Last updated: March 19, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
NHL Injury & Prospect News
The Maple Leafs suffered a major blow as captain Auston Matthews underwent successful MCL surgery Thursday, sidelining the superstar forward for an expected recovery period of 12 weeks, immediately impacting Toronto's playoff positioning. In roster news, the Islanders secured their top 2024 selection, signing Cole Eiserman, the U.S. National Team Development Program's all-time leading goal scorer, to a three-year entry-level contract ahead of his draft year.
Return to Ice & Playoff Picture
Star center Sidney Crosby returned to action impressively after an 11-game absence, registering a goal and an assist, though his Penguins ultimately fell in overtime to the Hurricanes following a late goal by Sean Walker with 28.3 seconds remaining. Meanwhile, the looming postseason schedule sees the Mammoth facing the Golden Knights Thursday, a matchup many analysts view as a potential first-round preview, while updated draft lottery standings continue to shift based on recent results. Separately, Capitals rookie Cole Hutson notched his first NHL goal in a 4-1 victory over the Senators despite admitting to early debut jitters in his 16:22 of ice time.