First time in NHL history: NY Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins failed to clinch playoff spot

For the first time in NHL history, the NY Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins have all missed the playoffs. Their absence marks a big change in the NHL playoff picture this postseason.

It's primarily shocking as these teams have tasted success many times in the history of the league.

• Boston Bruins have won six Stanley Cups and have 77 playoff appearances.
• Pittsburgh Penguins have won 5 Stanley Cups and have 37 playoff appearances.
• NY Rangers have won 4 Stanley Cups and have 63 playoff appearances so far.

They have had strong lineups for several seasons, but this campaign, they all struggled.

The Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21. They had a strong start but faded in December. A poor power play and defensive mistakes hurt them. The team traded captain Jacob Trouba midseason, and despite adding J.T. Miller, it failed to recover in time.

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Goaltending issues and a weak defense played a big role. Sidney Crosby is leading the team in scoring again. He has scored 32 goals and 57 assists for 89 points, but the rest of the lineup failed to support him. It relied too much on its top forwards.

Meanwhile, the Bruins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. They lost key defensemen to injury early in the season and their offense could not make up for it. Scoring was a problem all year, with David Pastrnak the only consistent scorer. He has scored 42 goals and 60 points for 102 points this season.

Rangers, Penguins and Bruins can bounce back with changes

All three teams have reasons to stay hopeful. The Penguins have promising young players and many draft picks while the Bruins made several trades to build for the future, including their captain, Brad Marchand.

The NY Rangers still have a top goalie in Igor Shesterkin. They signed him to an eight-year $92 million contract in December. It carries an AAV of $11.5 million, making him the highest-paid NHL goalie. Additionally, their young forwards have also gained important experience.

This season was tough for the fans of these teams. However, changes could bring better results next year as each franchise has talent to build around. They also have cap space and draft picks, so next season may look different.