Three Playoff Teams Who Could Fall Out in 2026

In the NHL, or any sport really, there are always at least a few playoff teams who miss the postseason the very next year. With the movement around the league this summer, and more to come in the near future, that's sure to hold true this year.

Here are three NHL teams who could fall out of the postseason in 2026.

3. Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens were one of the NHL's most pleasant surprises last season, as their young core showed its potential and they made the playoffs for the first time since 2021. They lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in five games, but it was a good sign of growth for a team that needed something positive.

Montreal's placement on this list isn't really an indictment of the team, but they're here because someone had to be here. The Eastern Conference is tough, and the team that only barely squeaked into the playoffs could find itself in danger next season. That said, the Canadiens could very easily take the next step forward and emerge as a more serious contender as well.

2. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings have essentially been in purgatory for a while now, as they've lost in the first round to the Edmonton Oilers for four years in a row. They clearly wanted to make some big moves this offseason to shake things up, but their decisions were, to put it mildly, questionable.

New general manager Ken Holland signed Cody Ceci and Brian Dumolin — two defensemen in their early 30s who have struggled over the past few years, the former especially — to multi-year deals with combined cap hits of $8.5 million. Meanwhile, the additions of Corey Perry and Joel Armia up front don't seem to move the needle that much.

If anything, it feels like Los Angeles got worse this offseason, and that's bad news for a team that hasn't made it out of the first round since 2014.

1. Washington Capitals

The Capitals may have earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season with 111 points, but there were always doubts about them as a true contender. Those concerns were proven right when they lost in the second round to the Carolina Hurricanes in only five games.

Of course, the major question surrounding Washington is whether or not Alex Ovechkin, who turns 40 in September, can continue playing at an elite level. The NHL's all-time leading goal-scorer definitely wants to go out with a bang in what could very well be his final season, but can he at his age?

Aside from that, the Capitals didn't really do anything noteworthy this offseason. So unless all of their players that had career seasons last year continue playing at yhe same level, a regression is likely in store for this team.