As the 2025-26 NHL season heads into its final stretch, the playoff race is heating up across the league. In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes are riding high on a three-game winning streak, holding the top spot by a slim margin over the Buffalo Sabres.
Out West, the Colorado Avalanche have become the first team to break the 100-point barrier, securing their playoff berth. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov is lighting up the scoreboard, leading the league with 119 points, just ahead of Edmonton’s Connor McDavid.
McDavid’s teammate, Evan Bouchard, is setting the pace for defensemen with 79 points, while Anaheim’s rookie standout Beckett Sennecke leads all rookies with 54 points. Not far behind is New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer, who’s netted 22 goals in 71 games.
With playoff spots up for grabs, the coming weeks promise plenty of drama as teams vie for position or eye the NHL Draft Lottery. Here’s the latest buzz from around the league:
Ovechkin’s Historic Milestone
Alex Ovechkin continues to etch his name into the annals of hockey history, notching his 1,000th career goal, combining regular season and playoff tallies. Ovechkin’s signature one-timer from the left faceoff circle against the Avalanche added him to an exclusive club with Wayne Gretzky. Now, just 16 goals shy of Gretzky’s record, Ovechkin stands as the NHL’s all-time regular-season goal leader.
McDavid’s Take on the Pacific Division
Connor McDavid didn’t mince words about the current state of the Pacific Division, describing the playoff race as a “pillow fight.” Despite the back-and-forth nature, McDavid remains optimistic, acknowledging the fortunate position the Oilers find themselves in. With crucial games against Utah and Vegas on the horizon, the Oilers are poised to make a push, trailing the Ducks by five points with a game in hand.
NHL Quick Hits
- Islanders’ goalie Ilya Sorokin secured his league-leading seventh shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Blue Jackets.
- Florida’s A.J.
Greer received a three-game suspension for boarding Calgary’s Connor Zary.
- Chicago’s top prospect, Anton Frondell, is set to make his NHL debut, bringing his 20-goal talent from Sweden’s Djurgardens.
- Capitals’ prospect Cole Hutson is off to a strong start, with two points in his first three NHL outings.
- Despite ownership interest, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman remains opposed to introducing a play-in round for the playoffs.
- Elliotte Friedman reported that the Canucks held onto Elias Pettersson due to reluctance to absorb his $11.6 million cap hit.
- The Nashville Predators are in the hunt for a new GM, interviewing notable names like Brendan Shanahan and Marc Bergevin.
- The Islanders have inked top defensive prospect Kashawn Aitcheson to a three-year deal, with expectations of his NHL debut looming.
As the playoff picture begins to crystallize, fans can expect a thrilling conclusion to the regular season, with plenty of storylines to follow.