This year, the NHL presents a lot of strong frontrunner teams, with matches starting on March 22 and 23, 2026. Several team matchups involve those dates. Let’s talk about these NHL teams that will contribute to the reputation going forward. The Chicago Blackhawks will take on the Nashville Predators, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will meet the Carolina Hurricanes.
Other matchups include the New York Islanders against the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Dallas Stars vs. the Vegas Golden Knights. The Anaheim Ducks will face the Buffalo Sabres, and the Calgary Flames will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. In addition, the New York Rangers vs. the Ottawa Senators is set to compete in upcoming games.
Recent Overviews of the NHL
Changes in the Eastern Conference Standings
The Buffalo Sabres are now in first place in the Atlantic Division, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in second. The Tampa Bay Lightning took the top spot in the past NHL standings, but this time, it was slightly altered. The Montreal Canadiens, the Boston Bruins, and the Detroit Red Wings are ranked 3rd, 4th, and 5th, respectively, in the Eastern Conference. At the bottom of the division are the Ottawa Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Florida Panthers.
However, the Eastern Conference under the Metropolitan Division has a set of teams placed. The Carolina Hurricanes are currently sitting in first place in the NHL standings. The Pittsburgh Penguins are safely placed in second position in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Islanders, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Philadelphia Flyers are placed in third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.
Latest Changes in the Western Conference
The Colorado Avalanche remain undefeated and currently occupy the top spot in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars are currently in 2nd place on their recent winning streak. The Minnesota Wild, the Utah Mammoth, and the Nashville Predators hold the 3rd, 4th, and 5th positions in the Central Division. At the bottom of the division standings are the Winnipeg Jets, the St. Louis Blues, and the Chicago Blackhawks.
In the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks currently sit in first place this NHL season. The Edmonton Oilers follow in the second spot in the Western Conference. The Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, and Los Angeles Kings occupy third, fourth, and fifth positions in the Pacific Division standings. The last three teams in the Pacific Division are the San Jose Sharks, the Calgary Flames, and the Vancouver Canucks.
Upcoming Game Schedules
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 03:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM PT | 12:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: United Center in Chicago.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 03:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM PT | 12:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: UBS Arena in Elmont.
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Anaheim Ducks vs. Buffalo Sabres
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Honda Center in Anaheim.
Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.
Utah Mammoth vs. Los Angeles Kings
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 09:00 PM ET | 06:00 PM PT | 06:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
New York Rangers vs. Ottawa Senators
Date: March 23, 2026 (Monday)
Time: 07:30 PM ET | 04:30 PM PT | 05:00 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Madison Square Garden in New York.
Upcoming Matches Previews
The 2025-26 NHL season will see several teams tussling for crucial head-to-head records. One of the pivotal matchups is between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 03:00 PM ET | 12:00 PM PT | 12:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
Predicted Lineups for Penguins
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Rickard Rakell, Egor Chinakhov, Anthony Mantha, Elmer Soderblom, Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak, Ben Kindel, Connor Dewar, Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin, Justin Brazeau, and Noel Acciari |
| Defensemen | Parker Wotherspoon, Ryan Shea, Ilya Solovyov, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, and Connor Clifton |
| Goaltenders | Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs |
Predicted Lineups for Hurricanes
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Andrei Svechnikov, Taylor Hall, Nikolaj Ehlers, William Carrier, Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, Jordan Staal, Mark Jankowski, Seth Jarvis, Jackson Blake, Jordan Martinook, and Eric Robinson |
| Defensemen | Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, Mike Reilly, Jalen Chatfield, Sean Walker, and Alexander Nikishin |
| Goaltenders | Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi |
Previous Games
The Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Carolina Hurricanes in their most recent NHL game. The Hurricanes remain atop the NHL standings and defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5. Erik Karlsson recorded two goals and one assist, while Rickard Rakell contributed two assists for the Penguins. Meanwhile, Jackson Blake has scored one goal and added two assists, and Nikolaj Ehlers recorded one assist for the Hurricanes.
In their most recent NHL matchup, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-2. For the Hurricanes, Andrei Svechnikov recorded a goal and two points, while Sebastian Aho contributed one assist. On the other end, Brayden Point and Gage Goncalves recorded one assist for the Lightning. Based on their recent form, the Hurricanes will dominate the upcoming game.
The Pick: Carolina Hurricanes
Anaheim Ducks vs. Buffalo Sabres
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: Honda Center in Anaheim.
Predicted Lineups for Ducks
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jeffrey Viel, Frank Vatrano, Leo Carlsson, Mikael Granlund, Ryan Poehling, Tim Washe, Troy Terry, Beckett Senneck, Cutter Gauthier, and Jansen Harkins |
| Defensemen | Jackson Lacombe, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Jacob Trouba, John Carlson, and Ian Moore |
| Goaltenders | Lukas Dostal and Ville Husso |
Predicted Lineups for Sabres
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Noah Ostlund, Jason Zucker, Peyton Krebs, Tyson Kozak, Tage Thompson, Ryan McLeod, Josh Norris, Sam Carrick, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn, Josh Doan, and Beck Malenstyn |
| Defensemen | Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, Logan Stanley, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Zach Metsa |
| Goaltenders | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon |
Previous Games
The Anaheim Ducks are in a strong position in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. After 68 games, Anaheim has recorded 37 wins, 27 losses, and four overtime losses. The Anaheim Ducks are currently 5-4-1 in their last ten matches, highlighting their impressive form. With home-ice advantage, the Ducks will be heading to make a win in their anticipated NHL game.
Similarly, the Buffalo Sabres are ranked among the top teams in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They have played 68 games and recorded 42 victories, 20 losses, and 6 overtime losses. In their last ten games, Buffalo has a 9-1-0 record in the NHL standings. The upcoming matchup will feature a cross-conference battle between two competitive teams.
The Pick: Anaheim Ducks
Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Predicted Lineups for Stars
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Jason Robertson, Sam Steel, Michael Bunting, Adam Erne, Wyatt Johnston, Matt Duchene, Justin Hryckowian, Oskar Back, Mavrik Bourque, Jamie Benn, Colin Blackwell, and Nathan Bastian |
| Defensemen | Esa Lindell, Thomas Harley, Lian Bichsel, Miro Heiskanen, Nils Lundkvist, and Tyler Myers |
| Goaltenders | Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith |
Predicted Lineups for Golden Knights
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Ivan Barbashev, Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden, Cole Smith, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Colton Sissons, Nic Dowd, Mark Stone, Mitch Marner, Braeden Bowman, and Keegan Kolesar |
| Defensemen | Brayden McNabb, Noah Hanifin, Jeremy Lauzon, Shea Theodore, Rasmus Andersson, and Kaedan Korczak |
| Goaltenders | Adin Hill and Akira Schmid |
Previous Games
The Dallas Stars grabbed a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in their most recent matchup. For Dallas, Jason Robertson recorded a goal, while Nathan Bastian contributed an assist. Meanwhile, Cale Makar scored a goal with one point for the Colorado Avalanche. The Dallas Stars have home-ice advantage and have a greater chance of winning in their anticipated games.
By contrast, the Vegas Golden Knights suffered a 2-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in their latest game. Josh Doan and Josh Norris each scored a goal for the Buffalo Sabres in the victory. On the other hand, the Vegas Golden Knights have failed to score in the game.
The Pick: Dallas Stars
New York Islanders vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
Date: March 22, 2026 (Sunday)
Time: 07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next Day)
Venue: UBS Arena in Elmont.
Predicted Lineups for Islanders
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Emil Heineman, Anthony Duclair, Anders Lee, Ondrej Palat, Bo Horvat, Brayden Schenn, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas, Mathew Barzal, Simon Holmstrom, Calum Ritchie, and Kyle MacLean |
| Defensemen | Matthew Schaefer, Adam Pelech, Carson Soucy, Ryan Pulock, Anthony DeAngelo, and Scott Mayfield |
| Goaltenders | Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich |
Predicted Lineups for Blue Jackets
| Position | Players |
| Forwards | Mason Marchment, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, Isac Lundestrom, Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan, Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, Kirill Marchenko, Conor Garland, Mathieu Olivier, and Danton Heinen |
| Defensemen | Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro, Damon Severson, Denton Mateychuk, and Erik Gudbranson |
| Goaltenders | Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins |
Previous Games
The New York Islanders currently sit in third place in the NHL standings. In their last ten games, New York has a 7-3-0 record, highlighting their tough recent form. The matchup between the New York Islanders and the Columbus Blue Jackets is a divisional clash in the Eastern Conference.
The Columbus has struggled in recent form, posting a 6-0-4 record in their last 10 games. They currently sit in fourth place with 81 points in the National Hockey League standings. After 67 matches, the Blue Jackets have recorded 35 wins, 21 losses, and 11 overtime losses this season.
The Pick: New York Islanders
Conclusion
As the season is making up for a busy time, the NHL regular season will conclude in April. The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs will start in April and end with the final champion. Which team will reach the final stage and win this season?
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