NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: March 23, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

NHL Player Discipline & Milestones

The league office issued a three-game suspension to Panthers forward A.J. Greer for aggressively shoving Calgary Flames skater Connor Zary from behind into the boards, impacting the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Meanwhile, the Avalanche edged the Capitals 3-2 in overtime, though the contest was overshadowed by Alex Ovechkin achieving his 1,000th career goal across the regular season and playoffs, cementing his legacy despite the loss to the league leaders.

Draft Prospects & Playoff Race

Attention turns to the Blackhawks' Anton Frondell, the highly touted No. 3 overall selection from the 2025 draft class, who is slated to make his NHL debut later this week as his team assesses its future core. Concurrently, playoff positioning remains fluid, with Metro Division frontrunners all taking the ice Sunday while updated draft lottery projections reflect Saturday's slate of results impacting non-contending franchises.

College Hockey & Community Loss

As the professional league deals with disciplinary action, the amateur side saw the NCAA Frozen Four bracket finalized, setting up matchups for all 16 contending teams heading toward the championship weekend. The hockey community is also processing a profound tragedy following the weekend death of Jessi Pierce, the respected NHL.com correspondent for the Minnesota Wild, who perished along with her three children in a devastating house fire in Minnesota.