NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 12, 2026, 6:44 PM ET
NHL Front Office and Playoff Outlook
The Ottawa Senators retained their 2026 first-round pick following the NHL's decision not to penalize the club for its role in the voided 2022 Evgenii Dadonov trade between Vegas and Anaheim. This resolution clears a significant future asset for the rebuilding franchise. In current postseason projections, a Stars-Oilers showdown is being scrutinized as a likely Western Conference finals preview, with both Dallas and Edmonton positioned among the league's elite teams as the playoff race intensifies.
Women's Hockey and Fantasy Engagement
The Professional Women's Hockey League's Detroit franchise secured a national U.S. television audience for its games, marking a major broadcast milestone for the new league's expansion. For fantasy hockey managers, playoff lineup strategies now emphasize securing high-usage forwards and streaming goaltenders to navigate the condensed, high-stakes schedule and win championship matchups.