Hockey headlines for April 12, 2026

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Playoffs! Ottawa Senators are back in the NHL postseason after a rollercoaster campaign (Ottawa Sun)
Golden Knights clinch playoff spot, downing the Avalanche in OT (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Despite painful loss, Bruins back into playoff spot with some help (Boston Herald)
Detroit Red Wings complete fall, eliminated from playoff contention (Detroit Free Press)
Stars' penalty kill bounces back in win over Rangers as playoff seeding is locked in (Dallas Morning News)
Anze Kopitar honored after Kings beat nemesis Oilers during regular-season home finale (Los Angeles Times)
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar “alert” but transported to hospital after taking puck to face (Denver Post)
Avalanche win TJ Hughes sweepstakes, sign highest-profile college free agent (Denver Post)
Why Panthers assistant GM Sunny Mehta is drawing interest from the Maple Leafs (Toronto Star)
Paul Maurice sheds some light on Sunny Mehta's hockey credentials (Toronto Sun)
Kings’ Kevin Fiala, Ducks’ Lukáš Dostál up for King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Orange County Register)
A good news story for the Canucks: Brock Boeser is the King Clancy nominee (Vancouver Province)
Columbus Blue Jackets hammer Montreal Canadiens for big win (Columbus Dispatch)
Porter Martone and Sean Couturier star as Flyers rout Jets, 7-1, to edge closer to a playoff spot (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Kraken eliminated from NHL playoff race for 3rd straight season (Seattle Times)
Despite 5-3 win over Blackhawks, Blues eliminated from playoff contention (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Nashville Predators beat Minnesota Wild 2-1 to keep playoff hopes alive (The Tennessean)
Young Capitals take center stage in win over Penguins (Washington Post)
‘I was not expecting that’: Jets Phill-ed in by the Flyers (Winnipeg Sun)
Sharks lose regular season home finale to NHL’s last place team (San Jose Mercury News)
Alex Ovechkin scores in Capitals' victory against shorthanded Penguins (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Edmonton Oilers deliver another lukewarm performance in loss to Kings (Edmonton Sun)
Wild go through the motions in 2-1 loss to Predators (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
Maple Leafs lose to Panthers, fall into bottom five in NHL standings (Toronto Sun)
End of Blackhawks' season getting silly as Sam Lafferty plays defense in loss to Blues (Chicago Sun-Times)
Rangers’ impressive defensive wall failed to hold on in final minutes in loss to Stars (New York Post)
Flames youth on display in loss to Kraken (Calgary Sun)
Ottawa Senators are headed to the playoffs! But there's concern about captain Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Sun)
Ottawa Senators' defensive prowess on display in shutout victory over New York Islanders (Ottawa Sun)
As Rielly contemplates future, it's his 'hope' to stay with Maple Leafs (Toronto Sun)
'Surreal' for Villeneuve to make Maple Leafs debut (Toronto Sun)
With playoffs clinched, Sidney Crosby among several Penguins not playing against Capitals (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Red Wings lose to Devils, eliminated from playoffs: 'Big disappointment' (Detroit News)
Injuries, absentees, no playoffs make Maple Leafs-Panthers shell of a rivalry (Toronto Sun)
With future uncertain, pending UFA Oskar Sundqvist hopes for return to St. Louis (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Is veteran defenseman’s time with San Jose Sharks coming to an end? (San Jose Mercury News)
Will Carolina Hurricanes carry a third goalie in the NHL playoffs? What we know (Raleigh News & Observer)
Wild’s ‘band of brothers’ line ready to supply postseason muscle (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
By going to the net, Zach Benson has been on an offensive rush for Sabres (Buffalo News)
Red Wings sign second-round pick who joins Griffins on ATO (Detroit Free Press)
Another year at Michigan won't hurt Canadiens prospect Michael Hage (Montreal Gazette)
Scott Oake signs off from Hockey Night in Canada one last time (Vancouver Province)
'We’re a hockey town': On the cusp of the playoffs, Sabres electrify a region (Buffalo News)
Loving retired farm life, Rogie Vachon reminisces about being L.A.’s first hockey star (Los Angeles Times)