Saturday’s games officially sealed the fate of three storied NHL franchises—the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers. For the first time ever, all three teams will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the same season, a historic low point confirmed on April 12.
The Bruins have been out of contention for some time and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 32-39-9 record, marking their lowest win total since 2005. A 10-game losing streak, a roster depleted of top talent after the trade deadline, and the midseason firing of head coach Jim Montgomery all contributed to their downfall. Trading longtime captain Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers only deepened their struggles.
The Penguins (33-35-12) haven’t fared any better. With two games remaining, they’re guaranteed to miss the playoffs for a third straight year and will finish with their fewest wins in 20 years. Despite the presence of veteran star Sidney Crosby, the NHL’s oldest team appears to be headed for a full-scale rebuild.
As for the Rangers (37-36-7), their playoff hopes officially ended with a 7–3 defeat to the Hurricanes on Saturday. Following last season’s Presidents’ Trophy win, the team has underwhelmed, with just 11 wins in 40 games against playoff-bound opponents and a recent 4-6 skid, extending their championship drought to 31 years.
Though all three franchises boast rich playoff legacies—the Bruins and Rangers as Original Six teams and the Penguins as a recent powerhouse—their simultaneous fall in 2025 marks a stunning and unprecedented moment in NHL history. Collectively, the trio has claimed 15 Stanley Cup titles.
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