NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: April 15, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Season Concludes Amid Goaltending Woes & Playoff Scramble

As the regular season concluded, the league grappled with historic low save rates, with the average NHL goaltender posting a percentage below .900 for the first time in three decades, suggesting systemic issues facing netminders league-wide. This backdrop frames the intense final push for playoff positioning, where Wednesday's slate of games carried significant seeding implications for several clubs fighting for the final Eastern and Western Conference berths, while others solidified their spots in the draft lottery order. an ESPN roundtable discussion on postseason prospects debated which teams are currently overvalued, identifying clubs with the highest potential for playoff disappointment, alongside predictions for the ultimate 2026 Stanley Cup winner.

Coaching Frustration & Star Player Milestones

The emotional volatility of a lost season boiled over in Columbus, where Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness harshly criticized his players for a lack of competitive desire following their season-ending loss to Washington. That contest featured Alex Ovechkin contributing an assist on Jakob Chychrun’s tie-breaking goal in the 2-1 victory, after which the Capitals captain was met with widespread chants urging him to return for "One more year," leaving his future plans still undecided. Meanwhile, in Colorado, ongoing debate ensued over whether the 30-year-old Nathan MacKinnon has definitively surpassed franchise legend Joe Sakic as the greatest player in Avalanche history based on his recent performance trajectory.