The opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was a thrilling one for hockey fans, so just before we pivot entirely into our coverage of Round 2 and beyond, here's Rory Boylen taking one last look back at Round 1 with some things we learned out of the gate, including the fact that having a second goalie is more important now than it ever has been.

The 16 teams that missed the Stanley Cup playoffs will have to plan for adjustment this off-season. Rory Boylen highlights one question each team that missed the post-season will have to answer this summer.

The Ducks won't be a pushover for the Oilers in the first round. Rory Boylen previews what's shaping up to be a tense series.

Now that we know who's heading to the dance, it's worth looking at how they got there. Rory Boylen analyzes how each team's trade deadline impacted their playoff race.

While Friday is a rare quiet night in the NHL without any games scheduled, that allowed Rory Boylen to take a step back and look at what's at stake as we get set for a huge weekend of games ahead, filled with playoff implications.

The road to the playoffs is much more congested this year than it was in 2025, but who doesn't love some late-season drama? Rory Boylen makes the case for each team sitting on the playoff bubble.