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

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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.

How to watch Stars vs Sabres

Stars vs Sabres latest injuries

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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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The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping that goaltender Sergei Murashov will be a big part of their roster in the future. It is understandable, as the 22-year-old has plenty of potential.

Murashov has certainly shown off his upside this season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, as he has a 23-8-4 record, a .918 save percentage, a 2.24 goals-against average, and three shutouts in 36 games.

In his first five career regular-season games with Pittsburgh this season, Murashov had a 1-1-2 record, an .897 save percentage, and a 2.56 goals-against average. He also had a 21-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 16. 

With how well Murashov has been continuing to develop his game, he has earned some big praise. The 2022 fourth-round pick was given the No. 10 ranking on Scott Wheeler's top 20 NHL-drafted prospect goalie rankings for The Athletic. 

When looking at Murashov's play at the AHL level, it is entirely understandable that he is being considered one of the best goalie prospects in the league. He has the skill to be a good goaltender for Pittsburgh, and it is going to be very fascinating to see how he continues to grow his game from here.

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The NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs are considered the most grueling postseason in all professional sports, and that intensity really gets ramped up for the Stanley Cup Final.

Discover the latest NHL odds as well as all the key resources you need to navigate the 2026 NHL Playoffs with our helpful links and information below.

2026 Stanley Cup odds

Stanley Cup odds are a form of NHL futures. These are long-running odds markets that release before the start of the regular season and take action over the course of the schedule, adjusting to results, betting handle, and injuries.

📅 2026 NHL Playoffs schedule

🏒 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy Odds

The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sportsbooks begin offering Conn Smythe odds at the start of the playoffs, updating them as the rounds go on and teams are eliminated.

Odds as of April 15 at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Stanley Cup format

In the NHL's best-of-seven postseason, the first team to win four games advances to the next round, while the loser is eliminated. To ensure fairness, the league utilizes a 2-2-1-1-1 home-ice format, which allocates hosting duties based on regular-season performance.

This structure guarantees that the team with the superior regular-season record enjoys home-ice advantage, meaning they host the series opener and, most crucially, the decisive seventh game.

📺 How to watch the Stanley Cup

In Canada, fans can catch Stanley Cup Final games on Sportsnet and CBC, while fans in the United States can find Stanley Cup Final action exclusively on ABC. Cord cutters can stream the games on ESPN+.

Where to bet on the Stanley Cup

Hockey betting is on the rise in North America. The NHL’s popularity provides fun and unique ways to wager on hockey action all season long. Where you bet on hockey is just as important as what you bet, and Covers has reviewed the best betting sites available in your region.

💵 How to bet on hockey

Hockey is one of the most exciting sports to bet on due to the fast-paced action and swings in momentum. And the Stanley Cup playoffs dial up the drama, with plenty of unpredictable outcomes and thrilling underdog stories. Learn how to bet on hockey and make smarter NHL bets with Covers.

📜 Stanley Cup history

The Stanley Cup Final is one of the longest-running championship events in North American sports with a rich history of memorable competition and outstanding players

Origins

The Stanley Cup is named after Lord Frederick Stanley, the 16th Earl of Derby, who donated the trophy to honor the best amateur hockey team in Canada. 

The Stanley Cup was first awarded to the winner of the Canadian Challenge Cup (1893-1914) and later used as the top prize in a championship series between the winner of the National Hockey Association and the winner of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (1915-1926).

It wasn’t until 1927 that the National Hockey League adopted the Stanley Cup as its championship trophy.

The first Stanley Cup

The first winner of the Stanley Cup was the Montreal Hockey Club, which won the Challenge Cup in 1893. The first NHA vs. PCHA winner was the Vancouver Millionaires in 1915. The first NHL champion to hoist Lord Stanley was the Ottawa Senators in 1927. 

🏆 NHL Stanley Cup Winners

Year	Team
2025	Florida Panthers
2024	Florida Panthers
2023	Vegas Golden Knights
2022	Colorado Avalanche
2021	Tampa Bay Lightning
2020	Tampa Bay Lightning
2019	St. Louis Blues
2018	Washington Capitals
2017	Pittsburgh Penguins
2016	Pittsburgh Penguins
2015	Chicago Blackhawks
2014	Los Angeles Kings
2013	Chicago Blackhawks
2012	Los Angeles Kings
2011	Boston Bruins
2010	Chicago Blackhawks
2009	Pittsburgh Penguins
2008	Detroit Red Wings
2007	Anaheim Ducks
2006	Carolina Hurricanes
2005	Season canceled due to NHL lockout
2004	Tampa Bay Lightning
2003	New Jersey Devils
2002	Detroit Red Wings
2001	Colorado Avalanche
2000	New Jersey Devils
1999	Dallas Stars
1998	Detroit Red Wings
1997	Detroit Red Wings
1996	Colorado Avalanche
1995	New Jersey Devils
1994	New York Rangers
1993	Montreal Canadiens
1992	Pittsburgh Penguins
1991	Pittsburgh Penguins
1990	Edmonton Oilers
1989	Calgary Flames
1988	Edmonton Oilers
1987	Edmonton Oilers
1986	Montreal Canadiens
1985	Edmonton Oilers
1984	Edmonton Oilers
1983	New York Islanders
1982	New York Islanders
1981	New York Islanders
1980	New York Islanders
1979	Montreal Canadiens
1978	Montreal Canadiens
1977	Montreal Canadiens
1976	Montreal Canadiens
1975	Philadelphia Flyers
1974	Philadelphia Flyers
1973	Montreal Canadiens
1972	Boston Bruins
1971	Montreal Canadiens
1970	Boston Bruins
1969	Montreal Canadiens
1968	Montreal Canadiens
1967	Toronto Maple Leafs
1966	Montreal Canadiens
1965	Montreal Canadiens
1964	Toronto Maple Leafs
1963	Toronto Maple Leafs
1962	Toronto Maple Leafs
1961	Chicago Blackhawks
1960	Montreal Canadiens
1959	Montreal Canadiens
1958	Montreal Canadiens
1957	Montreal Canadiens
1956	Montreal Canadiens
1955	Detroit Red Wings
1954	Detroit Red Wings
1953	Montreal Canadiens
1952	Detroit Red Wings
1951	Toronto Maple Leafs
1950	Detroit Red Wings
1949	Toronto Maple Leafs
1948	Toronto Maple Leafs
1947	Detroit Red Wings
1946	Montreal Canadiens
1945	Toronto Maple Leafs
1944	Montreal Canadiens
1943	Detroit Red Wings
1942	Toronto Maple Leafs
1941	Boston Bruins
1940	New York Rangers
1939	Boston Bruins
1938	Chicago Blackhawks
1937	Detroit Red Wings
1936	Detroit Red Wings
1935	Montreal Maroons
1934	Chicago Blackhawks
1933	New York Rangers
1932	Toronto Maple Leafs
1931	Montreal Canadiens
1930	Montreal Canadiens
1929	Boston Bruins
1928	New York Rangers
1927	Ottawa Senators

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The Montreal Canadiens’ second-round pick at the last draft, Alexander Zharovsky, saw his KHL season come to an end yesterday when the Ufa Salavat Yulaev crashed out of the playoffs. The underdogs were swept in four games by Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, which featured former Hab Alexander Radulov.

In the fourth and final game of the duel yesterday, Lokomotiv won 4-0, with Radulov scoring a goal and recording two assists. As for Zharovsky, he spent just over 16 minutes on the ice across 19 shifts, had two shots and two blocked shots.

In 10 playoff games, the 19-year-old only put up a pair of assists. That’s nothing to write home about, but it’s important to remember that he’s still very young and playing against seasoned players in Russia’s top league. Just like in the NHL, the level of play goes up in the postseason.

The right wing put up 16 goals and 26 assists for 42 points in his first complete season in the KHL. The 6-foot-2 and 176-pound player still needs to fill up before he’s ready to face North American professional hockey.

Speaking on BPM Sports earlier this week, former NHL coach Bob Hartley, who’s now at the helm of Lokomotiv, was asked about the Canadiens’ prospect. He explained:

We know the playoffs are a different animal; they beat their first-round rival in six games, and we shut them out in our first two games at home. There’s not much room on the ice against us. We have an experienced defence corps that’s robust as well, and we’ve kept a close eye on him. [..] The kid is only 19, and he’s coming to terms with the reality of the playoffs, but he’s always dangerous, he works very hard, and he’s an excellent skater. He sees the game well, he’ll keep on improving, and the Canadiens definitely have a jewel there. He’s an excellent hockey player, and from what I hear, he’s a hard worker with an A1 attitude and a kid who, off the ice, is a great deal like [Ivan] Demidov.

- Bob Hartley on Zharovsky

That sounds very promising, and it looks like Zharovsky, just like Demidov, will be worth the wait. Martin St-Louis has shown time and time again what he can do with young players who have a knack for reading the game.  The end of next season could be very interesting for Canadiens’ fans when both Zharovsky and Michael Hage turn pro.

---

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The Florida Panthers are about to cross the finish line of frustrating, injury-filled season.

Despite coming into the year as the NHL’s defending, back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions, the Panthers couldn’t stay healthy and constantly found themselves behind the proverbial eight ball.

Now, with their playoff hopes long gone and the focus shifting to the future, Florida is looking to the upcoming offseason with a potential major bargaining chip in their back pocket.

That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick, which was previously included in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal that brought Seth Jones to Florida from the Chicago Blackhawks, was top-10 protected.

Entering play Wednesday, Florida holds the eighth-worst record in the NHL. A finish anywhere in the bottom eight will guarantee they keep their pick, regardless of what happens at the NHL Draft Lottery.

There are two draws at the Draft Lottery, one for the first overall pick and one for the second overall pick, meaning there is a chance that two teams could move up and bump Florida backwards.

A loss to Detroit in any fashion will guarantee the Panthers a bottom-eight finish.

If the Panthers collect two points, they would need the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues to each pick up at least one more point (San Jose has two games remaining, St. Louis has one) in order to guarantee the bottom-eight finish.

The Panthers are expected to welcome forward Matthew Tkachuk back into the lineup for the finale.

Tkachuk has missed Florida’s past four games to be with his wife Ellie for the birth of their first child, a baby girl named Camille.

He told media members after the Panthers’ morning skate that he would be playing on Wednesday night.

In addition to the bevy of injured players who are already out of the lineup, Florida will be without Tomas Nosek, who broke his leg on Monday, and Gus Forsling, due to several ailments he’s been nursing.

Needless to say, Florida’s defensive corps will be on the younger side when they suit up to battle the Red Wings.

The average age of the six blueliners dressing for the Cats will be 23.5 years old.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Wednesday’s season finale against Detroit:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Mackie Samoskevich – Eetu Luostarinen – A.J. Greer

Nolan Foote – Noah Gregor – Jesper Boqvist

Cole Reinhardt – Luke Kunin – Vinnie Hinostroza

Tobias Bjornfot – Mike Benning

Donovan Sebrango – Marek Alscher

Mikulas Hovorka – Ludvig Jansson

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Photo caption: Oct 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes the save on Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) in the second period at Little Caesars Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)