NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 16, 2026, 6:30 AM ET
League Injury & Roster Updates
The Montreal Canadiens suffered a setback when forward Kirby Dach was forced from Sunday night’s contest against the Anaheim Ducks due to an upper-body injury following a high check delivered by Jeffrey Viel. Meanwhile, as teams solidify their depth charts ahead of the final push, the Washington Capitals signed prospect Cole Hutson to a three-year entry-level contract immediately after Hutson concluded his sophomore season at Boston University, which ended Saturday in the Hockey East tournament following their elimination.
Playoff Picture Analysis
With the regular season winding down, attention remains fixed on the standings, particularly in the Western Conference where projections detail the narrow path for the Anaheim Ducks to secure the Pacific Division title. That analysis is part of a broader league-wide projection model that forecasts playoff seeding and determines the current lottery standings following a particularly active slate of games on Saturday.