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Who wants to win vs. who has to win? It's the 2025 NHL playoff pressure rankings

Related Topics: Stanley Cup playoffs

We’re a few days into the playoffs. Have you had a chance to unclench yet?

Probably not. And you probably won’t for a while yet, because this is the time of year when everything that happens feels massive. We watch a game, or a period, or a shift. We overreact. And then something else happens, and we either double down or swing all the way in the other direction. It’s both the best and worst part of the playoffs, all rolled into one.

In one word: Pressure. It’s unbearable. And that’s just for us, as fans. Imagine what it’s like for the teams in the middle of it.