The battle for the Stanley Cup is almost ready to begin. The NHL playoffs are set to start May 2, and 16 teams will be hoping to make a deep run through the postseason and celebrate with the Cup more than a month later.
Although the regular season is winding down, there are still some playoff berths up for grabs. Not in the Eastern Conference, though, although the seeds aren't yet locked in. In the Western Conference, four teams have clinched spots, while seven teams are battling it out for the other four berths.
So important games will be played before the playoffs begin.