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NHL playoff watch: Maple Leafs-Avalanche a Cup Final preview?
Wednesday's showdown is one that could be repeated in June. Plus, full playoff projections, draft lottery standings, more.
INSIDERS ROUNDTABLE
NHL insiders debate playoff bubble teams, Stanley Cup finalists, MVP picks
Which team on the fringe is getting in? And which is under the most pressure in the final month? Who wins the Hart Trophy?
Top Headlines
SABRES' PLAYOFF DROUGHT
HOW THEY GET BACK ON TRACK
Inside the Sabres' never-ending rebuild -- and how they get back to the playoffs
From Ryan O'Reilly to Jack Eichel to Sam Reinhart and more, success follows for a player once he leaves, with Buffalo set to miss the playoffs again.
FANTASY HOCKEY
PLAYERS TO PICK UP NOW
Weekly picks: Playoff pickups and hot forwards
A number of promising pickups are on waiver wires in fantasy hockey leagues. Here are players to add this week.
POWER RANKINGS
ALL-TIME PLAYOFF SCORING LEADERS
NHL Power Rankings: Capitals back at No. 1, plus each team's playoff scoring leaders
Here come the Avalanche and Senators! And with March Madness coming soon, who is each NHL team's postseason tournament hero?
NCAA WOMEN'S HOCKEY
Wisconsin looks to cap one of the best seasons ever with a national title
The Badgers and coach Mark Johnson know plenty about winning, but they've taken it to another level.
OVECHKIN TRACKER
COUNTDOWN TO 894
Countdown to 894: The Alex Ovechkin goal-scoring tracker
Follow along as the Capitals star chases down Wayne Gretzky's record, including highlights of each goal and the upcoming schedule.
Every way to bet on Alex Ovechkin's goals record chase
COLLEGE HOCKEY LATEST
Road to men's Frozen Four: Conference tournament results, schedules
Six automatic bids in the NCAA men's hockey tournament are on the line over the next two weeks.
NHL
Mitch Marner uses a header to deflect the puck
Mitch Marner goes a little soccer style to move the puck with his head.
Top Headlines
- Avalanche's Manson (upper body) out 3-4 weeks
- NHL 'reevaluating' ASG after 4 Nations success
- Trump, Putin float NHL-KHL games; league mum
- DeBoer: Stars may be minus Heiskanen in Round 1
- Devils GM recounts son's nightmare hockey injury
- Preds, Pens to play games in Sweden next season
- NHL talks review process at annual GM meetings
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Best of ESPN+
- Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images
What to expect from top NHL prospects traded at the deadline
How will those players impact their new teams? When will they play meaningful minutes at the NHL level? Here are scouting reports on eight big names.
- ESPN
Ranking the top 32 prospects for the 2025 NHL draft
James Hagens, Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer are among the top prospects for the upcoming NHL draft. But who checks in at No. 1 in our first rankings?
- James Guillory-Imagn Images
NHL trade grades: Report cards for the biggest deals of 2025
The trades are flying ahead of Friday's deadline. Find grades for each GM involved in all the big swaps here.
Trending Now
- Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP
Sabres announcer Rob Ray shakes off puck to head mid-commentary
The Sabres legend kept rolling on the broadcast despite the puck opening up a gash above his left eye.
- Fanatics
The story behind Blue Jackets', Red Wings' Stadium Series jerseys
The uniforms are full of Easter eggs as the two teams get set to square off at Ohio Stadium on March 1.
- Courtesy of Fanatics
Inside the Quebec factory where NHL jerseys are created
The NHL is confident that players and fans will be pleased with the changeover in designers since the manufacturer will remain the same.
