The games still matter. Fans are watching the scoreboard, just not for the reasons they usually do. The focus now is on the draft lottery.
Now let me be clear that the coaching staff and the players are not looking to lose games. This is a fan-centric approach and if you are going to miss the playoffs, you may as well be as bad as possible.
Just last night, as the Canadiens lost 6-3 to the Vegas Golden Knights, they went from sixth to fourth in draft lottery odds. Obviously, these things are quite volatile, as some teams have played more games than others, but over the last 10 games, only the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks have gotten the same amount or fewer points than the Canadiens among non-playoff teams.