The Detroit Red Wings are set to close out their season Tuesday night on the road against the Florida Panthers, a final game that comes with little at stake in the standings but plenty of reflection for an organization once again headed toward an early summer.

With the loss officially marking a 10th consecutive year outside the playoffs, questions have resurfaced around how Detroit approached its roster construction and, in particular, its activity at the trade deadline.

Across the fanbase, within parts of the organization, and among outside observers, there is a growing belief that the team may have needed to take a bigger swing to break through its long postseason drought.

One of the most frequently discussed names in that conversation is New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, a proven two-way presence who has continued to produce reliably this season.

On Monday’s edition of Sportsnet’s FAN Hockey Show, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman addressed speculation that Detroit had explored acquiring higher-end center help, responding to host Mike Futa, who suggested the Red Wings should have pushed harder for a player of Trocheck’s caliber.

Mike Futa: Re Red Wings: I really thought they'd go a little bit harder in on Vincent Trocheck

Elliotte Friedman: I think they did; I heard the ask was really high

- FAN Hockey Show (4/13)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) April 15, 2026

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Friedman indicated that Detroit likely did investigate that market, noting succinctly, “I think they did; I heard the ask was really high,” a comment that aligned with broader reporting around the team’s deadline approach. The implication was that while interest may have been real, the acquisition cost ultimately proved prohibitive.

That framing also tracks with comments made by Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman following the trade deadline, when he emphasized that the club evaluated multiple options but ultimately stepped back when prices rose beyond what they were willing to pay. The organization has prioritized preserving its prospect pipeline as part of its longer-term rebuild strategy.

Trocheck, meanwhile, has delivered another strong all-around season, posting 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points in 66 games while continuing to serve as a dependable two-way center. For a Detroit roster that has searched for stability down the middle, his profile was widely seen as a strong fit for an immediate push.

In hindsight, Detroit’s decision to hold firm at the deadline is likely to remain a point of debate. While the Red Wings preserved future assets, they also fell short of ending their playoff drought. Whether that restraint proves prudent or costly will depend on how the franchise’s younger core develops in the seasons ahead.

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Dylan Garand will start in the New York Rangers’ 2025-26 season finale on Wednesday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Garand was recalled by the Rangers from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League on March 20, as he finally got his first taste of NHL action in Jonathan Quick’s absence due to an upper-body injury.

The 23-year-old goaltender has started in two games since being called up, posting a 1-0-1 record, 1.44 goals against average, and .954 save percentage. 

However, Garand hasn’t started a game since notching his first NHL win on March 27 against the Chicago Blackhawks, but the Rangers have still opted to keep him around despite Quick returning to the lineup. 

Ahead of the Rangers’ Monday night game against the Florida Panthers, Quick announced that he would officially be retiring at the end of the 2025-26 campaign. 

This development opens up the door for Garand to take over the Blueshirts’ backup goaltending role next season behind Igor Shesterkin. 

“We have talked for a few weeks on what we were trying to accomplish with our goalies, and there were multiple objectives involved,” Mike Sullivan said. “Obviously, Shesty is our No. 1 guy, and he's a priority for us. I think how we handled Quickie down the stretch, he is deserving of, and we've spoken at length about that. And Dylan is a guy that's played well in the starts that he's had, and we're excited about where potentially he goes moving forward. 

“So there were multiple objectives involved, and we had a big-picture game plan in mind, and this was part of it. As I always tell you guys, it's always subject to change based on circumstances. You guys know that. But obviously we're trying to accomplish multiple things at the same time, and that was part of it.”

With the Rangers eliminated from playoff contention and without much to play for heading into their season finale, Garand will get another opportunity to further showcase his skills at the NHL level. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins played their final game of the regular season on Tuesday night, losing 7-5 against the St. Louis Blues.

The Penguins jumped out to 3-0 and 4-1 leads before letting the Blues come all the way back to win it. Normally, this would be considered an "unacceptable" loss, but it was basically a preseason game since the Penguins had already clinched a playoff spot and were sitting out numerous players, including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson.

Rutger McGroarty got things started for the Penguins in the first period with a goal right off a draw. Avery Hayes and Anthony Mantha eventually scored to make it 3-0 before the Blues made it 3-1 at the end of the first period, thanks to Jimmy Snuggerud. 

Elmer Soderblom scored a gorgeous goal at the beginning of the second period to make it a 4-1 lead before everything went south for the Penguins. 

"That's like a Clydesdale horse" 🐎😂

6'8" Elmer Söderblom showing off his size as he scores the Pens' fourth goal of the night 💪 pic.twitter.com/I5gR5U5JbO

— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) April 15, 2026

The Penguins allowed five unanswered goals by the Blues, making it a 6-4 game before Avery Hayes scored his second goal to make it 6-5 in the third period. The Penguins tried to get a 6-on-5 goal, but it wasn't meant to be, as Dylan Holloway iced the game with an empty-net goal. 

Here are some takeaways from this one: 

- I know some people will look at the goals allowed by both Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silivs and get nervous, but there wasn't much they could do on a lot of the goals against. The Penguins were atrocious in their own zone for most of the evening, which shouldn't come as a surprise since they were playing without four of their top six defensemen. 

Even when everyone's in the lineup, they've still been a little leaky as of late, but I expect this to get cleaned up by the time this weekend rolls around. 

- Jake Livanavage made his NHL debut for the Penguins and logged 25:14 in a top-four role. I liked a lot of what I saw, especially on the power play. He was methodical with the puck, and his skating was smooth. It's only one game, but it's still something to build off going into next season. 

- Elmer Soderblom continues to make a great case to be in the playoff lineup, even with everyone healthy. We still have to see if Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte will be ready to go for Game 1, but Soderblom has been awesome since he was acquired from the Detroit Red Wings. 

The goal he scored to make it 4-1 was something else. The way that he cut to the net and did the little toe before scoring the goal was awesome. He compiled five goals and 10 points in 20 games with the Penguins after they traded for him. 

Penguins' Newly Signed Defenseman To Make NHL Debut Against St. Louis BluesOne week ago, defenseman Jake Livanavage was suiting up for the University of North Dakota at the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/denver-shares-what-it-took-to-triumph-at-ncaa-frozen-four-yet-again">Frozen Four</a> in Las Vegas.

- Avery Hayes finished the regular season with five goals in 16 games and should be a full-time NHL player as soon as next season. He used a burst of speed to score the first goal, made no mistake with his release, and never gave up on the play to score his second. He's got what it takes to be a good bottom-six player in the NHL, and I'm looking forward to seeing how he keeps developing.

- Next up for the Penguins? Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They'll take on the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The rivalry has been dormant for the last several years, but all it takes is a great playoff series to change that. I expect this one to be full of fireworks. 

---

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The final night of a regular season can seem meaningless for a team that already clinched their playoff position the night before. A sizable chunk of the regular roster is rested, meaning that younger players and AHL call-ups are brought in to take their place. 

It is usually a transition—part reflection, part anticipation, rarely definitive in what it reveals. But for the Philadelphia Flyers, a 4–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens felt different. 

A team that has spent months constructing an identity closed its season not by coasting into the postseason, but by reinforcing exactly who it is, even when the roster looks remarkably different from how it usually does.

The Flyers will finish 43–27–12 (98 points), third in the Metropolitan Division. Next comes the Pittsburgh Penguins for the eighth playoff meeting between the bitter interstate rivals.

But before that, this game offered something valuable: a snapshot of both present and future, converging at exactly the right time.

---

1. A Complete Season Ends With a Complete Performance

There is something significant about how the Flyers handled this final game. They didn’t treat it as a formality, but as legitimate preparation.

The Canadiens played most of their top guys—the likes of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraf Slafkovsky were all in the lineup—and the Flyers' young guys were able to keep them under control. 

The win completed a 3–0 season sweep of Montreal, the first time the Flyers have swept the Canadiens since 2017–18. But more importantly, it reinforced habits that have defined their late-season surge: structure, depth scoring, and composure.

There was no overextension, no chasing offense for the sake of it. The Flyers handled the game in layers—defensively sound, opportunistic offensively, and consistent in their approach. That matters heading into the playoffs, especially when the organization is keeping a close eye on who could feature in the postseason should the Flyers need to call in a replacement.

---

2. The Youth Movement Isn’t Coming—It’s Here

If there was a defining theme of the night, it was this: the Flyers’ future is here.

Oliver Bonk delivered a remarkable NHL debut, recording a goal and an assist—all in the first period. According to NHL stats, he became just the 10th defenseman in league history to record multiple points in his first NHL period, joining a list that spans over a century.

OLIVER BONK WASTES NO TIME!!! 🤩

He's got his first assist and goal, all in the first period of his NHL debut! pic.twitter.com/rSZ5UyH7q4

— NHL (@NHL) April 14, 2026

Hunter McDonald also made his NHL debut, contributing an assist and plenty of physical assertiveness to keep the Habs in check.

Speaking about his debut, McDonald said postgame, “It was just awesome. I don’t have words, honestly. It was pretty cool… It was just great that I played with them down there. It’s a big family from Lehigh to here, everyone in this organization is classy. It was awesome.”

There is a connective thread running through this organization—from Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia—and nights like this make it visible.

Head coach Rick Tocchet acknowledged the difficulty of the moment for these players, and their admirable response to it.

“I was really impressed," he said. "It’s a tough turnaround getting called up today and the travel… There’s a lot of moving parts for them. I give them a lot of credit.”

---

3. Porter Martone Is Operating in Rare Air

If Bonk’s debut represented the future arriving, Porter Martone continues to define the present.

With another goal and assist, Martone recorded his third multi-point game and extended his point streak to six games (4G, 5A). That ties him with Sean Couturier, Mike Ricci, and Peter Zezel for the second-longest point streak by a Flyers teenager—trailing only Eric Lindros.

Numbers like that place Martone’s production not just in the category of “impressive rookie performance,” but literally in the lineage of franchise history.

---

4. Matvei Michkov Is Peaking at the Perfect Time

Timing matters, and Matvei Michkov has chosen his moment well.

A goal and two assists in this game gave him his third three-point performance of the season and pushed him to 51 points (20G, 31A). More telling, however, is his recent form: 11 points in his last seven games.

In a sophomore season that admittedly left something to be desired after a standout rookie campaign, Michkov has found his legs, and recently, has not just been producing, but accelerating. 

As the Flyers transition into playoff hockey, they will need players capable of creating offense in tighter, more structured environments. Michkov’s ability to generate in space, to read pressure, and to execute quickly positions him as a central figure in what comes next. He simultaneously is finishing the season strong, and entering the postseason as a difference-maker.

---

5. Depth, Identity, and Joy Are All Aligned

The Flyers’ fourth goal—scored by Alex Bump, his fifth of the season—was emblematic of something deeper.

It was about who was on the ice.

“I think my line was under 22 [years old], so we’re just happy to be here,” Bump said postgame. “We’re trying to do the best we can and contribute in any way and have fun while we’re doing it.”

That blend—youth, contribution, and enjoyment—is not always present in teams heading into the playoffs. But for the Flyers, it is a crucial part of their identity.

Tocchet made it clear that performances like this are not just appreciated—they are being evaluated with purpose.

“Yeah, I mean, if you go far into the playoffs, you can go 28 deep on the roster. So, yeah, you’re looking, for sure," he said. "One of those guys—it’s not out of the question that they can play in the Penguins series. You definitely look for that stuff. That’s why it’s big.”

All four first round series in the NHL's Eastern Conference playoff bracket were settled on Tuesday, April 14.

One more Western Conference series can be set on Wednesday, April 15, with the Vegas Golden Knights having a chance to wrap up the Pacific Division title during their season finale. If they do, they will face the Utah Mammoth in the first round.

That would leave the second and third Pacific Division seeds, plus the second wild card in the West, up for grabs on the final night when the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings play. If Vegas doesn't clinch on Wednesday, all four playoff seeds will be in play on Thursday.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, Wednesday's clinching scenario and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season before the postseason begins on April 18:

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Montreal, Tampa Bay, Boston, Ottawa

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, Anaheim, Utah, Los Angeles

Who can clinch an NHL playoff seed today?

• The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch the Pacific Division title if they get at least one point against the Seattle Kraken.

NHL games today (Wednesday, April 15)

• Dallas at Buffalo, 7, TNT, tru
• N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay, 7
• Detroit at Florida, 7
• Toronto at Ottawa, 7:30
• San Jose at Chicago, 8:30
• Seattle at Vegas, 10

NHL playoff standings

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 14 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

• y-Carolina Hurricanes (113) Eastern Conference winner
• x-Pittsburgh Penguins (98)
• x-Philadelphia Flyers (98)

Atlantic Division

• y-Buffalo Sabres (108)
• x-Tampa Bay Lightning (106)
• x-Montreal Canadiens (106)

Wild card

• x-Boston Bruins (100)
• x-Ottawa Senators (97)

Out of the playoffs: z-Washington Capitals (95), z-Columbus Blue Jackets (92), z-Detroit Red Wings (92), z-New York Islanders (91), z-New Jersey Devils (87), z-Florida Panthers (82), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-New York Rangers (75)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 14 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

• y-Colorado Avalanche (119) - Presidents' Trophy winner
• x-Dallas Stars (110)
• x-Minnesota Wild (104)

Pacific Division

• x-Vegas Golden Knights (93)
• x-Edmonton Oilers (91)
• x-Anaheim Ducks (90)

Wild card

• x-Utah Mammoth (92)
• x-Los Angeles Kings (90)

Out of the playoffs: z-Nashville Predators (86), z-San Jose Sharks (84), z-St. Louis Blues (84), z-Winnipeg Jets (82), z-Seattle Kraken (79), z-Calgary Flames (75), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (58)

NHL playoffs if they started today

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 14:

• Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2) This series is set
• Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3) This series is set
• Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1) This series is set
• Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3) This series is set

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 14.

• Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
• Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3). This series is set
• Vegas (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
• Edmonton (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins
2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
3. Total wins
4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
5. Goal differential
6. Total goals

In the Pacific Division, the Oilers have the most regulation wins, followed by the Golden Knights, Ducks and Kings.

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are schedule to begin on Saturday, April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, latest 2026 standings, scenarios, tiebreakers

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube understands how Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness feels.

Following the Blue Jackets' final regular season game on Tuesday, a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, Bowness lashed out at his players after what he called a careless performance.

It had been three months since Bowness' hiring in Columbus, and the Blue Jackets have had a 21-11-5 record since, tying them for the fifth-most points in the NHL since Jan. 13.

But after an uptick in play in the first two months following Bowness' hiring, the Blue Jackets fell off a cliff, securing just seven of a possible 26 points in the final 13 games of the season.

The playoffs were a possibility for the Blue Jackets, much like they were for the Maple Leafs coming out of the Olympic break. However, after picking up numerous costly losses, the team's playoff hopes drifted further and further away.

"I don't know if I'm back, but if I'm back, I'm changing this culture," Bowness told reporters in Columbus following their loss on Tuesday.

"These guys, they don't care — losing is not important enough to them. It doesn't bother them. Like, how can you go out and play like that? I should've done this a month ago. But this is why we are where we are. This is why we're out of the playoffs."

Maple Leafs Set For 5th Or 6th Best NHL Draft Lottery OddsFollowing the Calgary Flames' loss to the Avalanche, the Toronto Maple Leafs are now locked into the fifth or sixth best lottery odds, leaving the fate of their top-5 protected 2026 first-round pick hanging in the balance.

Ahead of Toronto's final game of the regular season on Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators, Berube was asked about Bowness' comments and the importance of players having to hate to lose.

"Well, they do," the Maple Leafs' head coach said.

"I think more than anything — and I'm not in (Bowness') head or what he was thinking or whatever — for me it's like, losing has to hurt. It's got to be vocalized in the room by the players. When you're losing and you're not winning, things have to be said in a not-so-nice manner.

"And when that happens in a locker room enough times, things are bound to change. You got to challenge each other, and he's not wrong."

Coming out of the Olympic break, the Maple Leafs were six points out of a playoff spot. They lost their next eight straight in what was one of their longest losing streaks in recent memory.

'It's Crossed My Mind': Morgan Rielly Unsure About His Maple Leafs Future Before Final Home Game Of SeasonRielly has four more seasons left on his eight-year contract, which he signed in Oct. 2021.

That ultimately tanked their playoff hopes.

Since the Olympic break ended, the Maple Leafs have held the NHL's worst record of 5-14-5 in 24 games. They've picked up just 15 of a possible 48 points and were outscored 64-99 in that stretch.

We've seen more fight out of the team recently, after Auston Matthews suffered a knee injury at the hands of Anaheim Ducks defender Radko Gudas on Mar. 12. That's in part due to no one standing up to Gudas right away after Toronto's captain went down.

But does what occurred with the Blue Jackets — with Bowness calling out the team's culture — need to happen in Toronto? Is culture something that needs to improve within the Maple Leafs? 

"I'm not going to talk about all that," Berube said. "I'm not getting into all that stuff."

Toronto plays its season finale in Ottawa on Wednesday night, then has locker cleanout day on Thursday.

Thursday is the final night of the NHL regular season (Game 82 for the teams involved), and the Pacific Division is still anything but decided. While the teams involved have all clinched, who they'll play is undetermined — everything is still up in the air.

The Edmonton Oilers still have four possible ways the season can end, which means four very different first-round playoff opponents and home-ice situations.

Trending Stories: 

How Oilers Stack Up In the Western Conference Playoff Race

Connor Ingram Deserved Better in Oilers’ 2-1 Shootout Loss

Here is a quick breakdown of the possible scenarios (as explained by NHL insider Frank Seravalli.

A Los Angeles Kings vs. Oilers first-round matchup is still possible (which would make it the fifth straight year these two teams have faced each other in the first round).

This can happen if the Golden Knights earn 1 point (an OT loss or a regulation tie) and the Kings earn 1+ points (a win or an OT loss).  If the Ducks don't earn a single point, the Kings and Oilers would meet again in the playoffs.

The Anaheim Ducks can still finish anywhere from 2nd to WC2. Depending on results, they could play the Oilers as well. To avoid Anaheim, this would require the Kings to get 2 points (straight win), the Ducks to get 2 points (straight win), and the Oilers to get 0 points (regulation loss). 

That exact outcome would push the Oilers out of the top 3 in the Pacific. It would also drop the Oilers to Wild Card #2. It would mean Edmonton playing the Colorado Avalanche.

That said, Edmonton can still finish 1st in the Pacific and win the division for the first time since 1987. For the Oilers to win, the Golden Knights would have to lose to Seattle on Thursday night. It wouldn't matter what the Ducks or Kings do.

If the Oilers finish first or second in the division, they would have home-ice advantage. Perhaps more importantly, it would ensure they don't have to play the Avalanche as the Wild Card #2, and give them a much easier path to the Western Conference Final. 

What This Means for the Oilers Right Now

They're still alive for the division title.

They control a lot of their own destiny if they can beat the Canucks in their final game, but other results (Vegas, Kings, Ducks) matter too.

The "good" outcomes for them are finishing 1st or 2nd in the Pacific → they stay in the Pacific bracket and get home ice vs a Pacific rival. The "bad" outcome everyone is worried about is dropping to Wild Card #2.

That would leave the Oilers "stuck with Colorado", a team they've struggled against this season. This happens if:

• Oilers get 0 points in Game 82 → regulation loss.
• Kings get 2 points → regulation win.
• Ducks get 2 points → regulation win.

The teams in the Central were so much more dominant than the teams in the Pacific and Colorado was tops among them.

The Oilers have a ton of paths, but a win by Vegas on Wednesday and one bad night on Thursday sends Edmonton straight into a tough road series against a team they'd rather avoid. 

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The Los Angeles Kings suffered one of their worst losses of the season on Tuesday, losing in overtime against the Vancouver Canucks. Against the weakest team in the NHL, with major playoff seedings on the line, LA chooses to lose at the worst time. 

It should've been an easy routine win against the Canucks, instead the Kings had to battle all night long just to lose in overtime, as they've regularly done all throughout this season. 

LA Kings Miss Crucial Chance At Home-Ice Advantage In Loss To CanucksA golden opportunity went out the door for the Los Angeles Kings in their loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Now, with that loss turning into a missed opportunity, it may ultimately shape their playoff path and doom a possible deep playoff run. With just one game remaining against the Calgary Flames on Thursday, the Kings now face a critical decision: rest starters to stay healthy for the postseason, or go all out and win for a more favorable seeding. 

Given what’s at stake, the answer should be clear. This is not the time for Los Angeles to take its foot off the gas.

Seeding On The Line

On paper, the loss to Vancouver might not seem devastating. The Kings have already clinched a playoff spot and are preparing for the postseason. But the context of the loss tells a much different story.

The Canucks entered the game with nothing to play for, sitting near the bottom of the standings. Meanwhile, the Kings had everything to gain, with a chance to improve their position in the Pacific Division and avoid a difficult first-round matchup.

The loss now leaves them still in the second wild-card spot in the postseason, with a much tougher playoff path ahead. 

Rather than positioning themselves for a potentially favorable matchup against a Pacific Division opponent, the Kings are now staring at the possibility of facing the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, a team that just won the Presidents' Trophy and is widely considered the most dangerous team in the Western Conference.

It gets even more challenging because, even if the Kings can somehow pull off a miraculous upset over the Avalanche, they'll still face an even steeper uphill battle in the second round against either the Dallas Stars or the Minnesota Wild. 

The #StanleyCup Playoffs start next Saturday, April 18! 🤩

Here's how the bracket would look if the postseason started today. pic.twitter.com/2n0ypdRzOD

— NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2026

This is, without question, a very brutal path for the Kings to overcome if they hold the second wild card spot. Now, if they want a favorable matchup in the first round and an easier path to the Western Conference Finals, they'll need to finish either second or third in the Pacific Division.  

LA will need help, though, from the Edmonton Oilers or Anaheim Ducks if they want to finish at worst as the third seed. Either Edmonton or Anaheim has to lose their final game, and the Kings must win their regular-season finale against the Flames.

At best, the Kings can get the second seed and earn home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and likely play an injured Oilers team or an inconsistent Ducks team, making for a much easier first-round matchup and likely face Vegas or Utah in the second round, avoiding the Central Division monsters until the WCF. 

Thursday

Canucks at Oilers - 

The Canucks have a chance to end the regular season defeating four Pacific Division teams if they can defeat the Oilers on the road on Thursday. After defeating the Sharks, Kings, and Ducks this week, Vancouver can drop Edmonton in the playoff seeding if it decides to play hard. 

Ducks at Predators - 

Anaheim has been on its worst stretch of the season since Dec/Jan, winning just one game in April, and is 1-6-2 in its last nine games. The interesting part will be whether Nashville decides to rest its starters or try to win its final regular-season home game. 

One Final Opportunity 

A strong performance against Calgary and an Anaheim or Edmonton loss can help put the Kings in the best possible position heading into the playoffs. If that doesn't happen, we'll look back on their game against Vancouver and blame their performance in that game for going home in the first round against Colorado. 

That’s why the decision in the season finale is so important. Resting players might seem like the safe choice, but in reality, it could come at a much greater cost. And after letting one opportunity slip away, the Kings can’t afford to waste another.

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It’ll be all hands on deck for the Dallas Stars heading into their season finale against the Buffalo Sabres.

My Stars vs. Sabres predictions expect that to result in the road team picking up their 50th win.

Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, April 15.

Stars vs Sabres prediction

Stars vs Sabres best bet: Stars moneyline (-145)

This game carries no implications in the standings for either side, and while teams generally sit key players in these circumstances, that’s not the case with the Dallas Stars.

Head coach Glen Gulutzan noted his guys — even those routinely playing heavy minutes — want to play in the regular season finale, and they will.

This contest should serve as one last tune-up before their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres are set to sit key pieces like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin, looking ahead to their first playoff game in 15 years.

Stars vs Sabres same-game parlay

Mavrik Bourque is coming off a hat trick, but he still has more assists than goals. Playing on a line with Jason Robertson, the youngster definitely has assist upside.

We’ll round out the parlay with an Under. Playing pond hockey in their finale isn’t going to get the Stars ready for the playoffs, so they should rely on their structure and sound defense to guide them in their finale.

The Sabres are sitting a healthy chunk of firepower in this game, and third-string goaltender Colten Ellis (8-4-1 with a .904 save percentage) is more than capable of handling this level.

Stars vs Sabres SGP

• Stars moneyline
• Mavrik Bourque Over 0.5 assists
• Under 6.5

Stars vs Sabres odds

• Moneyline: Stars -105 | Sabres -115
• Puck Line: Stars -1.5 (+225) | Sabres +1.5 (-280)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)

Stars vs Sabres trend

Buffalo has only hit the game total Over in 10 of its last 25 games (-6.85 Units / -24% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Sabres.

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Yes, there are still games to be played in the NHL’s regular season, but all 16 playoff spots have been clinched so we know who is and is not going to be competing for Lord Stanley’s Cup. Like me, I am sure many of you are fans of the Detroit Red Wings, so you will not have your team in the postseason (again). I’ll take this opportunity to point out that at least the Red Wings did better than my cowriter Steve’s Chicago Blackhawks.

For those who still want to enjoy some playoff hockey and need help deciding which team to get behind, let’s analyze the 16 playoff rosters in search of former Spartans.

Amazingly, there are only five former MSU skaters currently on an NHL roster. This number does not include players that are signed by NHL teams but who are currently on an affiliate (e.g. AHL) roster. This low number took me by surprise, but it is sure to grow in the next year or two as more of the Adam Nightingale-era players make it to the big league.

Of those five Spartans, three of them are on a playoff-bound team. Those three are:

Isaac Howard – Edmonton Oilers

Jeff Petry – Minnesota Wild

Porter Martone – Philadelphia Flyers

The other two players whose teams did not make the playoffs are Mason Appleton in Detroit and Artyom Levshunov in Chicago.

The regular season wraps up on Thursday and the playoffs are scheduled to start on Saturday. Will you be cheering one of the three teams with a Spartan on it? Do you live in a city with an NHL team that you will be cheering for? Will this be the year that a Canadian team wins the Cup? None have won since 1993. Are you just waiting for football season?

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins accomplished the task of clinching second place in the Atlantic Division. It comes with a nice bonus of sitting out the best-of-three first round playoffs that tripped them up the prior two seasons. They’ll await the highest seed that emerges from the 3/6 and 4/5 series, with the lowest seeded team playing top-ranked Providence.

The Penguins had a 1-0-1 previous week, dealing with a few key forwards called up to the NHL. WBSPenguins.com with the recaps:

Thursday, Apr. 9 – PENGUINS 5 at Bridgeport 6 (OT)
In its last-ever regular-season visit to Bridgeport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton let a three-goal, third-period lead slip away as the Islanders stole their first win of the season series. Daniel Russell and Mikhail Ilyin both picked up assists in their AHL debuts, while Finn Harding, Tanner Howe, Gabe Klassen, Harrison Brunicke and Atley Calvert provided the goals.

Saturday, Apr. 11 – GANDY DANCERS 4 vs. Cleveland 1
It required a proletarian effort, but the Steamtown Gandy Dancers rolled up their sleeves and muscled their way to an intense victory. Calvert conjured the only goal through the first 52 minutes of action, which led to a frenzied finish. Aidan McDonough tallied twice around Cleveland’s lone goal, three strikes that came in 1:50 of game time. Howe lobbed in an empty netter to improve the *Penguins* to 3-0-1-0 in its Community Night presented by Visit Luzerne County.

Sergei Murashov gave up six goals on 28 shots in the Bridgeport game – on a day he started on the NHL roster in New Jersey before being assigned back to the AHL once it was deemed Stuart Skinner was good to go. Joel Blomqvist picked up the win against Cleveland, stopping 25/26 shots.

A lot of fresh faces and young talent have rolled into town, including most recently a 2025 third round draft pick defenseman Brady Peddle. Peddle joins with recent draftees Ryan Miller and Quinn Beauchesne on AHL tryout deals for the rest of the season. Neither Miller nor Beauchesne has appeared in a game yet, but with three meaningless games coming up in the next four days there could be opportunities to give these players a chance to get into the lineup.

Some other players on NHL contracts have made their way to Wilkes, Harrison Brunicke has been back after his junior career wrapped up in a first series loss in the WHL and been used in a key role now with Wilkes. Mikhail Ilyin’s KHL season is over and he’s managed two assists in his first two AHL games. Melvin Fernstrom has also been over in the AHL for a while coming in and out of the lineup.

Here was the lineup in the last game, WBS had to deal with Joona Koppanen, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Avery Hayes playing out the stretch in Pittsburgh. Rafael Harvey-Pinard got an NHL game too but did not miss any games in the minor league. With the NHL playoffs about to begin, all five of these forwards have been assigned back to Wilkes today, presumably to get them ready for an AHL playoff run. Other than the injured Tristan Broz, who has been out since the beginning of March, WBS is locked and loaded.

Hey, won’t you line it!

Catch the action on FOR FREE @TheAHL and @FloHockey pages and on AHLTV on FloHockey: https://t.co/CrNDVVHuPjpic.twitter.com/VcoYyC6S0M

— x – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 11, 2026

Wilkes has three games to finish out their 72-game season, all at home. Tonight they play Hershey, a team that should be desperate to clinch a playoff spot (and loaded up themselves by getting Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ilya Protas and Clay Stephenson back from the NHL Capitals). Next up is Bridgeport on Friday, a team that has already clinched a playoff spot but is a potential future playoff opponent. Finally the year ends up with a game against Rochester, 5th place in the North Division, who likely will have clinched a playoff spot by the time they play Wilkes-Barre on Saturday.

In a way, WBS this week will be in the same situation as their NHL affiliate was this past week, being unable to move in the standings and focused on the playoffs. They (likely) won’t go to the extremes of resting all their key players, though sensibly there’s logic in fluid lineups to give youngsters a shot while keeping the key players ready for the playoffs. Those playoffs won’t start for a little bit in Wilkes-Barre who have earned the luxury of some rest and time to prepare for whatever the second round might throw at them (which would be a pretty good Charlotte team, barring an upset).

In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler ranked the top 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects. Without much surprise, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler received the top spot in Wheeler's rankings.

Seeing Fowler being named the best goalie prospect in hockey makes a lot of sense. The 21-year-old goaltender has the potential to become a star for the Canadiens and has already shown plenty of promise when given the chance to play for Montreal this campaign. In 17 regular-season games for the Canadiens this season, the 2023 third-round pick had a 9-6-2 record, a 2.43 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout. 

Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, Fowler undoubtedly performed well. In 27 games with Laval this campaign, he had a 19-7-1 record, a .916 save percentage, a 2.23 goals-against average, and three shutouts. This is after he had a 25-7-2 record, a 1.63 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage, and seven shutouts for Boston College during the 2024-25 season.

With all of this, there is no question that Fowler has a ton of potential. He should be a big part of the Canadiens' roster moving forward, and at 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to get even better. 

Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot may have made his final NHL appearance this week, closing the book on what has been a long and quietly impressive career.

The 38-year-old Caledonia, Ontario native started Monday’s game for the Detroit Red Wings against the Tampa Bay Lightning, allowing four goals on 26 shots in an overtime loss. While no official decision has been announced, the outing is widely expected to be both his final start with Detroit and potentially the last of his NHL career.

Talbot, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of University of Alabama-Huntsville, built a reputation over more than a decade as one of the league’s most dependable journeyman goaltenders. With his contract set to expire this summer, Detroit appears poised to move in a different direction, with top prospect Sebastian Cossa expected to take on a full-time role next season.

The transition signals the likely end of Talbot’s tenure in Detroit, especially as his performance has begun to decline with age. He finishes the 2025–26 season with a 12-9-6 record, a 3.10 goals-against average, and a .886 save percentage across 33 appearances, his lowest statistical output since 2019.

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Despite the recent dip, Talbot’s career body of work remains strong. Over 13 NHL seasons, he provided steady goaltending for eight different franchises, including the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, and most recently the Red Wings.

If he chooses to retire, Talbot would finish with a career record of 278-204-53, along with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, numbers that reflect consistency and reliability over time.

There is still a possibility he could extend his career, following a path similar to fellow veteran James Reimer, who returned to NHL action this season at the same age with Ottawa. However, if Talbot does continue playing, it is unlikely to be in Detroit.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have lost four straight games in regulation and are 1-8-1 in their last 10 games. No team in the NHL is having a worse finish than them. Going out with a whimper was not a part of their plan, but they have one final chance to go out on a high note. 

At the end of Monday night’s game, a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the home fans made their frustration known. The Blackhawks were booed off the ice, and it was heard. 

 "I don't know if it's unwarranted, but it's not fun," Wyatt Kaiser said of the booing. Ryan Donato had a similar sentiment. 

“Nobody wants to experience that,” Donato said. “It leaves that bitter taste in your mouth. We have to give them a reason to cheer for us.” 

On Wednesday night, the Blackhawks will host the San Jose Sharks at the United Center. Although the Sharks were in it until the very end and largely had the season the Blackhawks wanted, they came up just short of making the postseason. 

Having one strong game won’t erase what the post-Olympic break was for the Blackhawks, but it could be a positive heading into an important summer.

This is the youngest team in the NHL by average age, so there will be mistakes and developmental curves, but a good showing against a team like the Sharks would go a long way. 

"Taking steps forward," Ryan Donato said when asked what he's looking for in the final game. "We're playing against a good team, a team that's been fighting for the playoffs all year. We want to be one of those teams. We have to show it every night. Over a long season, it can get grueling on the body, but you have to be mentally tough, power through it, and just know that it's a long season. At the end of the day, these teams are going on to the playoffs and have a lot more to go through. We want to be that team. We have a good test coming up."

Running out of gas is not an excuse in the NHL. They play 82 games ahead of the postseason for a reason. Ryan Donato, who has been on some good teams in the past, understands that.

The young guys in the locker room must learn how to grind through a season without letting that slip away at the end. They can't take back how this season ended, but they can follow Donato's mentality in the final game and move forward. 

"We've talked about how important each game is; Wednesday is no different," head coach Jeff Blashill said of having a good game against the Sharks to end the year. "It would be nice to have a better taste in your mouth than what we had walking out of the building the last three games. There's zero doubt about that." 

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