NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: April 1, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

NHL Injury & On-Ice Incidents

The league faced several key personnel setbacks this week, most concerningly for the Colorado Avalanche, who will be without elite defenseman Cale Makar for "a few games" after he sustained an upper-body injury during a recent victory against Calgary Makar sidelined 'a few games'. In less severe but still notable physical exchanges, Buffalo Sabres center Sam Carrick suffered an injury to his left arm after engaging in a lengthy scrap with New York Islanders captain Anders Lee earlier this week Carrick injures arm. Meanwhile, goaltenders provided rare mid-game theatrics when Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin and Devils counterpart Jacob Markstrom dropped the gloves for a prolonged fight midway through the third period of New York's eventual 4-1 triumph goalie fight ensues. Hall of Famer Chris Pronger also weighed in on the broader climate, offering his assessment on the recent controversial hit involving Auston Matthews and the ongoing role of NHL Player Safety officials Pronger analyzes Matthews hit.

Postseason Races & Roster Moves

As the regular season winds down, playoff positioning remains intensely competitive, with several Pacific Division teams battling for inclusion; the Ducks, Sharks, and Kings were all scheduled for action Wednesday while teams like the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets fought for crucial seeding points in their Tuesday matchup playoff projections intensify. To help teams navigate the final stretch, the NHL distributed a new internal tool allowing organizations to meticulously calculate cap compliance under the revised playoff eligibility rules new cap tool distributed. On the personnel front, Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin cemented his legacy by scoring twice against Philadelphia, securing his 20th career 30-goal season in the Capitals' 6-4 win over the Flyers Ovechkin nets 20th 30-goal year. Furthermore, Pittsburgh saw the return of star Sidney Crosby on Monday after he missed one contest due to a lower-body ailment, returning to help the Penguins rout the Islanders Crosby returns victorious.

Front Office Overhauls & Executive Stability

The management structure across the league saw several seismic shifts this week, beginning with the Toronto Maple Leafs firing General Manager Brad Treliving on Monday, a move that coincided with the team appearing set to miss the postseason for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign Leafs dismiss GM Treliving. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley later clarified the decision, citing a lack of "alignment" and necessary "culture" adjustments as the driving factors behind the dismissal CEO cites culture issues. Conversely, stability was reinforced in Dallas, where General Manager Jim Nill secured a two-year contract extension that keeps him overseeing operations through the 2027-28 season Stars extend GM Nill. The Florida Panthers also bolstered their business side, appointing former Amazon & Disney executive Michael White to the role of president of business operations Panthers hire executive. In a surprising late-season shakeup, Vegas reportedly fired coach Bruce Cassidy on Sunday, with GM Kelly McCrimmon citing a loss of "spark" among players as the motivation for bringing in John Tortorella to reignite the team's Stanley Cup aspirations Vegas surprisingly hires Tortorella.