NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Stanley Cup Playoff Scramble & Seeding Implications

The race for the final playoff berths intensified over the weekend with several key matchups determining postseason fates. The Vegas Golden Knights punched their ticket 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 decisive 4-1 Sunday loss to the Montreal Canadiens, eliminating a team that held a playoff spot for the majority of the season. Similarly, the San Jose Sharks kept their slim chances alive by securing a point in a shootout loss to the Canucks, though they remain firmly on the brink of elimination despite improving their standings by 30 points this year.

The weekend action was also marked by the official end of the postseason drought for the Detroit Red Wings, whose elimination was sealed after a 5-3 defeat against the non-contending New Jersey Devils, confirming the Original Six franchise will miss the playoffs for a full decade. As the regular season winds down, the focus shifts entirely to finalizing seeding and lottery odds, with 10 critical matchups on Monday alone determining who faces whom in the opening round, a situation complicated by injuries to key personnel across the league.

Injury Updates & Coaching Status

Several teams preparing for potential playoff runs or the off-season cleanup dealt with significant personnel setbacks late in the schedule. The Seattle Kraken confirmed forward Jared McCann's season is over due to a lower-body injury, sidelining him for the final three regular-season contests. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche coaching staff took a major blow when Head Coach Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures after being struck by a puck, confirming he will not travel for the concluding western Canadian road trip, though he anticipates returning before the playoffs commence. Chicago Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar also exited Saturday's game after taking a puck to the face during a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Retirements, Awards Watch, and Front Office Moves

The league witnessed the imminent end of an era as veteran goaltender Jonathan Quick announced his retirement at age 40 after nearly two decades as one of the NHL's premier netminders. This news arrives as the conversation around league MVP heats up, with internal PHWA voter panels placing Nikita Kucherov atop the 2026 Awards Watch for the Hart Trophy, though the debate continues over whether the Ted Lindsay Award remains the superior MVP measure. Separately, the Anaheim Ducks secured their front office leadership by signing General Manager Pat Verbeek to a multiyear contract extension, providing stability as they look to build around their young core.

The weekend also featured notable interactions between retiring legends, as Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin declined any ceremonial farewell handshakes with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins following Washington's 3-0 Sunday defeat, despite Ovechkin himself contemplating retirement after the campaign. The Penguins had chosen to scratch Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ahead of the highly anticipated matchup against Ovechkin's Capitals. On the college front, the University of Denver captured their third NCAA hockey title in five years by defeating Wisconsin 2-1 in the Frozen Four final, while Minnesota Duluth's Max Plante claimed the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top collegiate player, besting Denver's Eric Pohlkamp. Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet expressed deep loyalty to the Flyers organization, stating, "I bleed orange and black," following a period of intense early-season scrutiny.