Updated 2025 NHL Playoff Picture, Bracket, Matchups After Blues, Wild Clinch Spots
And then there was one.
The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday to remain within striking distance of the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference playoff race.
It is the only postseason spot still up for grabs in the final days of the regular season since the West was decided Tuesday with the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues each clinching wild-card spots.
Those results eliminated the Calgary Flames from contention:
Minnesota defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in overtime thanks to Matt Boldy's game-winner, while St. Louis cruised past the Utah Hockey Club in a 6-1 blowout. Things won't get much easier for either team, though, as the Blues have to face the Winnipeg Jets and the Wild have to play the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round.
Winnipeg won the Central Division, while Vegas won the Pacific Division.
At this point, the only remaining drama in the playoff picture is whether the Blue Jackets will catch the Canadiens.
That it is even coming down to each team's respective final game is notable, as Columbus seemed out of striking range just a week ago. However, it has won five straight games in eight days to pick up 10 critical points in the closing stretch.
Montreal, on the other hand, has lost three straight.
Fortunately for the Canadiens, two of those losses came in extra time and gave them a combined two additional points. That is the difference in the standings at this point with a straightforward scenario remaining to determine the spot.
Montreal will be in the playoffs if it defeats the Carolina Hurricanes or loses in overtime on Wednesday. However, a regulation loss would mean the Blue Jackets controlled their own destiny for Thursday's game against the New York Islanders.
In that scenario, all Columbus would have to do is win in regulation to make the playoffs.
Buckle up because there will be no shortage of drama in the coming days as both teams eye a postseason berth.
Penguins' Sidney Crosby Voted NHL's Most Complete Player in 2025 NHLPA Poll
NHL players believe Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is still the most complete player in hockey.
Crosby won the Most Complete Player title after receiving votes from 33.81 percent of the 630 players participating in the annual poll released Tuesday by the NHL Players' Association.
He has won or shared the title for six straight seasons.
Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is gaining on Crosby in the race for the Most Complete Player title.
Barkov, who finished 140 votes behind Crosby in the 2023-24 edition of the poll, came in just 18 votes behind the Penguins star with 30.95 percent of the vote this spring, according to the NHLPA.
The Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon, Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews and Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar also received votes in the complete player category.
Crosby meanwhile received the most votes for the questions of "If you need to win a faceoff, who would you pick?" and "Who is the smartest overall players?"
He finished top five in voting for "Who is the best overall forward?," which McDavid won with a landslide 73.89 percent of the vote, and "Who is the best playmaker?," which went to Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov.
Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky's record for consecutive seasons with at least one point per game by recording his 20th straight point-per-game campaign this spring.
He heads into the Penguins' Thursday regular season finale against the Washington Capitals having already put up 89 points (32 goals, 57 assists) in 79 games of his age-37 season. Crosby led his team in points at both even strength (55) and at 5-on-4 (22.)
He also won 57 percent of his faceoffs this season, marking his eighth straight season with at least a 52 success rate at the dot.
Crosby's defense has declined alongside the Penguins' thinning depth over the last few seasons, but he has remained his team's biggest driver of offense. Any push the Penguins make to return to the playoffs next spring will center around his production and playmaking.
Sharks' Logan Couture Reportedly Will End 15-Year NHL Career Because of Injury
After missing the entirety of the 2024-25 season, San Jose Sharks veteran Logan Couture is reportedly set to hang up his skates.
According to Eric Stephens of The Athletic, Couture "is expected to announce the end" of his 15-year NHL career in a press conference on Tuesday after a two-year battle with a groin-related injury. League sources reportedly told The Athletic's Chris Johnston that Couture "will not officially retire, which would prevent him from being paid for the final two years of the eight-year, $64-million contract extension he signed in 2018."
Stephens noted that Couture will be joined by Sharks general manager Mike Grier at Tuesday's press conference at the SAP Center "to address his inability to return to the ice."
Couture was limited to six games during the 2023-24 campaign, with his last appearance on the ice being Jan. 31, 2024. The 36-year-old has been suffering from a condition known as osteitis pubis. Citing the Cleveland Clinic, Stephens described the condition as "inflammation in the joint between the left and right pubic bones. It can cause pain and swelling in one’s groin or lower abdominal and can be commonly found in athletes due to the repetitive usage of the hips, pelvis and groin."
After being selected with the ninth pick in the 2007 NHL draft, Couture spent his entire career with the Sharks and became one of the best players in franchise history. In 933 regular-season games, he scored 323 goals and added 378 assists. He was also an excellent playoff performer, scoring 48 goals in 116 postseason games. He helped lead the Sharks to their only Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016, scoring 10 goals and leading the team with 30 points along the way.
The Sharks finished last in the Western Conference this season with a record of 20-49-11. The team has not made a playoff appearance since the 2018-19 season.
Alex Ovechkin Says It's His Dream to Meet Michael Jordan After Breaking Gretzky Record
Alex Ovechkin is one of the greatest to ever do it in his respective sport, but he still hasn't had the chance to meet one of the greatest to play another sport.
On the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, Ovechkin revealed his admiration for Michael Jordan.
"I've never had a chance to meet Michael Jordan, but it's one of my dreams," he said. "I have his signed jersey. It's one of my dreams to meet the greatest player to play basketball."
Ovechkin, who is in his 20th NHL season, made history last week when he passed Wayne Gretzky on the all-time scoring list with his 895th career goal, becoming the NHL's all-time leading goal scorer.
Ovechkin already had just about every accomplishment imaginable before breaking Gretzky's record, but becoming the all-time leading goal scorer just adds to one of the most impressive resumes in NHL history.
Now, his dream is something he will have to accomplish off the ice.
After Ovechkin's comments, perhaps Jordan will be willing to meet up with the Washington Capitals star and make his dream come true.