Playoff Tune-Up: Bruins Eye Top Wild-Card Spot as Regular Season Winds Down Against Eliminated Devils

The Boston Bruins will take the ice at TD Garden on Tuesday night for their regular season finale against the New Jersey Devils, in a matchup that carries significant implications for Bostons playoff positioning despite the Devils being eliminated from postseason contention.

Boston has already secured a spot in the NHL Playoffs but has not locked down the top wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. A victory over New Jersey on Tuesday would give the Bruins a three-point lead over the Ottawa Senators heading into the final stretch of the regular season, eliminating any drama about where they will be seeded when the postseason begins.

The Devils, meanwhile, are playing for pride. New Jersey has already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention but enters Tuesdays game riding a two-game winning streak after defeating both Detroit and Ottawa on the road over the weekend. The Devils are hoping to close out their campaign with three consecutive wins for the first time all season.

Tuesday nights game will be broadcast locally on NESN, with streaming available through NESN 360 and fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers. Radio coverage will air on 98.5 The Sports Hub in the Boston area. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

The Bruins are coming off a stretch run that has seen them compete fiercely against conference rivals as they look to build momentum heading into the first round of the playoffs. How Boston approaches Tuesday nights game, particularly in terms of workload for key players, will be a storyline to watch as head coach Joe Sakic balances preparation for the postseason with avoiding any unnecessary injuries.

New Jersey has had a challenging season by its own standards, but there is something to be said for a team that continues to compete hard even when the playoffs are out of reach. Rookie and veteran players alike will be looking to make impressions heading into next season, knowing that the Devils roster for 2026-27 will likely look significantly different than the one that takes the ice Tuesday.

For Bruins fans, the focus is squarely on clinching that top wild-card spot and heading into the playoffs with favorable matchup implications. For Devils fans, it is about watching the young core continue to develop and finding reasons for optimism about what this team can build toward.

The NHL regular season is in its final week, and every point matters. Boston knows that a regulation win puts them in the best possible position heading into the postseason. New Jersey knows that a win closes out the year on a high note and gives the locker room something positive to build on during the offseason.

Tuesday night at TD Garden should deliver competitive hockey regardless of the stakes, as two teams with very different goals for this game will nonetheless be giving everything they have on the ice.