NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: March 30, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Playoff Races & Coaching Chaos

As the postseason nears, the Eastern Conference playoff picture remains intensely scrutinized, with projection models heavily favoring a first-round clash between the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins . The Penguins, however, are navigating key absences, as evidenced by stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin sitting out Saturday's loss to the Dallas Stars due to day-to-day injuries. Meanwhile, out West, the Vegas Golden Knights pulled the trigger on a major shakeup Sunday, firing coach Bruce Cassidy and immediately bringing in John Tortorella in a desperate bid to salvage their late-season slump.

League-Wide Viewing & Fantasy Implications

With the regular season winding down, the league packed Saturday's schedule, offering fans a full slate of 15 games to analyze ahead of the post-season bracket being set. For those team owners whose squads have already been eliminated, guidance is emerging on which contenders to support as the playoff runs begin next month. On the fantasy hockey side, managers preparing for final championship matchups this week are being advised to aggressively target high-scoring additions such as forwards Roster McMann and Matthew Snuggerud due to their recent scoring efficiency.