Monday, March 16, 2026

NHL weekend rankings: Which playoff bubble teams are facing the most pressure?

It’s mid-March, the Olympic break and trade deadline are in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run to the playoffs is well and truly on. Exactly on month from today, the NHL regular season will see its final night of action. Can you feel the pressure?

Probably. But how much pressure you feel might vary based on which teams you care about, because in the NHL, not all pressure is created equal. Every team wants to succeed. But there’s a difference between wanting and needing, and there’s a difference between playing with house money and going all-in with your last dollar.

So as we cross the threshold into the season’s final month, let’s have a look at the playoff bubble and rank the teams based purely on how much pressure they’re under to make it. We’re going to ignore the teams that are all but in, as well as the ones who’d need a miracle. That leaves about ten teams that are truly on fence. Here are the five that the most to lose if they, well, lose.

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