PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 30: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 30, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Based on preseason expectations there might not be a more improbable first-round matchup in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs than the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. Neither of these teams were expected to be here. Up until about three weeks ago, I am not sure the Flyers were expected to be here. But none of that matters now, and starting this weekend the battle of Pennsylvania gets renewed, with Sidney Crosby having a chance to deliver another punch to the Penguins’ cross-state rivals.
We know who the main players in this series and playoff run are going to be for the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson are going to be at the top of the list, and their play will obviously have a major role in what the Penguins do and how far they can go. But no matter how well they play, they can not do it all for the Penguins. The team’s success or failure will also come down to the secondary and support players on the team and a few potential X-factors.
Let’s talk about some of them.
Ben Kindel
Every Penguins team that won the Stanley Cup or reached the Stanley Cup Final in the Sidney Crosby era has done so with a third-line that can carry play and swing games. A lot of times in the playoffs each team’s top players can cancel each other out due to the aggressive line-matching that tends to take place, and it can then come down to which team has the better support players.
In 2008 and 2009 it was the Jordan Staal line.
In 2016 and 2017 it was the HBK line.
Can the Penguins get something similar from the Kindel line?
It is going to be fascinating to see how his first playoff experiences goes. He is, after all, only 18 years old and will be getting his first taste of playoff hockey. He also seems to have hit another rookie wall over the past month with his offense going cold and some of his underlying metrics regressing a bit. From a big picture perspective, it is nothing to be overly concerned about. There is a reason most 18-year-olds do not get a full-season in the NHL. It is a huge adjustment and there are going to be some growing pains.
But everything resets now going into the playoffs, and regardless of who the Penguins put around him on a line they are going to need a big showing from his trio if they are going to advance and go on a potential run.
He has exceeded expectations and rose to the occasion all season. This is going to be his biggest test yet.
Sam Girard
You can include Kris Letang in this category as well, because their defense pairing is going to be significant.
When they were first put together following the trade with Colorado, they looked like an absolute disaster, with Girard especially struggling in his new environment. He seemed to lack confidence, was indecisive and just not playing well.
And then, about 10-12 games ago, something clicked.
It clicked for him.
It clicked for Letang.
It clicked for both of them together.
In their total time together, including the initial rocky games, the Girard-Letang pairing has outscored teams by a 13-9 margin with a 52.5 percent expected goals share during 5-on-5 play. Very solid numbers.
Over their past 10 games, however, those numbers go to an 11-5 goal advantage and a 57.8 percent expected goal share.
They are now carrying play.
Girard especially looks completely different and like a player that is oozing with confidence. Everything is being done with a purpose, there is no hesitation, he is joining the rush smartly and moving the puck well.
You know the Karlsson-Parker Wotherspoon pairing is going to give you a chance.
Having reliable pairings beyond them was always going to be the concern. If Letang and Girard can continue playing the way they have over the past month the Penguins are going to have a second pairing they can lean on. That is a game-changer, both in terms of their chances in this series, and their potential ceiling in the playoffs.
Connor Clifton
Sticking with the defense, the third-pairing is also going to be significant because at some point they are going to have to play. Even if you lean on the top-two pairings for more than 40 minutes, that still leads nearly a full period’s worth of hockey that the third-pairing has to log.
Sometimes playoff success or failure is not necessarily about what you do well or your strengths, but what you don’t do well and your flaws. The things that can be exploited in a best-of-seven series when opposing coaches are doing more in-depth game-planning and can drill down to weaknesses.
Clifton is one of those players that I fear being exploited.
I will say this: I think he’s played a lot better down the stretch, and a lot of his underlying numbers over the past month have, at times, been REALLY good. But over the course of a season his pairing has at times been the one that gets pinned in the defensive zone and has a tendency to lose the territorial and possession battle. That could be a problem. They do not need Clifton and Ryan Shea to be game-changers. They just need them to play to a 0-0 tie.
Stuart Skinner
Then we have the biggest X-factor on the entire team.
It is the goaltending. It is always the goaltending. It can lift a struggling team or sink a good team, and there might not be a more important player for the Penguins this postseason than Skinner.
It is just a matter of which version of him they are going to get.
He has big-game experience and backstopped the Edmonton Oilers to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in each of the past two seasons. He is capable of putting together a good stretch of play, and we have seen signs of it down the stretch. He has clearly taken the No. 1 spot and at least earned the right to go into the playoffs as the Penguins’ starting goalie.
But can he do enough to give the Penguins a chance?
Over the past 20 games he has saved four goals above expected for the Penguins, which is good enough to give them a chance. The Penguins have the potential to score enough goals to win, and in at least the first round the Flyers do not have an overly potent offense. They are probably not going to need Skinner to steal many games. They just need him to not lose any.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler ranked the top 20 NHL-drafted goalie prospects. A Chicago Blackhawks prospect made the cut, as Drew Commesso was given the No. 18 spot.
Commesso is a goaltender who the Blackhawks are certainly hoping will become a solid part of their future, as he has good upside. The 2020 second-round pick is continuing to work on his development and has shown promise.
Commesso has played in 36 games with the Rockford IceHogs this season, where he has a 13-19-2 record, a .903 save percentage, and a 3.00 goals-against average. This is after he had an 18-15-4 record, a .911 save percentage, a 2.54 goals-against average, and four shutouts for Rockford in 2024-25. With this, he has certainly been solid at the AHL level.
However, more importantly, Commesso played very well when given the chance to play for the Blackhawks this season. In three games for Chicago this campaign, he has a 2-1-0 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.31 goals-against average. He also notably had a 36-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 10. Furthermore, in his most recent appearance for Chicago on March 9 against the Utah Mammoth, he stopped 23 out of 25 shots.
With this, Commesso certainly has the potential to become a good part of the Blackhawks' roster in the future. He should see more NHL action next season because of it.
Apr 14, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) defends the net against the Anaheim Ducks in the third period at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Matt Blewett/Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jesper Wallstedt let in a goal on a power play against the Minnesota Wild in the first period, looked up at the scoreboard to quickly analyze the replay, and realized something wasn’t right.
The name on the back of his green jersey was misspelled: W-a-l-l-s-t-e-a-d.
“An April Fool’s joke,” Wallstedt said after beating the Anaheim Ducks, “but a little late.”
So he’s sure this was a classic rookie prank and not an honest manufacturing mistake?
“Yeah, 100%. I don’t know exactly who it is, but obviously I have a feeling of who it could be,” said Wallstedt, suggesting fellow goalie Filip Gustavsson was the culprit.
When Marc-Andre Fleury retired last spring, he left behind quite the legacy as a prankster. Though Fleury turned over the net to Gustavsson and Wallstedt on the ice, the 41-year-old with the second-most wins in NHL history has stayed around the team this season as a practice goalie and with an informal front office role as a player development advisor.
Was it possible Fleury found his way in on the joke too?
“Oh, I didn’t think that Flower could be involved,” Wallstedt said. “Then I definitely think it’s a team job. Well done for them. Yeah, I’d rather take it that way than having my car on cinder blocks or something. I’d rather have my name a little misspelled.”
For the record, Wallstedt had his proper spelling restored for the second period. He had 34 saves in the 3-2 win over the Ducks and finished his rookie season 18-9-6 with the NHL’s second-best save percentage (.915).
“I hope they threw that nameplate away,” Wallstedt said. “I have no idea where it went.”
Since starting his career 8-0-2 with four shutouts, Wallstedt has continued to give the Wild confidence in their tandem of Swedish Olympians — and a decision to make with the playoffs approaching.
Gustavsson has more experience and enjoyed plenty of strong stretches this season, but he’s only 2-4 in his last six starts with 25 goals allowed. Wallstedt might have forced his way into some type of rotation in the first-round series against the Dallas Stars.
“I like the way I’ve been playing lately, especially after the Olympics. I thought I was in a good spot going into the Olympics, too,” Wallstedt said. “Obviously I was a little bit bummed that I didn’t get to play anything there, and maybe that gave some extra motivation for the games after. And ever since, I’ve felt like I’ve been in a good spot and given our team a good chance to win.”
The 100th season of the Detroit Red Wings comes to a close on Wednesday as they take on the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
It has been an emotional year for Red Wings fans, as the team will miss the playoffs for a tenth straight season, and in especially heartbreaking fashion.
Turning the page will not be easy for Detroit fans, but it will be necessary. Even if it is not what many want to hear, the future remains bright, and there will be glimpses of it on display in Sunrise.
Rookies Emmitt Finnie and Axel Sandin-Pellikka will look to finish their first NHL seasons on a strong note, while recent call-ups Carter Mazur and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård aim to make lasting impressions as they push to secure full-time roster spots next season.
Pending free agents and veteran players in Patrick Kane, James van Riemsdyk, and David Perron are also looking to make an impact as they head toward potential new contracts this July.
Although the Red Wings are out of the playoff race, this game still carries significance for the future of the franchise.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Tampa Bay (Monday)
Finnie – Larkin – Raymond
DeBrincat – Copp – Kane
Mazur – Compher – Perron
van Riemsdyk - Kasper - Brandsegg-Nygård
Edvinsson – Seider
Chiarot – Faulk
Johansson - Sandin-Pellikka
Gibson
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Apr 14, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) salutes the fans as he leaves the ice after the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
Russell LaBounty/Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Alex Ovechkin hasn’t decided if his final NHL game already happened.
If it did, the Russian superstar made sure he got on the scoresheet.
Ovechkin assisted on Jakob Chychrun’s go-ahead goal during the third period of the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“It’s pretty cool. We tried to win, and we tried to finish the season on a good note,” he said.
Ovechkin — who led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in 2018 — is in the final season of his contract. He has continued to reiterate that he will take some time to ponder if he will retire after 21 seasons and 1,573 regular-season games.
“I’m going to stay a little bit in D.C. I don’t know when we’re going to fly (back to Russia). ... I’ll talk with Carbs (coach Spencer Carbery), CP (general manager Chris Patrick), my family and go from there,” Ovechkin said during his 3-minute postgame remarks.
A large contingent of Capitals fans made the trip to Columbus and chanted “One more year” and “Ovi! Ovi!” during the final minute. He also got a standing ovation as he left the ice.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. The fans who came here from D.C. and different spots to watch the game which was very nice,” Ovechkin said. “I could hear them cheering for me and screaming one more year.”
Ovechkin was on the ice for final 1:49 after the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie. His teammates tried to get him the puck for one final goal, but he was unable to control the puck when he had a clean look at the empty net.
“I wanted him maybe if this is it, to ice it with one more empty net. He had a good look at it. The puck just was rolling,” Carbery said.
If Ovechkin’s final game was against the Blue Jackets, it would be fitting. His NHL debut came on Oct. 5, 2005, against Columbus where he scored the first two of his record-setting 929 goals.
Washington got its third power play after Columbus’ Miles Wood was sent off for high sticking at 14:06 of the third period. Ovechkin had a couple chances for his favorite spot inside the left faceoff circle, but Blue Jackets’ goaltender Jet Greaves was able to make a great save on the first attempt.
The Capitals took the lead with 4:07 remaining on Chychrun’s shot from the slot. Ovechkin got the second assist, his 32nd of the season.
“It’s an honor. I think we all are trying to soak up everything we can all the time we have with him. We don’t know what’s in store, but it’s special to have these memories with him,” Chychrun said. “We all know what he does out there on the ice, but getting to know him off the ice has been even more special.”
On his opening shift, Ovechkin became the fifth player age 40 or older in NHL history to play in all 82 regular-season games. The last person to do it was Jaromir Jagr with the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. The others were Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom (2010-11), Anaheim’s Teemu Selanne (2011-12) and Tampa Bay’s Dave Andreychuk (2003-04). Jagr also did it with the New Jersey Devils in 2013-14.
It was the fifth time in 21 seasons Ovechkin has not missed a regular-season game.
Ovechkin led the Capitals this season with 32 goals and 64 points. He ended the season with a point in three straight games with one goal and two assists.
Washington finished two points shy of a playoff spot, the fifth time it has failed to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs since Ovechkin was the top pick in 2004.
For those hoping Ovechkin goes at least one more year, he did leave a glimmer of hope.
“I hope it’s not my last game. I don’t know how exactly it’s going to happen, so we’ll see,” he said.
Immediately after Tuesday's regular season finale, the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer sounded open to scoring more goals and coming back for a 22nd season.
"I hope it’s not my last game," Ovechkin told reporters after the Capitals' 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, April 14.
Ovechkin, 40, reiterated his ultimate decision to continue playing in the NHL will occur this offseason, beginning with meetings after the season with coach Spencer Carbury, the Capitals' front office and owner Ted Leonsis. Ovechkin just completed the final season of a five-year, $47.5-million contract that he signed in 2021.
This is the first time since 2023, and just the fifth time in Ovechkin's career, that the Capitals did not qualify for the NHL's postseason. Though Tuesday's finale had no playoff implications by the time the puck was dropped, Capitals fans in attendance in Columbus, Ohio in case it was Ovechkin's final game chanted, "One more year," and "O-Vi."
Ovechkin waved off the Pittsburgh Penguins when they attempted to do a postgame handshake line to honor their rival after the Capitals' home finale on Sunday, April 12.
"I don’t know what’s going to happen," Ovechkin told reporters on Tuesday, according to NHL.com. "The fans that came here from D.C. and from different spots to watch the game, it was very nice. I can hear their cheering for me and scream 'One more year!' So, that’s important, too. It shows lots of respect. So, thanks for the support."
Ovechkin appeared in all 82 games this season and once again led Washington with 32 goals and 64 points.
Carbury said there was a discussion in the Capitals' locker room Tuesday after the game about Ovechkin's uncertain future, but declined to discuss the details. Longtime teammate Tom Wilson got emotional while explaining Ovechkin has kept everyone in the dark at this point.
"He's doing his best job just to keep it normal," Wilson said. "He definitely doesn't want any extra attention. I mean, he's the man. However he wants to do it, I think he's going to let it go down. But right now, he's not tipping us. He's not telling us what's going on."
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have assigned forward Vinzenz Rohrer to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
Rohrer was selected by the Canadiens with the 75th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has spent each of the last three seasons overseas with ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League. Yet, with this news, Rohrer is set to begin his AHL career with Laval.
Rohrer appeared in 41 regular-season games this season with the ZSC Lions, where he had four goals and 12 points. He also had one goal and 33 penalty minutes in nine playoff games for the club this spring.
Rohrer's best season with the ZSC Lions was in 2024-25, as he had 15 goals, 10 assists, and 25 points in 52 games.
Rohrer will now be looking to impress with Laval. The 21-year-old forward has good upside, and it will be interesting to see how he performs at the AHL level from here.
The quest for the Lord Stanley’s Cup is about to be renewed! The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs promise to deliver heart-stopping drama, from overtime heroics to bracket-busting upsets that can alter the momentum of a series in a single shift.
Whether you're tracking every grueling first-round battle, checking the latest scores, or scouting the road to the Finals, our NHL playoff bracket hub has you covered.
Follow along for live updates, updated series schedules, and postseason format details to help guide your NHL picks and playoff pools.
NHL playoff bracket if the playoffs started today
Live digital bracket
Follow along with our up-to-date bracket below as we track each series through to the end of the Stanley Cup Final, and make sure you keep up on which teams have the bestStanley Cup odds.You can also track the progress of individual players with ourConn Smythe Trophy oddspage.
Printable NHL playoff bracket
Downloadable Stanley Cup Playoff bracket
Print the PDF for a clean, easy-to-read bracket you can fill out by hand, or save it digitally if you prefer to make your picks on a screen.
Start by writing in your winners for each matchup and advancing teams round by round. Whether you are joining an office pool, competing with friends, or following the tournament for fun, this blank bracket makes it simple to keep up with every result.
2026 NHL Playoff matchups
The Eastern Conference matchups are set, while two Western Conference matchups await the results of tonight's games, to determine whether Anaheim or Los Angeles claims the third spot in the Pacific (and the other gets the final wild-card spot).
Here are the current series odds for the matchups we do know:
Buffalo Sabres vs Boston Bruins
Team
To win
Buffalo
-175
Boston
+145
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens
Team
To win
Tampa Bay
-260
Montreal
+200
Carolina Hurricanes vs Ottawa Senators
Team
To win
Carolina
-175
Ottawa
+140
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers
Team
To win
Pittsburgh
-175
Philadelphia
+140
Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild
Team
To win
Dallas
-125
Minnesota
+105
Vegas Golden Knights vs Utah Mammoth
Team
To win
Vegas
-190
Utah
+155
2026 NHL Playoffs schedule
Event
Date
First Round
April 18-May 3
Second Round begins
May 6
Conference Finals begin
May 22
Stanley Cup Finals
June 3-21
NHL playoff format
The NHL playoffs are a 16-team, four-round, best-of-seven tournament used to determine the Stanley Cup champion. Eight teams qualify from each conference: the top three teams in each division plus two wild-card teams in each conference.
In the First Round, the division winner with the better record in each conference plays the lower-ranked wild card, the other division winner plays the other wild card, and the second- and third-place teams in each division face each other.
The NHL uses a fixed bracket, so teams are not re-seeded after each round. First-round winners advance to the Second Round, then to the Conference Finals, and finally to the Stanley Cup Final, where the Eastern Conference champion plays the Western Conference champion.
Every playoff round is a best-of-seven series, and the first team to win four games advances or, in the Stanley Cup Final, wins the championship.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sent the Ottawa Senators packing last spring in the first round of the playoffs, and now Toronto will call it a season following its game against Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, April 15.
Here are my top Maple Leafs vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks for their season finale tonight.
Maple Leafs vs Senators prediction
Maple Leafs vs Senators best bet: Senators -1.5 (+135)
The Ottawa Senators rested regulars during Sunday’s overtime loss, so I’m anticipating Wednesday’s tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs to serve as a postseason tune-up.
Ottawa No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark has been solid down the stretch with seven wins, a .909 save percentage, and 7.21 goals saved above expected across his past 10 starts, and the Sens have beaten the Maple Leafs 5-2 in both prior meetings this season.
Toronto has also dropped six straight and has only covered the puck line in 11 of its past 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI).
Maple Leafs vs Senators same-game parlay
Ullmark’s highlighted strong stretch includes going 5-1-1 at home with a 2.26 GAA, and the Sens have also allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
As a result, I’m anticipating Ottawa to batten down the defensive hatches again to do the heavy lifting in keeping this total Under the number.
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Toronto winger William Nylander has recorded three or more shots in five of his past seven games, for 25 on 51 attempts while logging a monster 21:32 of ice time per night.
Maple Leafs vs Senators SGP
Senators -1.5
Under 6.5
William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
Maple Leafs vs Senators odds
Moneyline: Maple Leafs +155 | Senators -180
Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-155) | Senators -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)
Maple Leafs vs Senators trend
The Toronto Maple Leafs have only covered the puck line in 11 of their last 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Senators.
How to watch Maple Leafs vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Maple Leafs vs Senators latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 21: Head Coach Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers talks on the bench during the second period of their game against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center on January 21, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Flyers ended a full-season six-year playoff drought and will play in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, where they lost to the Penguins in the first round. Simply getting back to the postseason is quite the accomplishment based on the past month when Philadelphia was sitting in sixth place in the division behind Washington, Columbus and the NYI Islanders on March 10th and well behind the playoff line.
The Flyers made the playoffs after sitting nine points out of the second Wild Card spot on March 10. Per NHLStats, Philadelphia became the first team in NHL history to make the playoffs after facing that large of a point deficit through 60 or more games played in a season. pic.twitter.com/Ln429yNLqX
— Flyers Media Information (@FlyersMediaInfo) April 14, 2026
Here’s a little more under the hood for the team from Hockeystats.com:
The biggest change from this season compared to last year is that the Flyers are out-scoring the opposition 163-149 at 5v5 in 2025-26. Last year that was at an ugly 166-195 deficit. That’s visible as the white bar in the top-right portion of the above graphic taking a dramatic turn upwards in the last season.
In that way, the two PA teams are alike in that new coaches helped change things up and spur improvement at 5v5. The Penguins were down at a 157-195 combined 5v5 score in 2024-25 that improved all the way up to 196-168 this season prior to last night’s game.
For the Flyers, defense has been the name of the game – doing well to limit expected and actual goals against at 5v5. Curiously that hasn’t applied to special teams where their PK is below average (and the power play is dreadful). Their overall goalie rating has been brought down by backup Samuel Ersson having one of the worst seasons at his position in the league this year, starter Dan Vladar has played to a much higher level, as profiled yesterday.
One of the Flyers’ best attributes which helped them get to the playoffs but won’t be of any use now was the ability to extend games to overtime. Philadelphia went 6-8 in games decided in 3v3 OT sessions and then did even better with a 10-4 record in games decided by the shootout gimmick to award an extra point. Part of Philly’s success (which, hey, credit to them for doing it) was simply having 28 out of the 82 games (34% of the season) go into gimmicky 3v3/penalty shot hockey, where they took an overall 14-12 record to find enough points to qualify for the playoffs despite having only 26 regulation wins — the third fewest RW in the 16-team Eastern Conference. The Flyers are just 27-27 in games decided in regulation, which might key some into the low win total but it’s also important to note it’s been difficult to put Philadelphia down within 60 minutes.
While the Flyers won’t get the benefit of having a shootout decide the outcome of an NHL playoff game to pad win totals, one area to consider as a potential positive is that the frequency of games played shows this team is used to being in closely contested games. They’re used to the pressure of playing in games where the score is tied and mistakes are heightened and probably won’t be panicking if the games don’t start out well. That should be second nature for them by now, given that they only rank 22nd in time spent ahead in games.
NHL teams with the most time spent leading a game this season:
1. Colorado 2. Carolina 3. Pittsburgh 4. Buffalo 5. Columbus 6. Minnesota 7. Ottawa 8. Tampa Bay 9. Dallas 10. Boston 11. Utah 12. Washington 13. Montreal 14. Edmonton 15. Winnipeg 16. Calgary 17. NY Islanders 18.…
The Flyers aren’t usually a ‘take the lead, ride to a win’ type of team. They often have to claw back, in games as they did in the season in general from being in sixth place on March 10th. The Flyers have only scored the first goal in 32 games this season (tied for lowest in the NHL prior to yesterday). Falling in a hole by giving up the first goal hasn’t made a major difference, Philadelphia still has a .400 winning% (6th best in league) and 20-22-8 record when they fall behind in games 1-0. On contrast, the Penguins only have a .286 w% with a 10-18-7 record when they give up the first goal in a game this season. The Flyers are certainly a scrappy team that is used to not holding leads and having to keep working to try and make sure the score is at least tied up at the end of 60 minutes, which could present an interesting and unique challenge for a Pittsburgh team that has had many troubles this season converting leads into wins at times.
As of today, the Flyers aren’t a great team. There’s a reasonable case that they are at the bottom of the playoff teams in the East as far as strength goes. They didn’t win a lot in regulation. All of those items are true but that doesn’t necessarily mean an easy series is ahead for the Penguins. Philadelphia has been a strong team over the last month, building in confidence as they go. The Pennsylvania rivalry always brings out heated emotions and is prone to huge swings of games rocking from big leads by one team turned into a furious comeback by the other. On paper, you’d probably have to like the Pens chances, but their opponent is coming into this series with nothing to lose and a lot to prove. That should make for another worthy chapter to the storied history of the Penguin/Flyer rivalry.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 4–3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings were by far the better team from an analytics perspective. Los Angeles finished the night with a 30-18 even-strength scoring chances advantage while also winning the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 15-5. If not for Kevin Lankinen, this game could have been a blowout for the Kings.
As for the heatmap, it shows that good things come when teams crash the net. Five of the goals scored on Tuesday were from right outside the crease, including Jake DeBrusk's overtime winner. More traffic in front of the net should be a focus for the Canucks next season, as it has been a problem area for the organization at times.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings, April 14, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap the final home game of 2025-26 up, Nils Höglander led all of Vancouver's skaters with an even-strength xGF% of 46.37. Ultimately, Tuesday may have been Höglander's best game of the season as he also picked up an assist. While it has been a tough season for Höglander, it was a positive to see him put forth a strong effort on Tuesday night.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper (35) and forward Trevor Moore (12) react as Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) celebrate DeBrusk’s game winning overtime goal in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks will wrap up their season on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. This season, Vancouver has beaten Edmonton just once in three attempts. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT.
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SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Sunny Mehta and Bryan McCabe of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup victory in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils are searching for a new general manager.
They also may be looking for a separate, new President of Hockey Operations.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Devils hire one person to handle both roles or if they’ll have two people work together as they restructure their leadership in the hockey ops department. Either way, the Devils will likely cast a wide net as they try to determine who the best person or people are to lead them moving forward.
Presumably, other candidates will become known as the candidates interview and want to make it known that they’re interviewing for the Devils job. Once they do, we can discuss their merits, what they bring to the table, and whether or not the Devils should consider hiring them.
For now though, I think its worth taking a look at the candidates that we do know about, their strengths, and their potential flaws.
Brendan Shanahan
Shanahan has deep ties to the Devils organization, as he was their 2nd overall pick way back in 1987. He wound up playing five of the 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career in New Jersey, won three Stanley Cups as a player with the Detroit Red Wings, and was named one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in 2018.
Since retirement, he has carved out an impressive career as an executive. He’s worked for the league as a senior VP and oversaw the Department of Player Safety prior to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 as their president, overseeing hockey operations.
Shanahan had a direct hand in Toronto’s last rebuild. After jettisoning the coaching staff and most of the front office, he brought in Mike Babcock as head coach, Lou Lamoriello as the GM, and Kyle Dubas as an assistant GM. It should also be noted that the Maple Leafs have one of the largest analytics departments in the NHL thanks in part to Shanahan. The Maple Leafs drafted Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Both players would become key core members of the Maple Leafs, along with 2014 8th overall pick William Nylander, 2012 5th overall pick Morgan Rielly, and prized free agent signing John Tavares in 2018.
Toronto returned to the playoffs in 2016-17 and became a consistent playoff team under Shanahan’s leadership right up until his departure from the organization after the 2024-25 season. The problem with Shanahan, and Toronto in general, was their inability to get over the hump. Toronto only made it to the second round twice.
It’s tough to say where the blame for Toronto’s playoff failures ultimately lies, and I would understand if one wanted to pin that on Shanahan as he ultimately oversaw everything. But I do think its worth looking deeper into their losses.
Toronto got knocked out of the playoffs three times by Boston, twice by Florida, and once by Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup that year. Florida reached the Cup Final both times and won once. Boston reached a Cup Final in 2019. Even in the other years, the Leafs ran into a Montreal team that also reached a Cup Final, a Capitals team where Braden Holtby posted a .925 save percentage, and a Columbus team where Joonas Korpisalo posted a .956. I’m not saying that Toronto’s losses weren’t deserved as there were plenty of questionable games here and there throughout that run, but between getting goalie’d and simply running into better teams, I do think there’s some aspect of bad luck involved as to why they failed to get over the hump.
Toronto would wind up changing just about everything other than the core. Sheldon Keefe replaced Babcock. Craig Berube would wind up replacing Keefe. Lamoriello would leave for the Islanders job, which saw Dubas promoted. Dubas would ultimately be dismissed and replaced by Brad Treliving. The supporting cast around the core was consistently shuffled in and out. Futures were constantly traded for the sake of winning now, except Toronto never won now. Marner eventually became the one core member who was the odd man out, leaving this past offseason in a sign-and-trade with Vegas. And for what its worth, in Toronto’s first year post-Shanahan, the bottom fell out. Toronto missed the playoffs, Treliving has been fired, and Craig Berube is likely to follow.
Shanahan might have ultimately stuck with the Maple Leafs core too long, but part of me wonders how much of that was him personally being attached to them and how much of it was decision making coming from above him at MLSE. Part of me wonders how much being in the pressure cooker of the Toronto market and the subsequent dysfunction as a result impacted things with the team. It’s tough to say since its speculative, but between that and the lack of playoff success, its not a positive mark on his resume.
That said, I do think there’s a lot of good under Shanahan’s watch that can’t be ignored. The Leafs continued to hit on their fair share of draft picks over the years (whether or not they held on to said players is another story). Toronto went 408-214-78 between 2016-25, topping 100 points six times in nine seasons. The floor of what that team has been was high, and certainly higher than anything the Devils have done consistently since their run to the Cup Final in 2012. Shanahan has deep connections throughout the league between his time as a player and executive. I wouldn’t consider him personally to be analytically-driven, but I do think there’s something to the idea of knowing what you don’t know and hiring smart people. Kyle Dubas was one of Shanahan’s first hires and he’s gone on to help the Penguins return to the playoffs. I don’t know what the upside would ultimately be, but the Devils could certainly do a lot worse hiring a CEO-type than Shanahan, and I’ve yet to see a better alternative option in this cycle.
If the Devils hire Shanahan, they won’t have to build a core like he did in Toronto as the core is more or less already in place. He also won’t necessarily be as attached to the players as Fitzgerald might have been. I would suspect that Shanahan, the presumptive new President of Hockey Ops, would ultimately let whoever the GM is figure out what players to move on from and who they should keep to build around, but a lot of the legwork in terms of building the roster is already done.
Sunny Mehta
There probably isn’t a hotter candidate in this GM cycle than Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta.
Mehta, who was born in Michigan but grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is a name that should be familiar to most Devils fans. He was hired in 2014 to as the Devils director of hockey analytics and created the first full-time analytics department in the NHL.
If you’re looking for a GM who can potentially find diamonds in the rough, maximize the draft, and win on the margins, Mehta is a strong choice.
While with the Devils in 2016, Mehta’s model had Jesper Bratt ranked as the #3 player in that year’s draft class. Fast forward a decade later and only four players from that class have had more points in the NHL than Bratt….#1 overall pick Auston Matthews, former lottery picks Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller, and second rounder Alex DeBrincat.
Bratt went 162nd overall in the draft that season.
After leaving the Devils, he joined the Florida Panthers in 2020 and worked his way up through their organization to earn the title of AGM. Mehta, under Panthers GM Bill Zito, had a hand in them acquiring many of the players who ultimately became key contributors on the team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The key being most of those acquisitions being of the unheralded at the time variety. Gus Forsling? Waiver claim. Carter Verhaeghe? A pending RFA who was not tendered a contract. Sam Bennett? Acquired for a second-round pick and the rights to Emil Heineman. Sam Reinhart? A first round pick and Devon Levi. The Panthers have done a good job on buying low on players like Evan Rodrigues, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov where they just fit in and play well. Of course, people will point to the Matthew Tkachuk trade being the move that put Florida over the top, and they’re not wrong to do so, but Florida had a really good base off of which to work.
Bill Zito obviously deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in Florida, but it would be short-sighted to solely credit him. Mehta, along with the rest of the Florida braintrust, has had a big part in that as well. And everyone in Florida knows that. Paul Maurice has given Mehta his flowers, as has Zito. Mehta has earned the respect of that organization for his ability to present the data in a manner that is digestible for the players and coaching staff to understand. There’s a reason why he’s high on Toronto’s and Nashville’s lists as well to be their next potential GM.
Times were different back in the 2014-2018 window that Mehta was with the Devils, as they were transitioning from the end of the Lou Lamoriello era to the Ray Shero era, so its tough to say how much influence Mehta actually had with the Devils. I already mentioned the Jesper Bratt pick, but keep in mind, the Devils passed on him seven times in that draft. They took players like Brandon Gignac, Mikhail Maltsev, Evan Cormier, and Yegor Rykov over him. Knowing what we know now, that would never happen again. That said, hitting on late picks like that is what separates good teams from the great teams. The Devils did eventually take Mehta’s recommendation and make the pick, and Bratt is the last man standing from the Devils 2016 draft class that is still in the organization.
I don’t know how much I would read into the rumors that there was a ‘falling out’ with Mehta and the Devils and whether or not it even matters though. Ray Shero is no longer with us, Tom Fitzgerald is no longer with the organization, the Devils reportedly have a lot of front office staff on expiring deals, and Mehta would presumably bring in his own people that are more closely aligned with his vision.
The one potential knock I could see with Mehta is that he would be a first-time GM. Fitzgerald was a first-time GM and that really didn’t work out the way the Devils hoped. I think that matters to an extent but if it were a disqualifier, we’d run out of GM candidates really quickly as everybody is a ‘first timer’ at some point.
I’m not in the room, so its tough to say what exactly Mehta is doing when he’s not looking at his model or spreadsheets. But he strikes me as a sharp guy given his background and what we know about him. I’m sure he has built up some relationships around the league in his time as an AGM simply from working the phones and talking to people. I’m sure he knows who to call and what to do if he has to make a trade. I know I like to pretend I’m an expert but I wouldn’t know those things if I got hired as the GM tomorrow. Mehta has put in the time as an AGM and worked his way up for an opportunity like this.
I wouldn’t say the Devils should hire Mehta solely because he grew up in New Jersey as a Devils fan. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he’s already worked here. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he brought the Stanley Cup back to Jersey when he had his day with the Cup. But I do think he understands this market and this fanbase. He understands what the expectation is and he won’t be too attached to the pieces already in place to not make the changes he deems necessary.
Ideally, I’d prefer to pair him with an experienced President of Hockey Ops who has those relationships around the league, but that’s also not a dealbreaker…..you can accomplish the same thing with a good AGM hire. Either way, Mehta would be my #1 choice, barring an unforeseen candidate entering the fray.
Tyler Dellow
Of course, Mehta isn’t the only analytically-driven candidate with ties to the Devils that could be in the mix to be their next general manager.
Dellow was with the Devils for five seasons as their Senior VP of hockey strategy and analytics before leaving the organization two years ago to joins another data-driven executive in Eric Tulsky in Carolina as their AGM.
At least in the regular season, Carolina had been a successful organization over most of the last decade. The Hurricanes have reached the conference final three times since 2018-19 and have won a playoff round in seven of the last eight seasons. A lot of that predates Dellow, but seeing as the Devils have plucked from the Carolina tree a few times over the last few seasons in terms of players (Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen), it wouldn’t be surprising if they did so again to “bring home one of their own”.
J.P Gambatese did a good breakdown on his Substack on Carolina’s transactions since Dellow has come aboard, and the two things that stand out to me are Carolina’s tendency to buy low on players and their track record of below market value contracts. Seeing as Dellow has been managing the salary cap for Carolina and we’re coming off of a Tom Fitzgerald regime where the cap was mismanaged, that actually matters a lot. Aside from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who predates Dellow, I’m not sure there’s a bad contract on Carolina’s books.
Like with Mehta, it’s tough to say how much influence Dellow has had on transactions between his time in New Jersey and Carolina. Dellow was with the Devils when they pulled off trades like the acquisitions of Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, and John Marino. He was with Carolina when they acquired, and traded away, Mikko Rantanen.
I don’t view the Devils salary cap situation as dire, but I do think they need more flexibility in the coming years. Especially if they wind up extending Nico Hischier, if they intend on being players for Quinn Hughes, or both. They’ll get some cap flexibility organically after next season with seven players on the NHL roster slated for UFA, but those players will need to be replaced. In that respect, I appreciate Dellow’s work in getting some of Carolina’s key players to sign what will surely be below market value deals while simultaneously not overpaying their depth players.
Dellow would also be another first-time GM, so like with Mehta, I’d prefer to pair him with someone with a bit more experience if that were to be the direction that the Devils want to go in. I also think with Dellow, there’s a small added bonus of him being in Carolina. Given how the Hurricanes have owned the Devils the last few seasons, he probably has some insights as to why that’s the case, what Carolina (and other teams for that matter) is doing to slow the Devils down, and from a Devils perspective, what needs to be done to counter that.
Dellow isn’t my first choice, but I do think he’s a strong candidate and I would not be upset if that is the direction the Devils choose to go in.
John Chayka
Of all of the known candidates, the only one with actual experience as an NHL general manager is John Chayka.
Hired by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2016, the analytically-driven Chayka made the playoffs once in four seasons as their GM before abruptly resigning in 2020. His tenure was marred by the illegal draft workout scandal that saw Arizona docked a first round draft pick and Chayka suspended from the league.
I think when it comes to Chayka, its important to remember how bad the Arizona situation was in general. Arizona had the worst ownership in the league, the worst arena situation in the league, and a small but diehard fanbase. They did not have a long track record of success before he got there and haven’t had a ton of success since, although they’re doing much better under better ownership in Utah nowadays. But back then, Arizona was not a free agency destination for those reasons. That’s not to excuse Chayka for his transgressions with the draft workouts or any shortcomings as a GM, but its worth mentioning just to give additional context to what he was up against.
I do think Chayka deserves some credit though. Clayton Keller was a home run of a pick for them at 7th overall in 2016 and they added Jacob Chychrun nine picks later. Other notable draft hits under Chayka’s watch include Barrett Hayton, Kevin Bahl, Ty Emberson, and Matias Maccelli. He was there as the team oversaw the development of players like Lawson Crouse, Conor Garland and Adin Hill, among others. Chayka made the Dylan Strome for Nick Schmaltz trade. Arizona did go for it in 2020 with the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, but their ‘success’ in 2020 was short-lived and they wound up undergoing a multi-year scorched earth rebuild under his successor Bill Armstrong.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Devils have tried to hire Chayka in some capacity.
There were reports a few years ago that Josh Harris and David Blitzer wanted to hire Chayka to oversee the analytics departments of all of the HBSE properties at the time, not just the Devils. Supposedly, Arizona didn’t want him to take his job and between that and the hammer coming down with the aforementioned draft workout violations, that was what led to Chayka stepping down as Coyotes GM.
Again, I don’t know that I necessarily hold it against Chayka that he was looking for an escape from Arizona. He knew the inner workings of that organization weren’t good, that they were operating as a floor team for much of his tenure, and that the deck was stacked against him succeeding. I can get looking for any competitive edge where he can find one, but I wouldn’t excuse the workout violations either. But he is a sharp mind and would certainly ‘fit’ what the Devils might be looking for when it comes to someone more data-driven. He has experience in knowing how the league operates. I also don’t think he should necessarily be blackballed for the draft workouts. Not in a league that is willing to welcome back Stan Bowman or Joel Quenneville with open arms for transgressions that are FAR worse.
I do think Chayka could be better the second time around as a general manager in an organization with a lot less ‘stuff’ going on in the background. For all of their critiques, the Devils have stable ownership that has shown a willingness to spend to the cap ceiling. They have a stable arena situation. They’re also not a barren cupboard in terms of win now players that one can build around and prospects coming down the road. He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for the Devils, and Gary Bettman would probably flip over a table the second a team tells him they want to hire John Chayka, but I could see him getting another shot again. I wouldn’t even rule out it being in New Jersey given how close HBSE might’ve been to hiring him in the past. That said, I prefer the other candidates in this article over him.
Jamie Langenbrunner
Another name with Devils ties that is in the mix is their one-time former captain turned Bruins assistant GM, Jamie Langenbrunner.
After retiring from the NHL in 2014, Langenbrunner joined the Bruins organization in 2015 and started working his way up the ranks on the management side. He worked as the head of player development and has since been promoted to AGM. He’s had a hand in helping develop prospects as long as identifying players who could help the Bruins if they were to get a larger role.
Those last few sentences are particularly notable as Langenbrunner has been in Boston for quite some time now. He got to work closely with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy as they went from being former first round picks to players who ultimately reached their potential. Boston has been able to take guys such as Morgan Geekie off of the proverbial scrap heap and find another level to their game. They also identified players such as Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten who can thrive with a larger role. Obviously, Don Sweeney and new coach Marco Sturm deserve a lot of credit for Boston’s turnaround this year, but Boston has generally been one of the more successful teams in the league since 2015. They reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, set an NHL record for points in a season with 135 in 2022-23, and have made the playoffs 8 of the last 9 years before returning to the playoffs this season. Langenbrunner has been a part of their success to some extent.
Some longtime Devils fans might take issue with Langenbrunner given the way he ultimately departed the organization as a player. They’ll remember him having problems with legendary coach Jacques Lemaire. They’ll remember the dip in his production in 2010-11. They’ll remember a bunch of lifeless, lethargic performances from that season while he wore the captain’s “C”. They’ll remember him being one of the leaders of the Devils in the post-Scott Stevens and post-Stanley Cup winning teams era in general. Teams that ultimately came up short in the playoffs and particularly, the team that blew it in Game 7 against Carolina in 2009.
It’s not my place to tell you how to you should feel about something that happened over 15 years ago at this point, but I at least understand if people don’t want to deal with Langenbrunner’s “baggage” after how things ended here. Fans have long memories and Langenbrunner, fairly or unfairly, probably won’t get nearly as much goodwill going in as some other candidates might. I also don’t think it helps matters that Darren Dreger has mentioned that Martin Brodeur’s history with Langenbrunner is the connection to him being a candidate. Given that Martin Brodeur’s two biggest contributions to the Devils in his post-playing career are Dave Rogalski and the “Jersey” jersey, that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
That said, just because Martin Brodeur has endorsed a bad goaltending coach and has shown to have terrible fashion sense with the third jerseys doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong when it comes to Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner is certainly as qualified as anyone interviewing for the position. He’s paid his dues on the player development side and worked his way up. He’s also a two-time Stanley Cup winning player who had a key role on two different championship teams by playing the game the right way. I’m generally not a fan of hiring your “team legends”, and using the term “legend” to describe Langenbrunner as it pertains to the Devils might be a bit of a stretch anyways. But he does know what it takes to win from his days as a player, and I don’t think that should be outright dismissed either.
If you could redo your 2025-26 fantasy hockey draft with the benefit of hindsight, who would have been the best picks? In some cases, the popular high-end picks during the preseason proved to be among the best fantasy options this campaign, but there were also some surprises. We'll see examples of both as we hand out the awards for the best fantasy performers of the 2025-26 campaign.
Each player's position is determined by their Yahoo eligibility. Their preseason average-draft position (ADP) is also based on Yahoo leagues.
Best Fantasy Center: Connor McDavid (Edmonton)
This was the toughest choice because a strong case can be made for both McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. The 30-year-old MacKinnon did end up being the better player in terms of goals (53 to 48), shots (350 to 303) and plus/minus (plus-57 to plus-15), and the gap in those final two categories is considerable. Even still, McDavid did win when it came to points (134 to 127) and had a huge edge in power-play points (52 to 30), the latter of which is what ultimately led McDavid to claim this award by the narrowest of margins.
Either way, it's clear that you would have done well with either player. Whether a fantasy manager with the top pick took MacKinnon or McDavid, it wouldn't have significantly altered the course of that manager's season.
Cozens didn't come out of nowhere. After all, he had 31 goals and 68 points across 81 appearances with Buffalo in 2022-23. Still, he fell off the radar a bit after falling short of the 20-goal and 50-point marks during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons, so it came as a pleasant surprise when he scored 27 goals and 58 points across 81 outings with Ottawa this season. He also had 201 shots and a career-high 29 power-play points this campaign, but there's another aspect that shouldn't be overlooked: his physicality.
Back when he recorded 68 points in 2022-23, he dished out just 55 hits, but he's become far more aggressive without the puck, to the point where the 25-year-old set a new personal best with 212 hits this season. If you were in a league that valued that category, then his versatility has been a huge help.
Best Fantasy Left Winger: Jason Robertson (Dallas)
Leon Draisaitl (lower body) likely would have won this award had he not gotten hurt. After all, he had an incredible 35 goals, 97 points, plus-13, 186 shots and 42 power-play points across just 65 appearances. Even still, Robertson deserves this recognition. His point total (96) and power-play points (41) might be just shy of Draisaitl's, but Robertson easily bested him in terms of goals (45), shots (293) and plus/minus (plus-23), which is enough to give him a clear edge overall in most fantasy formats.
Kirill Kaprizov also came close, but while he matched Robertson in goals, Kaprizov came up shy in points (89), power-play points (32), shots (269) and plus/minus (plus-10).
It was a fantastic campaign for Robertson, who looked like a superstar with his 109-point showing in the 2022-23 regular season but then took a noticeable step back in the subsequent two years. It's also perfect timing for Robertson, given that he needs a new contract or else he'll test the waters as a restricted free agent this summer.
Biggest Value Jump #2: Andrei Svechnikov (Carolina – Preseason ADP: 128.7)
Like Cozens, we've seen Svechnikov shine before — he surpassed the 60-point mark in 2019-20 and 2021-22 – but he had regressed in recent years, to the point where he had just 48 points in 72 regular-season outings in 2024-25. This campaign was his comeback story. He set new career highs with 31 goals, 70 points and 29 power-play points. He also offered some nice category coverage in PIM (66), shots (203) and hits (148).
Best Fantasy Right Winger: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay)
There's no real question here. Kucherov has 75 goals and 130 points in 75 outings in 2025-26. The only players on his level are McDavid, MacKinnon and arguably Macklin Celebrini, but they're all centers.
Kucherov did do a bit worse than you'd expect from a player of his caliber in terms of power-play points (37) and shots (230), but the sheer amount of offense he generated more than made up for those mild deficiencies. It certainly doesn't hurt that he also recorded a plus-44 rating.
The 32-year-old has now exceeded the 110-point mark in four straight regular seasons and has generated more than 120 points four times in his career. McDavid is the only other player of the salary cap era (2005-06 to present) who has as many 120-point regular seasons.
Biggest Value Jump #3: Mika Zibanejad (NY Rangers – Preseason ADP: 134.8)
Fantasy managers saw Zibanejad take a step back in 2024-25 with 20 goals and 62 points in 82 outings, and managers seemed to anticipate a further decline this campaign based on how far he slipped in preseason drafts. Instead, Zibanejad bounced back, supplying 33 goals and 76 points across 80 appearances this season. His minus-21 rating was a hindrance, but Zibanejad made up for it by helping in shots (212) and power-play points (34). He even dished out 105 hits, which is rare for him — he finished with under 50 in each of the prior two regular seasons.
While this was yet another disappointing campaign for the Rangers, the 32-year-old Zibanejad has shown it's far too early to anticipate his demise.
Best Fantasy Defenseman: Evan Bouchard (Edmonton)
This is another one where there's a clear divide between the best fantasy defenseman and the rest of the pack. Bouchard has 92 points, while the next best blueliner, Zach Werenski, is well behind with 81. Werenski did manage to beat Bouchard in goals (22 to 21) and shots (260 to 219), but that wasn't enough to close the gap when Bouchard also had the edge in plus/minus (plus-22 to plus-7) and power-play points (33 to 21).
This is Bouchard's best season to date and a nice rebound from his 2024-25 regular season (14 goals, 67 points). Bouchard is also another example of why you should never overvalue early-season results. It's a distant memory now, but Bouchard started 2025-26 with no points and a minus-5 rating across his first six outings.
Biggest Value Jump #4: Darren Raddysh (Tampa Bay – Preseason ADP: N/A)
The other players highlighted in the value jump category could be anticipated to one degree or another. It's doubtful anyone projected Raddysh would score 22 goals and 70 points in 72 outings in 2025-26. His success partially came because Victor Hedman missed most of the campaign, which led to Raddysh averaging 22:45 of ice time, including 3:44 with the man advantage. Still, it's one thing to get the opportunity, it's another to take advantage of it, and the 30-year-old defenseman did so while nearly doubling his previous career-best point total (37).
Raddysh also had a plus-22 rating, 62 PIM, 207 shots, 26 power-play points, 66 hits and 67 blocks over the course of his magical season.
Best Fantasy Goaltender: Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay)
This season forced us to calibrate when it comes to what we think of as a "good" goaltender. A 2.88 GAA and an .896 save percentage aren't bad anymore; that's the average for 2025-26. In that light, Vasilevskiy's 2.31 GAA and .912 save percentage across 58 outings were especially good.
Among goaltenders who made at least 40 starts, only Scott Wedgewood bested Vasilevskiy in terms of GAA and save percentage at 2.07 and .920, respectively. However, Vasilevskiy is being named the top fantasy goaltender because he played in 58 games to Wedgewood's 44, which means you got more use out of the Tampa Bay netminder. More critically, Vasilevskiy also had a league-best 39 wins, which put him cleanly above Wedgewood's 30.
Vasilevskiy fell shy of the Vezina Trophy last year, but he might claim it in 2025-26, which would mark his second win after he previously claimed the trophy in 2018-19.
Greaves gave the Blue Jackets a taste of what he could do in 2024-25, posting a 7-2-2 record, 1.91 GAA and .938 save percentage in 11 appearances, and this season, he took the next step by establishing himself as the team's starting goaltender.
He didn't match his stunning 2024-25 numbers over the far larger sample size, but Greaves certainly did his part, providing a 26-19-9 record, 2.60 GAA and .908 save percentage in 55 outings this season.
Most Valuable Fantasy Player: Kucherov (Tampa Bay)
You could make a strong case that McDavid or MacKinnon had a better overall season, but Kucherov's RW eligibility gives him the edge. There were just so many elite forwards with center eligibility. On top of McDavid and MacKinnon, Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele and Martin Necas are all centers who finished with more than 100 points.
By contrast, the gap between Kucherov and the next-best wingers is 30 points. That's a tremendous step down.
The vibes are great with the Buffalo Sabres right now. They have officially landed the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Division standings and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 because of it.
Yet, as great as things have gone this season for the Sabres, they also have some promising youngsters in their system that have the potential to make them even better in the future.
Mrtka was given the No. 22 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 ninth-overall pick undoubtedly has a lot of potential and should be a key part of Buffalo's blueline in the near future because of it. In 43 games this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, he had one goal and 34 points. He also has one assist in six AHL games for the Rochester Americans this season.
Helenius was given the No. 32 spot by Wheeler. The 5-foot-11 forward is undoubtedly one of Buffalo's most promising prospects and has taken a big step forward with his development this season. In 60 games with the Amerks this campaign, he has 20 goals and 61 points. He also had one goal and four points in nine games for Buffalo this season.
As for Ostlund, he was given the No. 38 spot. The 2022 first-round pick has had a strong rookie year with the Sabres, as he has recorded 11 goals, 27 points, and a plus-11 rating in 60 games. With this, he is cementing himself as a key part of Buffalo's roster, and at just 22 years old, he has plenty of time to get even better.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of retaining their first-round selection at the 2026 NHL Draft took another difficult turn on Tuesday night. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1, eliminating any chance for the Maple Leafs to finish with fewer points than the Flames in the overall NHL standings.
As a result, the Leafs will finish with either the fifth or sixth worst record in 2025-26. That spot will determine their chances at the NHL Draft lottery coming up on May 5. The lottery will determine not only where the Leafs will pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but whether they will have a selection at all.
The Maple Leafs dealt the pick to the Boston Bruins, along with forward prospect Fraser Minten, in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo in March of 2025. However, the pick is top-5 protected. This ensures the Leafs keep the selection if it remains in that range following the lottery results.
The Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday for their final game of the season. They currently hold a 32-35-14 record with 78 points and one game remaining. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken have two games left with a 34-35-11 record and 79 points. With Seattle holding the first tiebreaker over the Leafs, Toronto has a high likelihood of staying in the No. 5 position heading into the lottery—provided they do not pick up a win in Ottawa. If Toronto wins, they will need Seattle to pick up at least one point in their remaining two games to maintain that position.
Under the current lottery format, a team entering with the No. 5 best chances has just a 41.9 percent chance of picking in the top-5. That number is reduced to 15.4 percent if the Leafs enter the lottery in the No. 6 spot.
