The NHL’s 2025-26 season has reached the quarter mark, and the playoff race is already intense. It’s a great time to look at which teams are surprisingly in a playoff spot heading into Friday's games.

Halfway through the NHL season, it’s time to look at how the playoff race is shaping up — and boy, is it a doozy.

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 ...

The Capitals and Oilers are headed in opposite directions. Patrick Smith / Getty Images The second month of the NHL season is in the books and it’s time to look at how the NHL’s playoff race is ...

Thanksgiving is a day to show gratitude, especially if your NHL team is sitting in a playoff spot. Generally speaking during the salary cap era, 75% of teams sitting in a playoff position on ...