* The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket needed until 11:31 p.m. ET and the conclusion of the campaign’s penultimate game (1,311 of 1,312 GP) to finally get locked in as two First Round matchups and three postseason seeds were confirmed during the final day of the regular season.
* Connor McDavid joined elite company with his sixth career Art Ross Trophy, while Avalanche players took home other end-of-season hardware as Nathan MacKinnon won his first career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy and Scott Wedgewood as well as Mackenzie Blackwood captured the William M. Jennings Trophy.
* Beckett Sennecke concluded the campaign tied with Matthew Schaefer for the most goals among rookies, while Ivan Demidov became the Canadiens’ second player in as many seasons to lead all rookies in points. Demidov’s teammate Jakub Dobes paced rookie goaltenders in wins.
* The Regular Season Recap and 16 Key Questions documents will be posted to the League’s Media site today, while updates will be made to team playoff pages available at the drop-down menu here. The NHL Morning Skate as well as #NHLStats: Live Updates will continue daily through the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The NHL announced the dates, starting times and national television coverage for the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begins tomorrow afternoon. Click here to read more.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket gets locked in at the eleventh hour
Matt Savoie’s first-period hat trick helped the Oilers (41-30-11, 93 points) clinch the Pacific Division’s No. 2 seed and home-ice advantage in their First Round series against the third-place Ducks (43-33-6, 92 points), which was confirmed after Anaheim’s NHL-best 12th third-period comeback win Thursday. The Kings (35-27-20, 90 points) concluded the campaign with the Western Conference’s final Wild Card spot and will play the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche during the opening round.
* The Oilers and Ducks will play their third head-to-head playoff series, following Anaheim’s seven-game win in the 2017 Second Round and Edmonton’s five-game victory during the 2006 Conference Finals. Their last meeting marked the Ducks’ most-recent series win and included Anaheim overcoming a 3-0 deficit during the final 3:16 of regulation in Game 5, which remains the latest three-goal comeback victory in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.
* The Avalanche and Kings will play their third head-to-head playoff series following seven-game wins by Colorado in the 2002 Conference Quarterfinals and 2001 Conference Semifinals. They are among five pairs of franchises that required a Game 7 in each of their first two series – the others are the Lightning and Penguins (2016 CF & 2011 CQF), Blues and Canucks (2003 & 1995 CQF), Avalanche and Stars (2000 & 1999 CF) as well as the Devils and Rangers (1994 CF & 1992 DSF).
McDavid, MacKinnon and Avalanche’s goaltending tandem win NHL Awards
Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon won the Art Ross and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, respectively, while MacKinnon’s teammates Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood captured the William M. Jennings Trophy.
Oilers’ McDavid, Avalanche Trio Win 2025-26 Regular Season Awards
* McDavid concluded the campaign with an NHL-leading 138 points to win his sixth career Art Ross Trophy. He passed Phil Esposito as well as Jaromir Jagr (both w/ 5) and tied Gordie Howe as well as Mario Lemieux for the second most in League history behind Wayne Gretzky (10).
* MacKinnon had a career-high 53 goals and became the second player in franchise history to capture the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, following Milan Hejduk (2002-03). MacKinnon and Hejduk are the only Avalanche/Nordiques players to top the League in tallies including the club’s 19 seasons before the “Rocket” was introduced in 1998-99.
* Wedgewood and Blackwood backstopped Colorado to a League-low 203 goals against (including 6 shootout deciders) and became the second and third goaltenders in franchise history to win the William M. Jennings Trophy after Patrick Roy (2001-02). Wedgewood and Blackwood were recently featured in the latest Skates Off where they discussed their chemistry and explored goalie mask artistry.
SENNECKE’S STANDOUT SEASON, OTHER YOUNG STARS FEATURED IN LIVE UPDATES
Thursday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the six-game regular season finale, including Beckett Sennecke concluding the campaign with 23 goals to tie Matthew Schaefer for the most among rookies.
* Sennecke became the third player in franchise history to lead all rookies in goals at the end of a regular season (outright or tied), following Bobby Ryan (2008-09) and Paul Kariya (1994-95). Schaefer was the first defenseman in more than 90 years to top all rookies in tallies as well as the fourth in League history after Doug Young (1931-32), Leo Reise Sr. (1920-21) and Billy Stuart (1920-21).
* Macklin Celebrini (45-70—115 in 82 GP)concluded his stand-out 2025-26 with a three-point performance and by moving up a number of franchise single-season lists – he surpassed Joe Thornton (22-92—114 in 2006-07) for the most points, tied Thornton (18 in 2006-07) for the most three-point games, and moved into sole possession of second place for multi-point outings and goals.
* Celebrini completed his final campaign before turning 20 with career totals of 70-108—178 (152 GP). He became the fifth teenager in NHL history with 100-plus career assists and owns the third-most points by a teenager through 150 career outings in League history behind Sidney Crosby (210) and Dale Hawerchuk (180).
* Ivan Demidov became the Canadiens’ second player in as many seasons to lead all rookies in points, following teammate Lane Hutson (2024-25). Jakub Dobes delivered 29 of Montreal’s 48 wins to conclude the campaign with eight more than the next-closest rookie goaltender.
NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING RELEASES FINAL DRAFT RANKINGS
Gavin McKenna, a left wing with Penn State, ranks first among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings presented by BODYARMOR Sports Drink, while Ivar Stenberg, a left wing skating for Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League, tops the list of international skaters.
* A grouping of five defensemen make up the next wave of ranked prospects. Latvian defender and Olympian Alberts Smits (No. 2 ITL skater) on the international skaters list and on the North American side: No. 2-ranked Chase Reid of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, No. 3-ranked Carson Carels of the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, No. 4-ranked Keaton Verhoeff of the University of North Dakota and No. 5-ranked Daxon Rudolph of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.
* The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft will take place from June 26th (Round 1: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet, TVA Sports) to June 27th (Rounds 2-7: 10 a.m. ET on NHL Network, ESPN+, Sportsnet) at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
* Watch here to go behind-the-scenes of NHL Central Scouting’s meeting in Montreal where the rankings were finalized and listen here as Group Vice President of NHL Central Scouting, Dan Marr joins the NHL Draft Class podcast.
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