Winners and Losers From the 2025-26 NHL Regular Season

The 2025-26 NHL regular season ends on Thursday. It's been a long journey of 1,312 games to determine which of the 16 teams in the 32-team league will advance to the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin on Saturday.

As with every NHL season, this one had its share of highs and lows.

The highlights included the NHL's return to the Winter Olympics for the first time in 12 years. It also saw the ongoing rise of the league's next generation of young talent.

As for the lowlights, several of last season's top teams, including the defending Stanley Cup champion, failed to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the decline in goaltending has reached a point not seen in 30 years.

Follow along as we go into more detail on those topics in our annual list of regular-season winners and losers.

Losers: NHL Department of Player Safety

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George Parros, head of the NHL Department of Player Safety

The NHL's Department of Player Safety has often faced criticism from fans, pundits, and sometimes players, coaches, and general managers for how it reviews infractions and administers suspensions. It can be a thankless job, and it's not easy to get every call right.

However, this season saw an increase in complaints about how the department and Player Safety head George Parros conduct their duties.

The biggest flashpoint was the five-game suspension handed down to Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas on March 14 for his knee-on-knee hit that sidelined Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews, ending his season.

Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, publicly criticized the department for not giving Gudas, a repeat offender, an in-player hearing that would have resulted in a lengthier suspension. Several players acknowledged that the DoPS has a difficult job, but suggested it might be time to review how suspensions are levied.

Parros defended his department, claiming it worked well and vouching for the hard work his staff put into every decision. Nevertheless, there's been growing criticism in recent years over questionable calls and the interpretation of the rules.

That includes inconsistency about how supplemental discipline is handed out, ongoing confusion and frustration over what constitutes goaltender interference, light discipline for serious infractions by some repeat offenders, and handing out punishment based on injury rather than the infraction.

Whether the Matthews incident leads to a serious review of the Department of Player Safety remains to be seen. Nevertheless, its handling of that situation remains among this season's lowlights.

Winners: Fans of Olympic Men's Hockey

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After a long 12-year absence, NHL players returned to the Winter Olympics in 2026. The tournament didn't disappoint, as the world's best players gave fans thrilling moments and memories that will live on in international hockey history.

The highlight, of course, was the United States winning its first gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, defeating Canada 2-1 on an overtime goal by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes. Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was the star of the game, thwarting several high-danger scoring chances from Canada.

Despite winning silver, Canada's Connor McDavid proved on the biggest international stage that he's the best player in the game today. The 28-year-old Edmonton Oilers superstar center was named tournament MVP, leading all players with 13 points, setting a single-tournament Olympic record.

Slovakia won bronze in 2022 but failed to medal in this tournament. However, the European nation continued to punch above its weight in international play, finishing fourth after losing to Finland in the bronze-medal game. 2022 Olympic MVP Juraj Slafkovský of the Montreal Canadiens was named to the All-Star team.

The tournament also featured some surprises, with Italy throwing a scare into Sweden by tying their round-robin game 2-2 before falling 5-1. Latvia upset Germany 4-3 in preliminary-round play, only to be shocked 4-2 by Denmark. The quarterfinals saw Canada, Finland and the U.S. requiring overtime to advance.

Many of these countries will face off in 2028 for the NHL's World Cup of Hockey. That tournament will bring its share of excitement, setting the stage for the 2030 Olympic Games.

Losers: Goaltenders

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Winnipeg Jets goaltenders Connor Hellebuyck (left) and Eric Comrie.

A decade ago, goaltending stats reached their zenith in the post-expansion era.

In 2015-16, the average GAA (goals-against average) was 2.51, tying the 2001-02 season for the second-lowest since expansion began in 1967-68, with 2.46 in 2003-04 being the lowest. Meanwhile, save percentage (SP) in 2015-16 was .915 for the second straight season, which remains the highest.

Those years were the era of the "workhorse goaltender" who often played over 60 games per season. That season saw 10 goalies play at least 60 games, including Hall of Famers Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist, and Vezina Trophy winners Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask and Braden Holtby.

Since then, goals-against averages have increased. It's at 2.88 this season, which isn't as high as 2.97 in 2022-23, but still well above the average of 10 years ago.

The save percentage decline has been the most consistent, reaching .896 this season. That's the lowest it's been since 1995-96, when it was .898.

On Apr. 6, TSN's Travis Yost cited several reasons behind the trend. Scorers are better skilled, the defensive position has evolved, the size of goalie equipment has been reduced, and fewer goalies are playing over 60 games per season.

It's unlikely we'll see high goals-against and lower save percentages as we did during the high-scoring 1980s. Goaltenders are better-skilled and conditioned, and there are still elite starters such as Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers.

In time, goaltenders will adapt and improve, and those stats could swing the other way. For now, however, those changes in goalie stats show no sign of shifting direction.

Winners: Clubs That Ended Long Postseason Droughts

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It's been a long time since the Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth, and Philadelphia Flyers qualified for the playoffs. This season finally saw those clubs end their lengthy postseason droughts.

For the Sabres and their long-suffering fans, this trip to the postseason is particularly sweet. Years of ownership meddling, mismanagement, and constant coaching changes contributed to their NHL record of 14 seasons outside the playoff picture.

It seemed they were headed that way again when they were last in the Eastern Conference by Dec. 13. Led by team captain Rasmus Dahlin and veteran scorers Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, the Sabres were red hot for the rest of the season, winning the Atlantic Division title with 108 points.

Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks spent the past seven seasons in the wilderness, with the last three rebuilding under general manager Pat Verbeek.

Under head coach Joel Quenneville, the Ducks finally gelled into a playoff club. Young stars such as Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Beckett Sennecke powered their production, augmented by veterans such as Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider, and recently acquired defenseman John Carlson.

This is the first season that the Mammoth have qualified since their move to Utah in 2024. Factoring in their earlier incarnation as the Arizona Coyotes, it's their first postseason trip since 2019-20 and their first in a non-COVID season since 2011-12, when they were still the Phoenix Coyotes.

Several seasons of patient rebuilding by GM Bill Armstrong have been rewarded by the Mammoth's performance this season. Led by veterans Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Mikhail Sergachev, and with rising stars Dylan Guenther and Logan Cooley, the Mammoth could become regular contenders in the coming years.

The Philadelphia Flyers entered this season having last qualified for the playoffs during the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season. Given their current rebuilding under GM Daniel Briere, their postseason drought was expected to continue for at least another season or two.

However, the Flyers went on a tear following the Olympic break. Backstopped by goalie Dan Vladar, led by scorers Travis Konecny, Trevor Zegras, and Owen Tippett, with a late-season boost by the return of Tyson Foerster and the addition of rookie Porter Martone, they went 18-7-1 to clinch a playoff spot.

Losers: Canadian Teams

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It's been 33 years since a team from Canada won the Stanley Cup. Ending that drought has become increasingly difficult with 25 American teams compared to Canada's seven clubs. However, it doesn't help matters when four of those seven miss the playoffs.

Last season saw the Winnipeg Jets win their first Presidents' Trophy for the best regular-season record, while the Toronto Maple Leafs were second in the Eastern Conference with 108 points. However, weakened rosters led to both clubs collapsing in the standings this season, finishing out of the playoff picture.

The once-promising Vancouver Canucks seemed poised to become a Cup contender following their third-best performance in franchise history (109 points) in 2023-24. Two years later, they crashed and burned, leading to the trades of core players Quinn Hughes, Kiefer Sherwood, Tyler Myers, and Conor Garland.

After narrowly missing the postseason last season, the Calgary Flames struggled to build on that momentum and sank in the standings. They're in the middle of rebuilding their roster, which continued by trading core veterans Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson.

The Ottawa Senators made the playoffs last spring, but they needed a strong surge following the Olympic break to clinch a berth after struggling through most of this season. Few observers believe they have what it takes to stage a Stanley Cup run.

Following appearances in the last two Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers are a weaker team this season. Plagued by injuries, inconsistent goaltending, and a shaky defense, they qualified for the playoffs in the weak Pacific Division, missing the 100-point plateau for the first time in a non-COVID season since 2018-19.

The Montréal Canadiens have the best record among the Canadian teams with 106 points. Led by forwards Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, they have rising stars such as Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovský, and Ivan Demidov. However, their limited postseason experience could hurt their chances of ending Canada's Cup drought.

Winners: Aging Superstars

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Most NHL players begin to see a sharp decline in their performance once they're past their mid-thirties. However, a handful continued to defy Father Time this season.

Brent Burns' seasons among the NHL's elite defensemen are in the past, but he remains a durable and skilled puck-moving blueliner. The 41-year-old Colorado Avalanche rearguard recently played his 1,000th consecutive NHL game and exceeded 30 points for the 14th time in his 22-season NHL career.

Alex Ovechkin's drive to set the all-time goal-scoring record in 2024-25 helped propel his Washington Capitals to first place in the Eastern Conference. This season, the Capitals have struggled while the 40-year-old Ovechkin's playing time has declined. Nevertheless, he still reached the 30-goal plateau for the 20th time.

Evgeni Malkin has felt the wear and tear of his 20 NHL seasons. This season was no exception, missing 19 games to injuries and five games to a suspension. However, the 40-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins center enjoyed a bounce-back performance, with 61 points in 65 games and a plus-minus of plus-13.

Malkin's teammate, Sidney Crosby, remains among the NHL's dominant stars. The 38-year-old Penguins captain leads his club with 74 points in 68 games despite missing 13 games with a lower-body injury. He also broke his own league record for the most points-per-game seasons with 21.

Losers: Detroit Red Wings

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This season saw several teams that had held postseason berths at various times falter down the stretch and fall out of contention. They included the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken.

However, the collapse of the Detroit Red Wings was the most notable.

Since 2019, the Red Wings have been rebuilding under general manager Steve Yzerman. Their fans were patient through those early years as Yzerman restocked the prospect pipeline, from which emerged young stars such as Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Simon Edvinsson.

Yzerman also brought in veterans through trades and free-agent signings. They included Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, Ben Chiarot, Justin Faulk, and John Gibson.

During the previous two seasons, the Red Wings entered March holding a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. They stumbled through the final weeks of the season to fall out of the playoff race, but there was a sense of optimism that the Wings were heading in the right direction.

The Red Wings finally seemed poised for a breakthrough this season. Entering 2026, they held first place in the Eastern Conference. By March 1, they had dropped to the first wild-card berth, but were only two points behind the Buffalo Sabres for second in the Atlantic Division.

And then, the Wings went into another long death spiral that killed their playoff hopes. The end came during the final home-ice game of the season, finishing with the players being booed off the ice by Detroit fans upset that their postseason drought had reached a decade.

Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now singled out their lack of a winning culture, five-on-five offense, and depth among their bottom-six forwards. Team captain and first-line center Dylan Larkin missed two weeks with an injury in March, leaving them thin at center and struggling to fill the gap.

Yzerman might not lose his job, but he will feel the heat nevertheless. With the fans and the players feeling frustrated, there's a sense that the Red Wings are spinning their wheels. He will be under pressure to address the Red Wings' weaknesses in the offseason once and for all.

Winners: Rising Young Stars

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San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini

This season saw veteran NHL superstars Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche continue to dominate the scoring race.

However, they were joined by several younger stars who are pushing their way into the upper echelon of NHL stardom.

Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks announced his arrival as a superstar. The 19-year-old sophomore center sits fourth in the scoring race with 112 points and is eighth in goals with 44. His stunning performance this season had the Sharks jockeying for a playoff berth for most of the season.

Montréal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield has been a key part of his club's successful rebuilding program. The 25-year-old left winger took it to another level this season, becoming the seventh player in franchise history to score 50 goals as he helped them clinch a playoff berth for the second straight season.

Caufield's teammate, Lane Hutson, took home the Calder Memorial Trophy last season as NHL Rookie of the Year, finishing with 66 points. The 22-year-old defenseman showed no sign of slowing down in his sophomore season, sitting tied for third with Colorado's Cale Makar among all blueliners with 78 points.

Wyatt Johnston of the Dallas Stars has quietly and steadily developed into a top-flight scorer since his NHL debut in 2022-23. He's second in points among the Stars with 86 and sixth among NHL goal scorers with 45.

Last, but certainly not least, Matthew Schaefer proved to the hockey world that the New York Islanders were justified in selecting him first overall in last year's draft. The 18-year-old defenseman is considered the favorite to win the Calder with a 23-goal, 59-point performance.

Losers: Last Year's Stanley Cup and Presidents' Trophy Winners

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At this time last season, the Florida Panthers were preparing for what would become a successful defense of the Stanley Cup, becoming the third team since 2017 to win back-to-back championships.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets enjoyed the best regular season in franchise history. Having dominated the standings, they won their first-ever Presidents' Trophy.

Fast forward to this season, and both clubs have been eliminated from the postseason race.

Injuries decimated the Panthers' roster. They began the season without captain Aleksander Barkov and winger Matthew Tkachuk. Barkov suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp, while Tkachuk was out until January recovering from offseason surgeries.

Other notable Panthers sidelined by injuries included Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Evan Rodrigues, Anton Lundell, Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov. As a result, they've become the third team in NHL history to miss the playoffs after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.

Meanwhile, the Jets became the fifth team in league history to miss the postseason after winning the Presidents' Trophy, joining the 1992-93 and 2024-25 New York Rangers, the 2007-08 Buffalo Sabres, and the 2014-15 Boston Bruins.

One reason was the Jets' goals-per-game average plummeted from a fourth-overall 3.35 in 2024-25 to 2.81 (24th overall) this season. The departure of long-time Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers via free agency hurt more than expected, as did a knee injury to Connor Hellebuyck earlier in the season.

The Jets brought in past-their-prime veterans Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, and Luke Schenn last summer. Meanwhile, young players like Brad Lambert and Elias Salomonsson saw limited playing time in Winnipeg.

We also cannot overlook that the Washington Capitals exceeded expectations last season by finishing first in the Eastern Conference. However, they dropped out of contention by midseason, failed to gain ground down the stretch, and finished outside the postseason picture.

Winner: The Race for the Art Ross Trophy

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Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (left) and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov.

The Art Ross Trophy is awarded annually to the player who leads the NHL in points at the end of the regular season.

Between 2016-17 and 2022-23, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid took home the Art Ross Trophy five times, with Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov winning in 2018-19 and McDavid's teammate Leon Draisaitl taking the honors in 2019-20.

During the previous two seasons, the chase for the scoring title had become a two-player race between Kucherov and Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, with McDavid finishing well behind.

In 2023-24, it was Kucherov and MacKinnon jockeying for the scoring title, with the Lightning star finishing on top with 144 points, four points ahead of the Avalanche center. Offseason overtraining resulted in a sluggish start for McDavid, resulting in his third-place finish with 132 points.

Last season saw MacKinnon hold the lead for most of the season, only to have Kucherov rally from a large deficit to overtake the Avalanche superstar, finishing with a league-leading 121 points to MacKinnon's 116. Meanwhile, injuries limited McDavid to 67 games, finishing sixth with 100 points.

MacKinnon had another large lead in this season's scoring race, but by April, he was surpassed by McDavid and Kucherov. As of Apr. 15, McDavid led Kucherov with 134 points, leaving him poised to join Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe as the only players to win the Art Ross Trophy six times.

It's been a treat to follow the three top offensive stars jockeying for the scoring title while they're in their prime. McDavid is still in a class of his own, Kucherov remains an elite talent in his own right, while MacKinnon is an outstanding scorer who will be in the hunt for that elusive scoring title next season.

Stats, standings, and trophy info (as of Apr. 15, 2026) via NHL.com