NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 20, 2026, 4:30 PM ET
Playoff Picture & League Movement
The race for the NHL's top seed intensified this week as playoff projections were updated following a busy slate of games espn.com. While the battle for the Presidents' Trophy remains tight, the New York Islanders organization espn.com announced plans to relocate their American Hockey League affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, next season, signaling further realignment in the development pipeline. In player news, the Islanders secured a key prospect espn.com as Cole Eiserman, the 20th overall pick in the 2024 draft and the USNTDP's all-time leading goal scorer, signed his three-year entry-level contract. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche organization espn.com faced a potential preview of a first-round matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, while the league tracked the ongoing draft lottery standings espn.com.
Player Returns & Star Setbacks
The league saw significant movement concerning star players returning from injury, though one major absence was confirmed for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews espn.com underwent successful MCL surgery on Thursday, sidelining the star forward for an anticipated 12 weeks, a substantial blow to Toronto’s championship aspirations. Conversely, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby made a successful return espn.com after missing 11 games, registering a goal and an assist in a contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, although Pittsburgh ultimately fell in overtime espn.com. In a separate contest, Capitals rookie Cole Hutson admitted initial "scared" feelings espn.com during his debut but settled in quickly, scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-1 victory over the Senators espn.com. Furthermore, the Hockey Hall of Fame declined a request espn.com to give Jack Hughes the puck from his Olympic gold-medal-winning goal, stating the artifact does not belong solely to him espn.com.
Team Performance & Power Rankings Shift
The most recent national power rankings revealed significant upward mobility for several unexpected contenders compared to preseason expectations espn.com. The Buffalo Sabres have surged espn.com into the top three spots in the new poll, vastly outperforming their projected point total from the start of the season espn.com. The rankings assess how each franchise has performed relative to its over/under projections, offering a clearer picture of which teams have truly overachieved or underperformed heading into the final stretch espn.com. The standings also continue to be scrutinized in the context of potential playoff matchups, such as the Wednesday contest where the Penguins were attempting to close the gap on the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference race espn.com.