Zero.
That’s how many New York-area hockey teams are playing in April. Zero playoff games at MSG. Zero playoff games at UBS Arena. Zero at Prudential Center. The Rangers, Islanders, and Devils all missed the 2026 NHL playoffs — the first time that’s happened since the Devils joined the league in 1982. Forty-four years of at least one New York team in the postseason, gone.
This isn’t a rebuilding story. Don’t let anyone sell you that.
The Rangers finished 33-39-9. Last in the Eastern Conference. Two years ago they won the Presidents’ Trophy with 114 points and went to the Conference Finals. Two. Years. Ago. “We went from Presidents’ Trophy to last in the East in two years. This isn’t a slump, this is a fire sale.” That Reddit comment isn’t hyperbole — it’s just accurate.
The timeline of this disaster is almost impressive. Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin went down at the same time on January 5. Over the next 13 games, the Rangers went 2-11-0 and gave up 4.62 goals per game. GM Chris Drury sent fans a “retool” letter on January 16 — midseason — which is essentially the organization raising the white flag while the games are still being played. Then Panarin got traded to LA on February 4 after being told he wouldn’t be re-signed. The season was over before February.
Their home record was 9-18-7 at MSG. Second-worst in the entire NHL. They got shut out in their first three home games of the year. Didn’t win at home until November 10.
Mike Sullivan’s postgame after elimination: “Nobody’s thrilled with where we’re at. We’re doing everything we can to try and instill a certain standard here that we can build on moving forward.”
That’s it. That’s the whole vision for next year.
I believe that this is the first time that all three NY Metro area NHL teams have missed the playoffs.
Islanders, Rangers and Devils all miss.
— Ariel Cohen (@ATCNY) April 13, 2026
The Devils went 8-1 to open the year, which was somehow the cruelest thing they could do to their fanbase — make everyone believe before the wheels came completely off. Per BlueLineStation’s season retrospective, Jacob Markstrom posted a .883 save percentage — fourth-worst among goalies with 40+ starts all season. Jack Hughes cut his hand at a team dinner and needed surgery. The Devils finished with 72 points. The Islanders were sitting inside the top three in the Metro Division as late as March 1, then went 8-12 down the stretch and lost six of their final seven. They missed the cut by seven points. Rebuilding is not a bad word when it’s true, but blowing a seven-point cushion in the final month is just choking.
Here’s what the league cannot paper over: New York is the NHL’s largest market. Three franchises. The most media infrastructure of any sports city in the country. And in April 2026, there is not a single NHL playoff game being played within 50 miles of Manhattan. The ratings implications alone should be keeping Gary Bettman up at night. No New York storyline. No local market energy. No casual fans getting pulled in because their team is still alive. The NHL has spent two decades trying to crack major American markets and right now its flagship market is completely dark.
Drury said the team needs to “retool, as opposed to rebuild.” That distinction matters only if you actually execute the retool. Right now it’s just a word in a letter.
The 2026 playoffs tip off without the Rangers, without the Islanders, without the Devils. New York sent zero hockey teams to the postseason. The NHL’s official 2026 playoff bracket confirms it — all 16 spots filled, none from the tri-state area. Every other fan base gets April hockey. We get the draft lottery.
At least we’ll have a good pick.