NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 22, 2026, 1:30 PM ET
NHL Playoff Race Intensifies Amid Key Injuries
The race for the final Eastern Conference spots heated up significantly over the weekend, with the top four teams in the Metropolitan Division all taking the ice Sunday espn.com as playoff projections tightened across the board. Any potential separation was complicated by major setbacks for several contenders, most notably the Toronto Maple Leafs losing captain Auston Matthews espn.com for an expected 12 weeks following successful MCL surgery performed Thursday. Adding to Toronto's woes, backup netminder Anthony Stolarz was scratched Saturday espn.com after sustaining a puck to the throat during warmups, forcing immediate changes to their lineup just as the standings pressure mounted.
The weekend slate was packed with stakes, featuring an 11-game "Super Saturday" espn.com that heavily influenced both the playoff picture and the draft lottery outlook. While some teams solidified their positioning, others dealt with unexpected personnel losses; for instance, the Chicago Blackhawks scratched both Louis Crevier and Andrew Mangiapane espn.com for Friday's contest against Colorado due to undisclosed injuries. These absences further complicate the standings battle, particularly as analysts compare current performance against initial preseason over/under projections espn.com in the latest power rankings update.
Meanwhile, the battle for the top overall seed continued, with the race for the Presidents' Trophy remaining tight espn.com heading into the final stretch of games. Off the ice, organizational moves are already being finalized for next season, as the New York Islanders confirmed plans espn.com to relocate their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, signaling a strategic shift for their development pipeline away from the U.S. market.