Which NHL teams could make postseason after missing last season?

The 2026 playoff field saw major turnover from 2025 as the Buffalo Sabres ended a record 14-season playoff drought, the Anaheim Ducks returned after seven years out and four other teams made the playoffs after missing a year earlier.

Among the six team that dropped out were the Toronto Maple Leafs, who tumbled after a nine-season playoff run. The Florida Panthers' back-to-back championship run also ended as major injuries kept them out of the playoffs.