As the 2025-26 NHL regular season draws to a close, teams are positioning themselves for the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs, with some squads finishing strong while others face challenges heading into the postseason. Among the most notable stories is the Colorado Avalanche, who, despite a slowdown after a blazing start, have secured the Presidents' Trophy for the fourth time in franchise history. Let's take an in-depth look at the key developments and performances that have shaped the league as it heads into the playoffs.
### Colorado Avalanche: A Season of Two Halves
The Colorado Avalanche began the season on an extraordinary run, suffering only two regulation losses in their first 40 games, compiling a remarkable 31-2-7 record. However, since January 4, their pace has moderated with a 22-14-4 record. Even so, the Avalanche have maintained a strong finish, earning points in four consecutive games during Week 25 with a 3-0-1 record.
With 117 points so far, Colorado stands on the brink of breaking the franchise's single-season record of 119 points, set in the 2021-22 season. They face the Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken-teams near the bottom of the standings-in their final two regular-season games before entering the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
The Avalanche's recent success has come despite some challenges. Their star forward, Nathan MacKinnon, the 2024 Hart Trophy winner, has been held scoreless in his last two games, a rare back-to-back drought for him this season. Nonetheless, he remains third in the NHL with 126 points and leads the league with a career-high 52 goals, narrowly ahead of Montreal's Cole Caufield.
Injuries have also tested Colorado's depth. Two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar has missed games since March 30 due to an upper-body injury but has returned to practice and may participate in one of the final regular-season games. Remarkably, the Avalanche have managed a 3-0-1 record in his absence, showing resilience and balance across their roster.
### Eastern Conference Leaders: Hurricanes and Senators
In the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes have captured the Metropolitan Division title and the No. 1 seed in the East. They went undefeated in regulation during Week 25 with a 3-0-1 record, defeating notable teams such as the Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks. Their consistency is notable, having avoided consecutive regulation losses since early January.
Key contributors for Carolina include Sebastian Aho, who has recorded points in seven of his last eight games, and Andrei Svechnikov, who boasts a career-high 31 goals amid a seven-game point streak. Nikolaj Ehlers has also been impactful, setting a personal best of 70 points and posting back-to-back two-point games.
The Ottawa Senators are another Eastern contender heating up at the right moment, earning points in five straight games (4-0-1) heading into the playoffs. Tim Stutzle has been productive with seven points over his last five games, while Drake Batherson and defenseman Jake Sanderson have also contributed significantly, each riding multi-game point streaks.
### Buffalo Sabres: Division Champions with Offensive Firepower
The Buffalo Sabres have clinched their first division title since 2009-10, a milestone achieved during an impressive four-game winning streak last week. Offensively, the Sabres have been prolific, scoring five goals in each of those victories while allowing only four goals total.
Tage Thompson reached the 40-goal mark for the third time in four seasons, ending a personal scoring drought with a two-goal performance against Chicago. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is on a five-game point streak, and Josh Doan has been consistent, tallying points in four consecutive games after a brief dry spell.
### Dallas Stars: Strong Finish for Central Division Contenders
After a challenging stretch earlier in the month, the Dallas Stars regrouped to win all four of their Week 25 games, securing second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage for their first-round playoff matchup with the Minnesota Wild.
Jason Robertson leads the way with five goals in his current four-game streak and has reached 45 goals for the second time in his career. Wyatt Johnston matched Robertson's scoring pace with goals and assists in each Week 25 game, setting new career highs in goals, assists, and points.
### Montreal Canadiens: Momentum Heading Into Playoffs
The Montreal Canadiens have been surging, posting an 11-2-0 record over their last 13 games. With 106 points after 81 games, they are on track for their best regular-season finish since 2014-15. They will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.
Nick Suzuki has been a key figure, scoring in all four games last week and reaching 101 points for the first time in his career. Cole Caufield continues to chase Colorado's MacKinnon for the NHL goal lead, trailing by just one goal. Juraj Slafkovsky has also been consistent, setting career bests across goals, assists, and points. Rookie Ivan Demidov leads all NHL rookies in points with 62, edging out Beckett Sennecke of the San Jose Sharks.
### Tampa Bay Lightning: Mixed Results but Key Players Shining
The Tampa Bay Lightning have had a mixed Week 25, losing their first two games before rebounding with wins over the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings. Nikita Kucherov, despite a strong season with 130 points, trails Connor McDavid for the Art Ross Trophy and may fall short of winning it for the third consecutive year.
Kucherov is also close to breaking his personal goal-scoring record, needing just one goal in the final game. Jake Guentzel and defenseman Darren Raddysh have been standout performers, both setting personal bests in points this season.
### Minnesota Wild: Urgent Need for a Turnaround
The Minnesota Wild enter the playoffs on a troubling note, having lost three straight regulation games to end Week 25 and allowing 13 goals in that span. This marks their first such losing streak since February 2025.
Despite struggles, standout players like Matt Boldy, who has career highs in goals (42) and points (85), and veteran Mats Zuccarello, who has enjoyed a resurgence with multiple multi-point games recently, offer hope for a playoff bounce-back.
### Boston Bruins: Late-Season Woes But Individual Bright Spots
The Boston Bruins have struggled lately, going five games without a win before a narrow victory over Columbus. David Pastrnak, a key offensive leader, is within reach of scoring 30 goals for the ninth time and reaching 100 points for the fourth consecutive season.
Morgan Geekie has been a bright spot, leading the team with a career-high 38 goals. He recently ended a 17-game scoring drought with a second career hat trick in an overtime loss and added another goal in a subsequent game.
### Vegas Golden Knights: Strong Finish Under New Coach
The Vegas Golden Knights are building momentum as the playoffs approach. Since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach, the team has gone 6-0-1 and extended a nine-game point streak (6-0-3) into their final regular-season game.
Jack Eichel and Mark Stone have been key contributors, with Eichel earning 14 points over his last nine games and Stone accumulating 11 points in the same stretch. Stone is poised to surpass his career high in points with one more point in the final game. Rookie Pavel Dorofeyev has also impressed, scoring in back-to-back games to set a personal best of 37 goals.
### Struggles at the Bottom of the Standings
Conversely, some teams have faltered as the season closes. The Toronto Maple Leafs went winless in Week 25 (0-4-0), while the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers both lost all regulation games they played last week. These teams are among the league's lower-ranked squads and have missed the playoffs.
### Summary
As the NHL transitions from the regular season to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, several teams are demonstrating strong form and momentum, while others face questions about their readiness for postseason success. The Colorado Avalanche's historic start and solid finish have earned them the Presidents' Trophy and top seed in the West, with key players like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar poised to lead the charge.
In the East, the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators have clinched top seeds, with impressive contributions from their top forwards and defensemen. Buffalo, Dallas, and Montreal are also entering the playoffs with strong performances and scoring depth.
Meanwhile, teams like the Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins must address recent struggles to avoid early exits, while the Vegas Golden Knights look revitalized under new leadership.
With the playoffs imminent, all eyes will be on which teams can carry their regular-season success into postseason glory and which will succumb to the pressures of playoff hockey. The stage is set for an exciting and unpredictable Stanley Cup chase in 2026.