As the 2025–26 NHL regular season schedule draws to a close, the next two nights will dictate the Calgary Flames’ future for years to come and their odds in the upcoming lottery. Between protecting their own lottery odds and maximizing the value of the Vegas Golden Knights’ 2026 first-round pick, here is your guide on who to root for in the last few games of the season.
The Flames’ Own Pick
For the Calgary Flames to secure the third-best lottery odds and guarantee a top-five selection in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Flames need the New York Rangers to finish the season with more points than them. This is because the Flames hold the tiebreaker (more regulation wins) over the Rangers. So, if the Flames finish with the same number of points as the Rangers, then the Flames will finish higher in the standings.
There are two possible scenarios where the Flames finish with less points than the Rangers:
- Scenario 1: The Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight (April 15), AND the Flames lose to the Los Angeles Kings tomorrow (April 16).
- Scenario 2: The Rangers lose in OT/Shootout tonight (gaining 1 point), AND the Flames lose in regulation tomorrow.
The Vegas Pick
If Vegas wins the Pacific Division title, then their 2026 first-round pick (owned by Calgary) is guaranteed to be 24th overall or worse. However, if the Golden Knights fail to win the Pacific Division title, then there is a possibility that the pick will be as high as 17th overall. So, Flames fans should be rooting for Vegas to fall out of the top spot in the Pacific Division.
For the Golden Knights to lose the Pacific Division title, two things must happen:
- Tonight: The Seattle Kraken must defeat Vegas in regulation.
- Tomorrow: The Edmonton Oilers must defeat the Vancouver Canucks.
If this specific sequence occurs, both Vegas and Edmonton would finish the season with 93 points. However, the Oilers would leapfrog Vegas to claim the Pacific Division title based on the regulation wins tiebreaker.
The Bottom Line
For today and tomorrow, the goals are clear:
- Root for: A Rangers win, a Kraken win, and (oddly enough) an Oilers win.
- Root against: Any Flames points against Los Angeles.