NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

NHL Playoff Scrambles & Eliminations

The National Hockey League’s regular season concluded with several high-stakes matchups determining final playoff seeding and draft lottery positioning 1. In one of the most dramatic weekend results, the Vegas Golden Knights secured their berth after Jack Eichel scored 1:19 into overtime to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Saturday night. Conversely, the New York Islanders saw their postseason hopes dashed following a critical 4-1 defeat against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, officially ending their run despite holding a playoff spot for the majority of the campaign. Adding to the weekend's disappointments, the Detroit Red Wings’ playoff drought extended to a full decade after falling 5-3 to the New Jersey Devils, while the San Jose Sharks remain precariously balanced on the brink of elimination following a 4-3 shootout loss to the Canucks, despite having improved their standings by 30 points this season.

Coaching & Player Incidents

The final stretch of the season was marred by unfortunate player and coaching injuries as teams pushed for playoff qualification 1. Colorado Avalanche bench boss Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures after taking a puck to the face, forcing him to miss the team's concluding road trip to western Canada and placing him out until the playoffs commence. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks dealt with an injury scare when forward Frank Nazar left Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues after being struck in the face by a puck. These incidents occurred as other teams finalized their regular-season performances, such as the Philadelphia Flyers, whose coach Rick Tocchet earned praise for his turnaround after overcoming early criticism to guide the team effectively.

End-of-Season Rivalries & Awards Watch

As the regular season wound down, attention turned toward potential future accolades and lingering on-ice history, particularly involving aging superstars 2. The Pittsburgh Penguins opted to scratch stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin prior to their matchup against the Washington Capitals, denying Crosby his 100th career meeting against Alex Ovechkin. Following Washington’s 3-0 victory, Ovechkin politely declined any suggestions of farewell handshakes with Crosby and the Penguins, despite speculation surrounding his own potential retirement this offseason. the league’s top individual honors are taking shape, with expert panels suggesting that Nikita Kucherov is currently leading the MVP race among the projected finalists for the NHL Awards. Furthermore, the Ted Lindsay Award, which recognizes the league's most outstanding player as voted by the players themselves, remains a key metric alongside the Hart Trophy in determining the league's best performer 2.

NCAA Hockey Concludes

Away from the professional circuit, the collegiate hockey season reached its climax with the conclusion of the Frozen Four tournament 9. The University of Denver captured their third national championship in the last five years by defeating Wisconsin with a decisive 2-1 final score. This collegiate success came as individual honors were being distributed; Minnesota Duluth's Max Plante was awarded the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey, edging out finalists Eric Pohlkamp of Denver and T.J. Hughes from Michigan.

Front Office & Fantasy Outlook

Organizational stability and future planning were also addressed late in the season 16. Anaheim Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek agreed to a multiyear contract extension to continue guiding the franchise’s direction. Furthermore, as attention shifts toward the offseason, analysts are already reviewing the 2026 season’s performance, identifying breakout players and the smartest acquisitions made during the previous fantasy hockey campaign 17.