The matchups are set. 

In the West:

As the 2025-26 season wraps up, there has been no shortage of surprises. From ill-fated trades between the Canucks and Rangers to the Leafs' sudden collapse, it's been a difficult fantasy hockey season for managers to navigate, to say the least. 

There were positives, though.

Boston's win Tuesday locked the Bruins into the first Wild Card spot and Ottawa into the second. The Bruins will face the Sabres in an Atlantic Division match up while the Senators take on the Hurricanes. Which of the two lower seeds has the better chance of upsetting the higher seed?

Both lower seeds have true #1 goalies - Swayman and Ullmark. Each team has a game-breaking forward - Pastrnak and Stutzle. Sanderson is Ottawa's blueline threat, McAvoy Boston's. Choose your poison.

While the Stars-Wild matchup in the West has drawn tons of attention, the Eastern Conference has highlighted a few matchups of their own that are certainly worth paying attention to. 

First, with the Sabres winning the division title, the Habs and Lightning are now locked in for a first-round matchup. It's their first meeting in the playoffs since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. If their April 9 barnburner was any indication, this series will feature plenty of highlight-reel goals and dust-ups. 

Connor McDavid (133), Nikita Kucherov (128), Nathan MacKinnon (126) and Macklin Celebrini (110) all have crossed the century mark in points. Leon Draisaitl, if he had not gotten hurt, also would have easily hit that mark, as he is just three points shy due to missing the last 12 games and out the rest of the season. Four points are at 99 points as we head to the last four days of the regular season.

Martin Necas, Mark Scheifele, David Pastrnak and Nick Suzuki all are at 99 points. Colorado and Winnipeg have three games remaining while Boston and Montreal only have two contests to go. The Avalanche, Bruins and Canadiens all have clinched a playoff berth while the Jets need a miracle to make the postseason. Necas, Scheifele and Suzuki have never hit that mark previously; Pastrnak is aiming for his fourth straight season of that total.

Friday, my question, which one of the nine teams that clinched a playoff berth already is the biggest surprise. Mine was Buffalo over Pittsburgh. Today, my question is which one of the teams currently out of a playoff spot sneaks in.

In the East, all three Atlantic Division spots are locked up. The Red Wings (91 points) are three points back of the Senators (94 points) for the second Wild Card spot with three games remaining. The Islanders are tied with Detroit in points with the Blue Jackets one point back and Capitals two shy. New York, Columbus and Washington all still have a shot at surpassing Philly for third in the Metro Division. 

As we sit here on April 10, with no NHL games on the calendar tonight - which mensa student came up with this one - my thoughts turn to the standings. Nine teams have clinched. Carolina, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Montreal and Tampa with Boston on the verge of being the sixth in the Eastern Conference. Out West, Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota and Utah all have punched their ticket. Barring a complete collapse, Edmonton, Vegas and Anaheim should all be in the party.

From those already in, or soon to be in, which one is the most surprising?

The Kraken announced Wednesday that Ron Francis will be stepping away from the team at the end of the season.

Truthfully, it's been a long time coming for an expansion franchise that came into the league with considerable hype that they never managed to capture.

With the Avs clinching the best record in the conference and the Mammoth mathematically eliminated from finishing in the top three in the Central, the Stars and Wild will meet each other in the first round of the playoffs.

We all knew this was coming considering how the Avs pulled away for much of the season, and the Stars and Wild clearly the two best teams after them. The only thing left to determine is home-ice advantage.

Make no mistake, there is no chance Evan Bouchard is winning the Norris Trophy this season.

The front runners are Zach Werenski, Rasmus Dahlin, and Cale Makar, with Werenski likely having the edge, especially if the Blue Jackets make the playoffs.