Warner, the 49ers have played large chunks of the season without first-round rookie lineman Mykel Williams, versatile defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos and safety Malik Mustapha because of knee injuries. Middle linebacker has been hit so hard that five players have taken at least 20 snaps there.
Still, Saleh’s unit of mostly unproven young players and journeymen veterans is 11th in the NFL in points allowed (20.9) despite ranking in the bottom half of the league in nearly every other major defensive category.
The work Saleh has done with this group could have better positioned him to get another head coaching opportunity as soon as the offseason.
“Everyone wants to be at the top of their profession, and they want to succeed at that just to see how far they can go and what they can achieve,” Saleh told ESPN. “Is my desire to get to the top of the profession and hoist the Lombardi one day? Absolutely. Am I in a hurry? No, I love it here.
“Obviously, the desire is there, but at the same time, it’s not desperation.”
MORE THAN A YEAR removed from the end of his three-plus-year tenure leading the Jets, the perspective gained from that experience is never far from Saleh’s mind.
At various points in an average week, Saleh can be found in his office providing a different view of the game tape to safety Ji’Ayir Brown, offering encouragement and belief to backup cornerback Chase Lucas, engaging in specific scheme conversations with safety Jason Pinnock or enjoying cookies with tight end George Kittle.
Before he took the job in New York, Saleh spent almost two decades working only with the defense. Suddenly, he had to connect with an entire team, not to mention the support staff in the building. It wasn’t until his second season with the Jets that Saleh says he prioritized connecting with anyone and everyone in his orbit.
“Being a head coach did help me understand that,” Saleh said. “I do think it’s important anytime you can connect with anyone in the building.”
Saleh is back to coaching just defense with the 49ers, but he still wants to be a resource for everyone in the 49ers’ facility.
“I think his understanding of offensive players and just kind of what we go through has opened up his understanding of being a football coach,” Kittle said. “I just think he’s grown as a coach.”
Spending time in the top job allowed Saleh to gain a greater understanding and respect for what other head coaches go through. Saleh and Shanahan have remained close, but their understanding of each other has evolved because of their shared head coaching experiences.
Saleh also can help with the unspoken challenges of that burden, which is why he makes it a point to check in on Shanahan during the week, especially when problems — such as a rash of injuries — arise.
“Being the head coach is lonely,” Saleh said. “I try not to be too invasive but just being a helping hand when he needs me. I can kind of feel when he feels like he has the world on his shoulders, where he’s got the entire organization on his back and he just kind of needs a buddy to hang out with at lunch.”
AS ONE OF the few players in the Niners’ locker room to play for Saleh the head coach and Saleh the coordinator, Pinnock might best understand how Saleh has managed to squeeze the most out of this 49ers defense.
When Saleh returned in January, he brought his old mantras back with him. At his first news conference in May, Saleh wore a black bracelet inscribed with the motto “All Gas, No Brake” in white letters.
As the offseason program progressed, his players began hearing an offshoot of that phrase boiled down to one word: strain. The concept isn’t complicated. It’s an emphasis on playing as hard as possible for as long as possible and never giving up on a play, a drive or a game. Lest it be forgotten when there were no games, the Niners crowned a weekly “King of Strain” during offseason workouts.
Winning that prize — a T-shirt with a side of bragging rights — is achieved by accumulating points from things such as how many one-on-one snaps you can win, weight lifting reps relative to body weight, attempts to rake the ball away in practice, linebackers executing “peanut punches” and anything that involves playing through the echo of the whistle.
During the season, strain is measured more in teamwide evaluations such as how many helmets are in the picture when game tape is paused at the end of a play, a sign that everyone on defense is running full speed to the ball at all times.
For the first few months of Saleh’s return, Pinnock and other Niners said they would hear the word from him or other coaches “hundreds” of times during a week. That has lessened as the season has gone on, a sign that the message has been received and absorbed.
“At some point, that’s who you are,” Pinnock said. “That’s what you do.”
Effort is the baseline for every defense, but for these Niners, it’s the secret sauce that has kept them afloat when so many things have gone awry. It’s been evident in many of their 10 victories this season.
Absent the dominant pass rush that was the hallmark of Saleh’s first stint in San Francisco — the Niners rank last in the NFL in sacks (16) and pressure percentage (23.2), and they sit 31st in pass rush win rate (29%) — the 49ers have leaned heavily into eliminating explosive plays.
To that end, Saleh has continued to adapt his scheme. He has skewed away from rushing four and playing Cover 3 behind it, opting to play Cover 4 at the second-highest rate in the NFL (22.4% of snaps) and with two-high safeties the sixth most in the league (50.9%). (In 2019, Saleh’s Niners played Cover 4 on 17.4% of opponent dropbacks, with two-high safeties on 37.8% of snaps.)
The idea is to force opposing offenses to execute long drives where more snaps increase the possibilities of a mistake. San Francisco has allowed the fourth-fewest explosive plays (passes of 20-plus yards or rushes of 10-plus yards) in the league.
“When you start missing the type of players we are, you’ve got to come up with different ways to win,” Lucas said. “I think he’s done a tremendous job with that.”
That approach explains why some of the biggest plays of the 49ers’ season have taken place in the shadow of San Francisco’s end zone.
In Week 5 at the Los Angeles Rams, rookie defensive tackle Alfred Collins‘ forced fumble and recovery at the goal line late in the fourth quarter and a fourth-down stop at the 11-yard line in overtime sealed the Niners’ biggest victory of the season. In a Week 11 win at the Arizona Cardinals, rookie cornerback Upton Stout forced another fourth-quarter fumble at the 1-yard line to stamp out a potential Cards comeback. The next week against the visiting Carolina Panthers, Brown intercepted Bryce Young‘s pass in the end zone to preserve an early San Francisco lead. The Niners’ defense has added 0.99 points of win probability in the red zone, best in the NFL.
The 49ers’ four takeaways inside their 20-yard line are tied for second most in the league. And their goal-to-go defense is eighth best in the NFL, giving up a touchdown on 68.2% of drives inside their 10.
None of Saleh’s players believes that is by accident.
“That relentless strain and effort and finish, those are all things that just define the character of our defense and our team,” Stout said. “Everybody in the building from the head coach to the coordinator to the GM, we want to be defined by our grit.”
WITH THE 49ERS on the verge of returning to the NFC playoffs, Saleh isn’t worried about what is next for him.
Two head coaching jobs — the Tennessee Titans‘ and the New York Giants‘ — are already available with four or five more potentially opening. Saleh is expected to draw plenty of interest.
“I think he will get interviews and be considered a strong candidate,” a league source said. “[It’s a] weak candidate pool. He has credentials and done a good job with an injured defense.”
A veteran NFL coach said Saleh should be helped by good relationships with offensive coordinator candidates from the Shanahan tree — such as Niners coordinator Klay Kubiak, Rams coordinator Mike LaFleur and, potentially, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel (if he is fired at the end of the season) — to bring with him.
Another veteran coach said Saleh’s tenure in New York should age better than his 20-36 record there might indicate. In 2021, Saleh took over a two-win team and proceeded to win seven games in each of 2022 and 2023 with the likes of Zach Wilson, Mike White, Brett Rypien and Trevor Siemian starting games at quarterback.
The franchise’s regression under current coach Aaron Glenn (with a 3-12 record) this season only offers further proof of how difficult it is to win with the Jets, that same veteran coach said.
“It showed what Robert had to overcome and that it wasn’t easy,” the coach said.
While it would be reasonable for Saleh to fear that his Jets tenure could work against him in the pursuit of another head coaching job, history has been surprisingly kind to coaches with similar profiles.
Since 2001, the Jets, who haven’t been to the postseason since 2010, have hired six head coaches who arrived in New York with a defensive background. That list includes Saleh, Herm Edwards, Eric Mangini, Rex Ryan, Todd Bowles and Glenn. Ryan, Edwards and Mangini all got a second head coaching job within a year of being fired by the Jets. Bowles had to wait four years but took over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022.
Still, Saleh will likely have to explain his record in New York if and when he goes back on the interview circuit this offseason. Beyond the lessons he learned from his time with the Jets, Saleh also will seek the delicate balance between striking while his name is hot and being discerning for the right opportunity.
For his part, Saleh said he intends to lean on Shanahan and Shanahan’s father, Mike, along with other close coaching friends for advice this time around.
“We didn’t do a good enough job and the owner decided that it was time to move on, and so that’s what it is,” Saleh said of his exit from the Jets. “That’s where I’ve got to look inward and see what we could have done better, and those are the things that I’ve been trying to learn from those experiences so if that opportunity presents itself again, I’ll be more prepared.”
According to Saleh, he and Shanahan didn’t really discuss how long his second stint in San Francisco might last.
The Niners would love to get at least one more year from Saleh, not only to see what he could do with another offseason of roster tweaks and a healthy Bosa and Warner but also because they could gain two more compensatory picks if Saleh takes another head coaching job thereafter.
Kittle, who has said repeatedly that Saleh was San Francisco’s biggest offseason addition, half-jokingly suggests he needs to stop talking Saleh up so Saleh will stick around longer.
It’s a sentiment shared by Shanahan, who also knows there’s a real chance he will be hiring a fifth defensive coordinator in as many years this offseason. His hope is that it comes as a result of Saleh’s defense contributing to another deep — and perhaps unexpected — postseason run.
“I hope for us he’s not a head coach next year,” Shanahan said. “But I also know when you have the talent that someone like Robert does, it’s only a matter of time.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler contributed to this story.
Mohamed Salah is considering a return to Roma when he leaves Liverpool in the summer, while Manchester United are on alert as midfielder Adam Wharton expects to leave Crystal Palace when the window opens. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s winter grades | Women’s grades
TRENDING RUMORS
– Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is considering a return to Roma when he moves on in the summer, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport. Salah scored 34 goals in 83 games during a two-year stint but it will be difficult to complete a deal now as the 33-year-old earns a net €12 million-per-season, while Roma have set their cap at a net €4 million, but he could look to spend a year back in the Italian capital before deciding where to go next. Meanwhile, sources told ESPN that Al Ittihad have resumed work on a deal for the Egypt international and Al Qadsiah is the only other Saudi Pro League club capable of competing with them.
– Adam Wharton expects to leave Crystal Palace this summer amid interest from Manchester United, according to The Sun. The 22-year-old midfielder feels he is ready to make the next step in his career and wants to join a club playing in the Champions League. The Red Devils have also tracked Nottingham Forest‘s Elliot Anderson, Newcastle United‘s Sandro Tonali, Brighton & Hove Albion‘s Carlos Baleba and AFC Bournemouth‘s Alex Scott. In another report from The Sun, it is suggested that Brighton are softening their stance regarding Baleba after demanding £100 million for the 22-year-old’s transfer last summer.
– Liverpool want to bring in Bayern Munich‘s Michael Olise to replace Salah, amid interest from Real Madrid, reports Christian Falk. However, Bayern aren’t willing to let the 24-year-old leave even if an offer worth €200 million comes in, and he doesn’t have a release clause. The Bundesliga leaders also want to offer the France international a new contract even though his current deal runs until 2029.
– Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is doing everything possible to join Barcelona when his contract expires in the summer, as reported by Sport. Barcelona have previously tried to sign the Portugal international during various transfer windows, but they now have doubts about the 31-year-old’s age and whether they need someone in the positions he operates best in. Barcelona sporting director Deco has asked for more time to make his decision, while Silva and his agent Jorge Mendes have indicated that they will be patient.
– Juventus are ready to make a move for Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport. Juve have made enquiries to the 37-year-old’s entourage in recent weeks, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, and they travelled to Warsaw this week to watch Lewandowski score Poland‘s equalizer as his side came from behind to beat Albania 2-1. Juventus are evaluating him while also discussing a deal to extend Dusan Vlahovic‘s contract and try to sign Randal Kolo Muani, who is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur from Paris Saint-Germain.
EXPERT TAKE
1:42
Why does Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz play better for Germany?
Craig Burley reacts to Florian Wirtz’s performance in Germany’s 4-3 win over Switzerland.
OTHER RUMORS
– Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is likely to join Manchester United if Michael Carrick stays on as manager. (Football Insider)
– Liverpool could table an offer worth around €80 million to sign Nottingham Forest center back Murillo. (TEAMtalk)
– Manchester United are intrigued by the opportunity to sign Barcelona forward Ferran Torres. (TEAMtalk)
– Marcus Rashford is fully committed to making his loan from Manchester United to Barcelona permanent despite interest from Saudi Arabia and Aston Villa. (TEAMtalk)
– Manchester United have asked for updated information on Atalanta midfielder Ederson, although they haven’t taken any concrete steps towards a deal yet. (Rudy Galetti)
– Barcelona, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs tracking Roma center back Evan Ndicka. (Caught Offside)
– AC Milan want Genk attacking midfielder Konstantinos Karetsas, who has also received interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. (Tuttosport)
– AC Milan want to sign Fiorentina striker Moise Kean but will try to negotiate a formula for the deal rather than paying his €62 million release clause at one time. (Calciomercato)
– Having failed to sign Al Ittihad winger Moussa Diaby in January, Internazionale could find a deal easier to complete in the summer if the Saudi Pro League club signs Salah from Liverpool. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
– A decision on the future of Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been postponed, with a discussion expected to take place after the Bavarians have faced Real Madrid in the Champions League. (Christian Falk)
– Romelu Lukaku seems ready to leave Napoli after the World Cup. The striker has been approached by Saudi and Turkish clubs, while Anderlecht are also looking at a return. (Nicolo Schira)
– Internazionale’s search for a center back has resulted in them looking at Udinese’s Oumar Solet, Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic and River Plate’s Lautaro Rivero. (Corriere dello Sport)
– Inter could offload Luis Henrique to free up the space and resources for them to sign Atalanta wing back Marco Palestra, who is currently on loan at Cagliari. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
– Real Betis are strong contenders to sign Dani Ceballos after the midfielder decided that he will leave Real Madrid. (Marca)
– Real Madrid and backup goalkeeper Andriy Lunin don’t plan to part ways, despite plenty of offers to sign him being expected in the summer. (AS)
There are just three weeks until the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. As chaotic as the standings have been the past few weeks, it’s only going to get wilder now that the pressure is ramped up.
NHL fans are in for a treat on what’s been dubbed Showdown Saturday, with 15 games throughout the course of the day.
And instead of the usual “eight games starting at 7 p.m. ET” trick, the start times have been staggered earlier in the day, too!
So without any further preamble, let’s dive right into the storylines ahead of each contest in regards to playoff positioning, the draft lottery and more:
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning
1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Senators were in a playoff spot earlier this week, and are pushing to get there again. They enter play a point behind the Islanders and two behind the Bruins for the wild-card spots; importantly, Ottawa holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker over both of those clubs. On the other side, the Lightning still have designs on an Atlantic Division title; they are two points and two regulation wins behind the Sabres, with two games in hand.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders
1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Well, we knew the Panthers might be a little out of sorts this season after two straight Cups (and a Cup Final appearance the year before that), and their playoff hopes are closing in on zero. However, they are in line for a top-10 draft pick, currently sitting No. 8 in the lottery standings. The Islanders are hanging on to a playoff spot by a thread; getting wins in games like this one against a non-playoff team are crucial.
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers
3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
If you’d told a hockey fan prior to the season that this game would pit a team with a five-point Pacific Division lead against one battling it out for the No. 2 or 3 seed, they’d likely have replied, “Wow, good for the Ducks to eke their way in!” Instead, it’s Connor McDavid and friends whose playoff lives are in a bit more peril. A win here by Anaheim would put it seven points ahead of Edmonton, while a decision the other way would drop the Ducks’ lead to three.
Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins
5 p.m. ET (NHL Network)
This will be the final meeting of the season between U.S. Olympic teammates Charlie McAvoy and Jeremy Swayman (Bruins) with Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber (Wild) — unless they meet again in the Cup Final. The Wild are on the cusp of clinching a spot, with a magic number of two; the Bruins have quite a bit more work to do, with the Senators and Red Wings nipping at their heels. Also of note: the B’s are just two points back of the Canadiens for the No. 3 spot in the Atlantic.
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Another green vs. yellow matchup! The Stars have clinched a postseason spot and are likely to be paired up with the Wild in Round 1, as they enter Saturday nine points back of the Avalanche for first in the Central. Pittsburgh has been swapping spots with the Blue Jackets and Islanders recently. As it stands heading into this one, the Penguins are the Metro’s No. 2 seed, one point and two regulation wins ahead of both Columbus and New York.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Hurricanes appear destined to win another Metro crown, with an eight-point lead over the Penguins. What remains to be won is the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed; Carolina enters the day tied in the standings with Buffalo, but ahead on the games played tiebreaker. Of note, they have five fewer regulation wins than the Sabres. As for the Devils, a late-season surge has been encouraging for 2026-27, but a playoff spot would require an extraordinary amount of help from opponents of the teams ahead of them. New Jersey sits No. 12 in the draft lottery standings.
San Jose Sharks at Columbus Blue Jackets
5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Last season, the Blue Jackets remained in the playoff race until the final week of the season, ultimately just missing the cut by two points. This season, the Hockey Gods appear to be on their side, as they hold the Metro’s No. 3 spot heading into Saturday. They are a point behind the Penguins for second, and a tiebreaker ahead of the Islanders. San Jose finished 44 points out of a playoff spot in 2024-25, so the fact that they have any chance at all at this stage is a vast improvement. But if they are going to make it, they’ll need to start earning points more regularly; the Predators hold the second Western wild card six points ahead of the Sharks, and the Golden Knights are eight points ahead in the battle for third in the Pacific.
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres
5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The Kraken are even closer to the playoff mix than the Sharks — three points behind Nashville, five behind Vegas — but face an even more challenging opponent Saturday. The Sabres are on an epic run; as a result, they hold a two-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and are a tiebreaker behind Carolina for first overall in the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
This is the first matchup of the slate featuring two lottery-bound teams; unfortunately for the Leafs, their pick belongs to Boston unless it falls in the top five. As of now, Toronto is 10th in the lotto standings, in the middle of a cluster of eight teams between 71 and 76 points. One of the teams at the end of that cluster is the St. Louis Blues, who hold the No. 5 position with 71 points.
Montreal Canadiens at Nashville Predators
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Is it a bigger surprise that the Canadiens are on pace for 104 points, or that the Predators are in line to earn a playoff spot after how dreadful last season (and the start of this one) went? Montreal is four points (and seven regulation wins) back of Tampa Bay for second in the Atlantic, and has a two-point edge on Boston to retain their No. 3 position. Nashville is just a point ahead of Los Angeles for the second Western wild card, and three points behind Utah for the first.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche
7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
The NHL awards the Presidents’ Trophy to the team with the best regular-season record. In 2024-25, that team was the Jets. In 2025-26, that team will likely be the Avalanche. Sadly for the wonderful fans of Winnipeg, the Jets’ success last season didn’t carry over into this one, and they enter Saturday five points back of Nashville for the wild card. Maybe the club will have some lottery luck, and it enters the day in seventh in the draft standings.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings
8 p.m. ET (ABC)
Time is running out for both of these teams to vault into a playoff spot. As play begins Saturday, the Red Wings are one point back of the second wild card, two back of the first, and four back of Montreal for the Atlantic’s No. 3 seed. The Flyers have four additional points to make up — although their pathway in the Metro is slightly easier, with the Blue Jackets five points ahead in the No. 3 spot and the Penguins six ahead for second.
Utah Mammoth at Los Angeles Kings
9 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
As the end of Anze Kopitar‘s career comes into sight, the Kings remain alive for a playoff berth, but must surpass the Predators for a wild card (they are one point back), the Golden Knights for No. 3 in the Pacific (they are three points behind) … or the Mammoth themselves, who are four points ahead. One wrinkle: Los Angeles will almost certainly need to get ahead of teams on standings points, as they are well behind everyone else in the regulation wins column.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames
10 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Here’s our other draft lottery positioning game of the day — although it’s exceedingly unlikely that any team “catches” the Canucks, who are 15 points clear of anyone else in the No. 1 position in the draft lottery standings. Calgary enters the day in fourth in the lottery standings, one point behind the Blackhawks and three behind the Rangers.
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights
10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Will this be Alex Ovechkin‘s final visit to Las Vegas as a member of the Capitals? If so, his team could really use the points as it looks to chase down even a wild-card spot. As the slate begins, the Caps are six points back of the Isles and Blue Jackets, although if they do get back in the mix, their regulation-wins total (currently 31) might well beat out anyone if it comes down to tiebreakers. As for the hosts, the Golden Knights appear much more likely to return to the playoffs — largely because of the relative weakness of the Pacific Division — but could certainly use any additional points they can get to bolster their chances.
Every team has around 10 games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, and we’ll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch every day. As we traverse the final stretch, we’ll provide details on all the playoff races — along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today’s schedule
Last night’s scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Buffalo Sabres vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Montreal Canadiens
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC2 New York Islanders
M2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. M3 Columbus Blue Jackets
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Nashville Predators
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Minnesota Wild
P1 Anaheim Ducks vs. WC1 Utah Mammoth
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Vegas Golden Knights
Saturday’s games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning, 1 p.m.
Florida Panthers at New York Islanders, 1 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers, 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota Wild at Boston Bruins, 5 p.m. (NHLN)
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins, 5 p.m.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Columbus Blue Jackets, 5 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres, 5:30 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at St. Louis Blues, 7 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at Nashville Predators, 7 p.m.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Utah Mammoth at Los Angeles Kings, 9 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames, 10 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights, 10:30 p.m.
Friday night’s scoreboard
Detroit Red Wings 5, Buffalo Sabres 2
New York Rangers 6, Chicago Blackhawks 1
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 107.8
Next game: vs. SEA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 11
Points pace: 108.6
Next game: vs. OTT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 12
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 11
Points pace: 103.9
Next game: @ NSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 93.8%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. MIN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 65%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ TB (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 74.5%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: vs. PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 32.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ STL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 6
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ NYI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8
Metro Division
Points: 96
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 110.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 88
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: vs. DAL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 90.1%
Magic number: 18
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 99.1
Next game: vs. SJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 82.1%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 87
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 97.7
Next game: vs. FLA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 49.1%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 94.7
Next game: @ DET (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 10.8%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 17
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: @ VGK (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 12
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 87.8
Next game: @ CAR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 75.3
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT
Central Division
Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 11
Points pace: 122.4
Next game: vs. WPG (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 97
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 110.5
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Magic number: IN
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 94
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: @ BOS (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 2
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 89.9
Next game: @ LA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 96.4%
Magic number: 16
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 77
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 87.7
Next game: vs. MTL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 34.9%
Magic number: 19
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: @ COL (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 15
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.2%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 16
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 75.3
Next game: @ NJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 8
Pacific Division
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 97.9
Next game: @ EDM (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Magic number: 10
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: vs. ANA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Magic number: 15
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 88.7
Next game: vs. WSH (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 97.7%
Magic number: 17
Tragic number: N/A
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 86.6
Next game: vs. UTA (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 38.2%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 85.5
Next game: @ BUF (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 5.9%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 19
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Points pace: 83.2
Next game: @ CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 25.5%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 18
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 77.4
Next game: vs. VAN (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: 11
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Points pace: 57.8
Next game: @ CGY (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Magic number: N/A
Tragic number: OUT
Note: An “x” with a team’s name means the club has clinched a playoff spot. An “e” means that the club has been mathematically eliminated.
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can 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. Atop draft boards for this summer is Gavin McKenna, a forward for Penn State.
Points: 50
Regulation wins: 14
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 26
Points: 71
Regulation wins: 20
Points: 72
Regulation wins: 24
Points: 73
Regulation wins: 27
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 19
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 25
Points: 81
Regulation wins: 31
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 22
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 28
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 32
*Note: The Maple Leafs’ pick belongs to the Bruins, unless it lands in the top five.
Opener Yasir Khan scored a quick 83-run knock as RawalPindiz set a 215-run target against Peshawar Zalmi in the third match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, RawalPindiz posted 214-4 in their 20 overs, after getting off to a flying start. Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan set the tone, punishing anything loose and keeping the boundaries flowing.
The duo compiled a 50-run partnership, attacking from the outset as they aimed to take their team to a massive total in their PSL debut.
Khan led from the front, keeping the scoreboard ticking and raising his bat for his third PSL fifty. Rizwan was equally aggressive, striking consecutive boundaries to help the pair reach a 100-run opening stand.
However, Zalmi’s Ali Raza broke the partnership, dismissing Rizwan for 41 off 32 balls, featuring five fours and a six, on the first delivery of the 13th over, ending the 125-run stand.
Khan continued his assault, looking poised for a maiden PSL century, but he too fell to Raza in the 15th over, finishing at 83 off 46 deliveries, with seven fours and six sixes, leaving the team at 144-2.
In the final overs, Kamran Ghulam and Daryl Mitchell combined to accelerate the scoring, taking RawalPindiz past the 150-run mark.
However, their 41-run partnership was broken when Aaron Hardie struck, claiming his first wicket of the tournament by dismissing Ghulam for a 20-ball 37, which included two fours and three sixes.
In the first ball of the final over, Aamir Jamal struck, dismissing Mitchell, who scored 23 off 13 balls, including two sixes.
Sam Billings played a crucial cameo in the final over, scoring an unbeaten 18 off eight balls, including one four and two sixes, as Aamir conceded 17 runs. Abdullah Fazal also contributed five runs.
Raza was the standout bowler for Zalmi despite being expensive, finishing with figures of 2/42 in three overs, while Hardie and Jamal claimed one wicket each.
Playing XIs
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris (wk), Kusal Mendis, Aaron Hardie, Farhan Yousuf, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Aamir Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam and Ali Raza.
RawalPindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c/wk), Yasir Khan, Abdullah Fazal, Kamran Ghulam, Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Amad Butt, Rishad Hossain, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir and Asif Afridi.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
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