NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

NHL Playoff Picture & Elimination Scenarios

As the regular season nears its conclusion, intense playoff positioning dominated the weekend slate, with several franchises officially sealing their fates. The Vegas Golden Knights punched their ticket to the postseason when Jack Eichel delivered the game-winner 1:19 into overtime during Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Conversely, the New York Islanders saw their hopes extinguished following a decisive 4-1 Sunday defeat against the Montreal Canadiens, ending a tenure in a postseason slot they occupied for the majority of the campaign. The weekend also brought finality for the Detroit Red Wings, whose 5-3 loss to New Jersey confirmed their absence from the playoffs, extending their drought past a full decade.

Other clubs remain precariously balanced as teams fight for the final seeds, with the San Jose Sharks clinging to life after a 4-3 shootout loss to Vancouver, despite having accrued 30 more standings points this season than in the previous year. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers, guided by Head Coach John Tortorella, have successfully navigated the late-season pressure cooker; Tocchet steering the Flyers into the thick of the race has earned praise after overcoming early season criticism. All eyes now turn to the remaining 10 matchups scheduled for Monday, where the final seeding implications and draft lottery positioning will be determined across the league's schedule.

Goaltending Transitions & Player Safety

The goaltending world experienced a major shift as veteran netminder Jonathan Quick officially announced his intention to retire at age 40, concluding a distinguished nearly two-decade career where he established himself as an elite performer in the sport. This news comes while the Chicago Blackhawks are dealing with immediate injury concerns after forward Frank Nazar was struck in the face by a puck during Saturday's 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues; Nazar sustained facial trauma that resulted in the loss of two upper front teeth, prompting the rookie to plan on wearing a protective cage for Monday's game. In Seattle, the Kraken also faced personnel setbacks, confirming that forward Jared McCann's season is over due to a lower-body injury, forcing him to miss the final three contests.

Coaching Injuries & Award Considerations

Beyond player injuries, bench leadership was also affected over the weekend when Colorado Avalanche Coach Jared Bednar sustained facial fractures after being hit by a puck, an incident that will sideline him for the remainder of the regular season road trip and potentially the start of the playoffs; Bednar is sidelined while recovering from the injury. On the awards front, the discussion surrounding league supremacy continues, with the Ted Lindsay Award often cited as the true measure of the NHL's most outstanding player, despite the Hart Trophy's greater historical prestige when comparing MVP hardware. Furthermore, voting panels have nearly finalized their ballots, with Nikita Kucherov currently holding the narrow lead among PHWA voters as the frontrunner for the league's MVP honors in the final 2026 awards watch.

Legacy Moments & Collegiate Success

In a highly anticipated rivalry matchup, the Washington Capitals fell 3-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, a game where Penguins coach Mike Sullivan opted to rest stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ahead of their 100th career meeting with Alex Ovechkin. Following the defeat, Ovechkin, who is contemplating retirement, waved off any suggestion of post-game farewell handshakes with Crosby and the Penguins roster, indicating he would not participate in any ceremonial exchanges. Shifting focus to amateur hockey, the University of Denver secured the NCAA National Championship, defeating Wisconsin 2-1 in the Frozen Four final to claim their third national title in the last five seasons. Additionally, the Hobey Baker Award, recognizing the top player in college hockey, was presented to Minnesota Duluth's Max Plante, the program's seventh recipient, beating out finalists from Denver and Michigan for the prestigious honor.