We’re down to the home stretch here. With 12-to-15 games left, the playoff races in the East and West are both coming down to the wire with the East looking especially spicy.
With that in mind, we’ve picked one player from each team to watch during the final stretch of the season. From trade deadline newcomers to incoming rookies to players that are heating up since the Olympic break, every team has at least one interesting guy to keep an eye on.
1. Colorado Avalanche, 44-13-10
Last week: 1
Sean: 1
Dom: 1
There was plenty to like about the Avalanche’s deadline acquisition of Nicolas Roy even before they added Nazem Kadri; Roy hadn’t been great with the Maple Leafs but spent plenty of time as a rock-solid, bottom-six center for the Vegas Golden Knights. With Kadri in the mix, the logic went, Roy could slot in perfectly as a 4C.
He hasn’t settled into any role just yet, though, scoring two goals and posting the worst five-on-five numbers on the roster since his acquisition. Good as the Avs are, they’d look a whole lot better if they could roll Roy as an effective fourth-liner.
2. Dallas Stars, 43-15-10
Last week: 2
Sean: 2
Dom: 2
There are a lot of players worth watching on the league’s hottest team, currently on a 15-1-1 run. We’re going to hone in on Mavrik Bourque, who has been sensational on the top line since the Olympic break, offering some interesting top-nine configurations for when Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen return. Bourque has nine points in 11 games since the break and a 60 percent xG rate. The Stars have become a five-on-five juggernaut during this stretch and Bourque elevating his game to a true top-six level is a big reason.
3. Buffalo Sabres, 43-20-6
Last week: 4
Sean: 3
Dom: 3
The Sabres are appointment viewing for a lot of reasons. For fans of opposing teams, they offer a chance to watch the belle of this year’s free-agency ball, Alex Tuch. Despite not having a spot on the top power-play unit, Tuch is on pace for his second 35-goal season and is a nightly force at five-on-five.
For Sabres fans, Rasmus Dahlin is making a late push into the Norris conversation. Can he do enough over the final 13 games to be a finalist?
4. Carolina Hurricanes, 43-19-6
Last week: 3
Sean: 4
Dom: 4
Since the break, Nikolaj Ehlers leads the Hurricanes in goals (six) and points (13) despite posting the worst five-on-five expected goal share on the team. Something tells us the Hurricanes are OK with that — they signed Ehlers for springtime production. If he brings his current mix to the postseason, Carolina will be better for it.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on goaltender Brandon Bussi, who has an .835 save percentage and nearly seven goals allowed above expected since the Olympic break. Freddie Andersen, get ready.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning, 42-21-4
Last week: 6
Sean: 5
Dom: 5
Nikita Kucherov would be a worthy Hart Trophy choice. Anytime a player is doing things usually reserved for Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, it’s worth your time. Over his past 45 games, Kucherov has 93 points, the best 45-game stretch since Lemieux in 1995-96. We’re witnessing a truly special season.
6. Minnesota Wild, 39-19-12
Last week: 5
Sean: 6
Dom: 6
If you’re wondering why Vince Trocheck isn’t wearing a Wild jersey, rookie center Danila Yurov has plenty to do with it. Minnesota held onto Yurov, 21, rather than sending him away for a more established center, but his post-Olympic play (three points in 12 games, 53 percent expected goal share) has been a mixed bag. The Wild, thin down the middle as always, need more from him right now — not just in the future.
7. Columbus Blue Jackets, 36-21-11
Last week: 9
Sean: 7
Dom: 7
Columbus needs Adam Fantilli to be a star, in the short and long term, and lately, he’s once again looked the part. Since Rick Bowness took over as coach on Jan. 13, Fantilli has been a point-per-game player, compared to 28 in 45 games under Dean Evason. If he keeps that up, the Blue Jackets’ lineup makes a bunch more sense. They’re officially in playoff position, by the way, after starting the Bowness Era in 28th place.
8. Pittsburgh Penguins, 34-18-16
Last week: 11
Sean: 8
Dom: 9
Plenty has been said this week about the decline of 38-year-old Kris Letang. At the risk of repeating some of it … hoo boy. Letang was particularly brutal against Carolina on Wednesday night; Pittsburgh was out-attempted 32-10 with him on the ice, outscored 2-0 and posted an expected goal share in the teens.
Outside of that, since the Olympic break, Letang has been on the ice for 13 goals against; no other Penguin has been on for more than nine. He’s playing second-pair minutes, too, and Pittsburgh is short on other options. That seems like a potential postseason problem.
(Note: Pittsburgh and Montreal have the same points total and points percentage. We gave the Pens the age based on their 25-12 lead in goal differential.)
9. Montreal Canadiens, 37-21-10
Last week: 7
Sean: 9
Dom: 8
Does Cole Caufield have ground to make up on Nathan MacKinnon in the Rocket Richard Trophy race? Certainly. Is he capable of doing just that? Also, certainly. In his first nine games after the Olympic break, Caufield scored eight times — three more than MacKinnon, who also had two games in hand.
10. Boston Bruins, 38-23-8
Last week: 14
Sean: 12
Dom: 10
After flashing some mid-season heat, Fraser Minten has cooled off considerably with just one point since Feb. 1 (13 games played). He has an opportunity to get back on track, though, after being elevated to the top line next to David Pastrnak. Last night’s 6-1 win over Winnipeg was his third consecutive in the role, and both he and Pastrnak scored.
11. Ottawa Senators, 35-24-9
Last week: 16
Sean: 11
Dom: 11
The Senators are always on the hunt for more scoring and Drake Batherson has been delivering of late, with eight goals in 11 games since the Olympic break. Batherson has quietly jumped up a level this season and is scoring at a 35-goal and 76-point pace. He’s the one to watch as Ottawa aims to sneak into the playoffs.
12. New York Islanders, 39-25-5
Last week: 8
Sean: 10
Dom: 13
You know exactly who we’re going with here. We don’t care, because he’s the obviously correct choice. After a bit of a midseason lull, Matthew Schaefer is back to doing generational stuff on a nightly basis, playing at a point-per-game pace while putting up an absurd 62 percent xG. He’s now one of just four defensemen to score 20 goals this season and, according to his projected Net Rating, is on track to be the best non-McDavid rookie in the analytics era.
13. Detroit Red Wings, 38-23-8
Last week: 15
Sean: 13
Dom: 12
Justin Faulk, for the first couple weeks of his Red Wings career, played shutdown minutes on a pair with Ben Chiarot, and the results for Detroit were middling at best. In a 3-1 win against the Canadiens on Thursday, though, they controlled the expected goal share, largely against Montreal’s third line, and neither team scored. Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, meanwhile, aptly handled the Canadiens’ top line. Todd McLellan might want to stick with that setup.
14. Utah Mammoth, 36-27-6
Last week: 13
Sean: 14
Dom: 14
Barrett Hayton hasn’t been productive overall, with just three points in 12 games since the Olympic break, and we’re specifically wondering how much longer Andre Tourigny can stick with him on the power play; that unit scores 0.7 more goals per 60 when Logan Cooley is on the ice.
15. Anaheim Ducks, 37-27-4
Last week: 10
Sean: 15
Dom: 15
It’s always a shock when a big name gets sent to the press box for a few games, and Mason McTavish is no exception. McTavish hasn’t taken the offensive leap some expected and remains a defensive mess to the point that it’s not a massive surprise that he’s been the odd man out. The question is how he responds if/when he returns to the lineup. Will this be the spark that ignites his potential or will it signal the end of his Ducks’ tenure?
16. Edmonton Oilers, 34-27-9
Last week: 17
Sean: 17
Dom: 17
Before Thursday, Vasily Podkolzin had played about 105 minutes this season on Connor McDavid’s wing. In those minutes, the Oilers outscored their opponents 8-3. Leon Draisaitl’s injury means that we’ll see more of those two together. It’s worth noting Matt Savoie didn’t take long to click as McDavid’s linemate, either. Wonder what the common thread could be.
17. Vegas Golden Knights, 30-22-14
Last week: 12
Sean: 19
Dom: 16
Don’t look now, but Adin Hill has posted a save percentage above .900 over three straight games for the first time this season. Vegas only needs Hill to be average and he’s been anything but in 2025-26. If he’s back, the Golden Knights still have a shot to challenge for the Pacific Division crown.
18. Philadelphia Flyers, 31-24-14
Last week: 18
Sean: 18
Dom: 18
Folks, we’ve got Matvei Michkov fatigue, just like most of you. How many more words need to be typed about a player barely on pace for 40 points?
But Michkov is interesting for what he represents: one of Philadelphia’s few hopes at assembling a contending core. His sophomore results being this uninspiring is a big deal, especially as the Flyers march themselves toward the 13th pick where finding a legit difference-maker to add to the core will probably be difficult. And if Michkov struggles to show signs that he can get there himself down the stretch … Woof. (If you’re at your Michkov limit, go with Noah Cates, who has 12 points since the break.)
19. Washington Capitals, 34-27-8
Last week: 20
Sean: 21
Dom: 19
Cole Hutson made his NHL debut on Wednesday, and if you’ve watched his brother Lane play just once in your life, you can guess how things went. We saw a dazzling array of puck possession, pretty passes and a whole bunch of offensive-zone time culminating in 56 percent of the expected goals. Not a bad debut for the other Hutson. How he fares down the stretch will dictate a lot for what to expect from the Capitals next season and beyond.
20. Los Angeles Kings, 28-24-16
Last week: 21
Sean: 20
Dom: 20
The Kings have been a mess, but they’ve still somehow got a decent chance at sneaking into the playoffs. If that’s what comes to pass, we’ll thank the Pacific Division for giving us a few more games’ worth of Anze Kopitar’s incredible career. The Kings legend has points in eight of his last nine games.
21. New Jersey Devils, 35-31-2
Last week: 25
Sean: 22
Dom: 21
Since returning from his Olympic adventure, Jack Hughes is fifth in the NHL with 4.69 points per 60. The guy said he’s been focused on hockey — might as well believe him. A few more injury-free weeks of similar production would help Devils fans feel a whole lot better about whatever happens next.
22. San Jose Sharks, 32-29-6
Last week: 19
Sean: 21
Dom: 22
At some point soon, the Sharks will feel less like Macklin Celebrini and a group of backup singers. Keep your eyes on Michael Misa, who has eight points in his last 11 games as San Jose’s 2C, and Sam Dickinson, who’s been on the ice for more expected goals per 60 than any of the team’s defensemen since the Olympics. He’s done that in tougher minutes, too.
23. Nashville Predators, 31-28-9
Last week: 24
Sean: 23
Dom: 23
Against all odds, the Predators are feasibly hanging around the playoff race and if a miracle run to play exactly four playoff games is going to happen, they need vintage Filip Forsberg leading the way. He had three points in a big win over Seattle last night, bringing him up to a point-per-game rate since the Olympic break.
24. Seattle Kraken, 31-28-9
Last week: 22
Sean: 24
Dom: 24
The Kraken have long been desperate for elite starpower and they’ve finally found it in Bobby McMann. Seattle’s deadline addition has four goals and six points in five games, or a 67-goal and 98-point pace. We say he does it.
25. Florida Panthers, 34-31-3
Last week: 23
Sean: 25
Dom: 25
In five January starts, Daniil Tarasov was solid (.917 save percentage, 3.7 GSAx). Since the Olympics, things haven’t gone quite so well (.881, minus -1.1). He’s worth watching if only for one reason: To see what life for the Panthers could look like if Sergei Bobrovsky winds up elsewhere come July 1.
26. St. Louis Blues, 27-30-11
Last week: 26
Sean: 27
Dom: 26
One main reason that Jordan Binnington’s name was out there at the trade deadline was because it was becoming increasingly clear that St. Louis’ net belonged to Joel Hofer. Since March 1, he’s fifth in GSAx at 11.1, 16 goals better than Binnington.
27. Winnipeg Jets, 28-29-11
Last week: 27
Sean: 26
Dom: 27
It’s been a disappointing season for the Jets, but they may have found themselves the league’s next big thing for the nerds. Defenseman Elias Salomonsson, 21, has given them solid minutes, putting up a 53-percent expected goal share in his first 24 games, 20 of which have come after assuming Neal Pionk’s spot next to Dylan Samberg on Winnipeg’s second pair.
28. Chicago Blackhawks, 26-30-12
Last week: 29
Sean: 28
Dom: 28
Frank Nazar is the best on-roster bet to step up as a viable second option behind Connor McDavid, and he’s looked the part of late, putting up 10 points and positive goal shares in his last eight games. Fourteen more games of that from the 22-year-old, and the Blackhawks will enter the offseason feeling a lot better about themselves.
29. Toronto Maple Leafs, 29-28-12
Last week: 30
Sean: 29
Dom: 29
If you’re still watching this mess, you’re probably looking for any semblance of hope that this season was a one-off. Maybe that’s Bo Groulx scoring three goals in five games. Maybe that’s Matthew Knies scoring 11 points in 12 games since the Olympic break. Maybe that’s Easton Cowan getting more looks in the top six. Whatever the reason, just know you can just watch any other team — perhaps even a well-coached one.
30. New York Rangers, 28-33-8
Last week: 28
Sean: 30
Dom: 30
After the 2023-24 playoffs, it felt like Alexis Lafrenière was on the cusp of breaking out into stardom. He was a monster during that run, but it didn’t lead to anything of note. The start of this season saw Lafrenière going down a similar path, where the underlying numbers were good, but the production wasn’t there. For a No. 1 pick, Lafrenière was looking like a real disappointment.
Since Artemi Panarin has been traded, though, the tide seems to be shifting. Lafrenière has noticeably been New York’s best forward with seven goals and 13 points in 11 games. He finally has a spot on the top power play and he’s continued to be great at five-on-five. If he keeps it up down the stretch, the signs may point to a major breakout coming next season. Lord knows this team needs exactly that to get back to relevance.
31. Calgary Flames, 27-34-7
Last week: 31
Sean: 31
Dom: 31
This is a big ask for the Flames. We’re quasi-interested in how rookie defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz looks with the top power play on his own merit, but also because he’s getting those minutes ahead of Zayne Parekh. Not completely interested; quasi-interested.
32. Vancouver Canucks, 21-39-8
Last week: 32
Sean: 32
Dom: 32
The best-case scenario for the Canucks right now is that the Quinn Hughes trade ages as well as it possibly can from their side. Currently worth monitoring: Marco Rossi. He’s got 10 points in 10 games since the break, which should mean the Canucks are finally set at 2C. Now, to fill out the 14 holes they created in order to get there.