History was made in the NHL this season, but not the kind that its most storied U.S. franchises wanted. The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs mark the first time that the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers have all missed the cut in the same postseason:

Fans, media and statistical models are all giving their takes and projections, but what do people inside the league think?

While the Maple Leafs are making their ninth consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Senators are in the postseason for the first time since 2017 when they lost in double overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.