NHL Hockey 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 18, 2026, 2:30 AM ET
Stanley Cup Race Shakeup
The Oilers star Leon Draisaitl sustained a lower-body injury Sunday, and is now expected to miss the remainder of the regular season, dealing a massive blow to Edmonton’s playoff seeding hopes, as he has already tallied 97 points across 65 games played Oilers' Draisaitl likely out rest of regular season. Elsewhere in the standings race, the San Jose Sharks remain possibilities for both a wild card berth and a top-three finish in the Pacific Division, according to the latest playoff projections, which also detail current draft lottery standings NHL playoff watch: How high will the Sharks finish?.
International Hockey News
Team USA forward Jack Hughes demanded the return of the overtime puck from his gold-medal-winning goal at the Winter Games, which is currently on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto Hughes wants his golden goal puck back from HOF. This request comes as players often seek mementos from their most significant international achievements, contrasting with the league-focused battles occurring in the NHL regular season push Hughes wants his golden goal puck back from HOF.