The regular season is in the books and the playoff matchups are officially set ahead of postseason puck drop on Thursday. That means it’s time for the league’s innovative rule book to really shine — let’s brush up.

The first rule of the playoffs is to stay in the playoffs, but that’s easier said than done. As the first round rages on in both the NHL and NBA here’s a round-up of the eliminated teams and the squads who could be next.

All eight teams are in action during tomorrow’s four-game regular-season finale — and there’s a lot at stake ahead of puck drop. No time to waste — let’s skate to it.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs feature 16 of the league’s 32 teams — eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference. The top three teams in each division (Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East; Central and Pacific in the West), along with the two next-best teams in each conference (the Wild Cards) complete the 16-team field.

We’re officially in the homestretch of the NHL regular season, but only two squads have punched their tickets to the 16-team Stanley Cup Playoff, which begins on April 18th. Here’s the tale of two conferences.

Ally and Scripps Sports are teaming up to present the PWHL’s first-ever nationally televised game in the U.S. on March 28th. This Takeover Tour stop in Detroit will give the PWHL the chance to reach more than 126M households via Scripps Sports network Ion, home to the NWSL, WNBA, and the upcoming SI Women’s Games.

It’s hard to believe the Milano Cortina Olympics ended just over a week ago — unless you look at the PWHL and NHL injury reports. With the second half of both seasons underway, superstars from the hockey leagues find themselves sidelined by injuries sustained while competing for their countries in Milan.

We’ve seen Olympic popularity spark the growth of year-round leagues, from track & field to fencing. However, the best example may be women’s hockey: As recently as 2022, there was ongoing debate about whether women’s hockey belonged at the Olympics, but the PWHL is helping rewrite the narrative.

Hockey heartbreak likes company, apparently, after the worst kind of déjà vu saw Team Canada men’s hockey fall 2–1 in overtime to Team USA in yesterday’s gold medal game. Whichever stage of grief you’re experiencing, another red-and-white–clad fan is right there with you.

Hearts shattered across the Great White North yesterday as Team Canada women’s hockey fell 2–1 to Team USA in overtime of the gold medal game. It certainly wasn’t the outcome Canadians wanted, but still a thrilling battle despite the odds. Always proud.