What is up with the NHL Playoffs?

What a crazy first seven days in the NHL Playoffs it has been. Close games, lots of controversy, and a couple of surprising sweeps potentially to be completed tonight have made this one of the most memorable first-rounds in NHL Playoff history.

We all know close games are bound to happen in the post-season, but this year has been exceptionally close. As of today (Wednesday April 18^th), there have been 25 games played in the post-season, and only two of them have been decided by more than two goals, both coming in the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia series (8-5 and 8-4 wins for Philadelphia). 16 of the games have been one-goal differences, 8 games have gone into overtime, and there have been three 1-0 shutout victories.

Along with these close games have come a plethora of controversial plays and what appears to be a stiff increase in penalties.

Take into consideration that in the regular season there was an average of 22.4 penalty minutes a game, while in the first 25 games of the playoffs, that number has increased to 34.6 penalty minutes a game. There have been 24 major penalties, 10 misconducts, 11 game misconducts and a pair of match penalties. All that’s missing is the partridge in the pear tree and you complete the image of a circus that has come to symbolize this first round.

16 games have been handed out in suspensions by the NHL’s Brendan Shanahan, but it’s a common sentiment that even this is becoming a joke; take for example the incidents in the New York Rangers-Ottawa Senators game from Saturday night. Matt Carkner of the Sens landed a series of punches on a hapless Brian Boyle, who didn’t drop his own gloves to defend himself. Carkner gets one game.

In that same game, Chris Phillips of the Sens lands what appeared to be an unintentional elbow on Ryan Callahan behind the Ottawa net. No penalty, no suspension.

Still in that game, Carl Hagelin elbows Ottawa’s Daniel Alfredsson, and earns a three-game suspension. Justice has been served, right Shanny?

Also on Saturday (Saturday was just a crazy night), a brawl erupted at the final buzzer of the St Louis-San Jose game, and during that brawl Roman Polak of the Blues and Dominic Moore of the Sharks got into a tussle. Polak had Moore down on the ice, and one of the linesmen was in between them, trying to separate the two of them (Polak has nearly 50 lbs in weight on Moore). Polak, undeterred, took a sucker punch swipe at the defenceless Moore, breaking the Sharks’ forward’s nose in the process. No suspension. Justice once again serves the righteous.

On Saturday night alone, I counted a total of five elbows to the head (2 in Ottawa-New York, 2 in San Jose-St Louis, and 1 in Phoenix-Chicago). Of these five incidents, only two merited hearings, resulting in Hagelin’s suspension and a similar three-game suspension for Chicago’s Andrew Shaw.

Shanahan, who started out his first campaign as the suspension dealer ruling with an iron fist, handing out nine suspensions (60 games in suspensions) in the pre-season alone. Yes, he’s had to give out some suspensions already in the playoffs, but he’s become very inconsistent with his suspensions.

With all that out of the way, here’s a short glance at each series as they stand before Wednesday’s matchups.

Note: in listing the game results, the higher-ranking team appears first in the scores.

New York Rangers (1) vs Ottawa Senators (8) (NYR lead 2-1)

Game 1: 4-2, Game 2: 2-3 (OT), Game 3: 1-0

Already this series has been closer than most have expected, with the high-flying Rangers disappointing in a way through the first three games. If it wasn’t for Henrik Lundqvist’s exceptional play between the pipes in game three, Ottawa would have been the one ahead 2-1 in the series. Ottawa’s tough, gritty play in game two was the difference in the Sens’ victory, and it is vital that they find that toughness again tonight in game four to avoid being put on the brink of elimination.

Jason Spezza needs to be better for Ottawa, as he was nonexistent in game three, and Sergei Gonchar needs to really step his game up. Most of the Rangers’ goals in the series have come off of horrendous defensive efforts (or lack thereof) on his part. The afore-mentioned Brian Boyle has been the series difference-maker offensively, scoring in all three games including the only goal in game three. Think he has many fans in Ottawa?

Boston Bruins (2) vs Washington Capitals (3) (Bos lead 2-1)

Game 1: 1-0 (OT), Game 2: 1-2 (2OT), Game 3: 4-3

The story of this series has been the play of Braden Holtby in net for Washington. Through the first two games (including an overtime in game one and double overtime in game two), Holtby only allowed two Boston goals before the Bruins were able to really solve him in game three.  The Lloydminster native has had improved help up front, as after being stymied in the first game and struggling in the second, they found their groove in game three with a couple of nice goals. Milan Lucic continues to be a difference maker, whether you love him or hate him, and same goes for Bruins netminder Tim Thomas. If these two continue to play the way they’re playing, it looks like they’ll carry the Bruins into the second round.

This has been one of the lesser-penalized series, with only 66 penalty minutes combined (five teams have more penalty minutes on their own), but don’t let that fool you. This series is just as intense and just as hard-fought. If Alex Ovechkin and Brooks Laich can continue to work their chemistry, this series could go a lot longer than people might have predicted.

Florida Panthers (3) vs New Jersey Devils (6) (Fla leads 2-1)

Game 1: 2-3, Game 2: 4-2, Game 3: 4-3

This series is otherwise known as “the series which nobody really cares about but is kind of interested in anyway but still won’t watch it.” Despite the low billing, this series is still one that could realistically go either way. Florida took the series lead after overcoming a 3-0 first period deficit in game three, after almost overcoming the same deficit in game one. In addition, New Jersey in game two almost overcame a 3-0 deficit before falling 4-2.

Good goaltending at both ends by both teams’ backup goalies in game three (both starters were pulled after allowing three goals) complements the strong goaltending provided by the starters in games one and two, while the scoring has been relatively balanced. Florida’s Sean Bergenheim leads the series with two goals and two assists for four points. His offensive skill was huge in advancing Tampa Bay to the Eastern Conference Final last season, and Florida will be relying on him again if they hope to advance to the second round.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs Philadelphia Flyers (5) (Phi leads 3-0)

Game 1: 3-4 (OT), Game 2: 5-8, Game 3: 4-8

This series has had literally everything. Ok, not literally, there has been no partridge in a pear tree, but at this point one of those appearing in the series wouldn’t surprise me. Pittsburgh has already received more game misconducts in this series (two) than in the entire regular season combined (one) and have gone from 10.7 penalty minutes per game in the regular season to 32.3 in the playoffs. They have also lost more games to suspension (six) than they did in the regular season (five). This complete lack of composure and discipline has really been their demise, along with poor goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury. Not to be outdone, but less in the bullseye, is Flyers’ netminder Ilya Bryzgalov, who has made some of the best saves of the playoffs, but has by no means played well for a full game yet.

The penalty-filled series, while at 3-0, might yet be far from over. However, Sidney Crosby and his Penguins have got to reel in their emotions and remember what discipline is; for the twelfth least-penalized team in the league during the regular season, they shouldn’t have forgotten that quickly what it’s like to play a discipline game. Easier said than done, especially when going up against Scott Hartnell and the rest of the Flyers, none of whom Crosby likes according to his post-game interview after game three. Whatever happens, the final one to four games of the series will be exciting to watch and will likely continue on its physical, nasty path to the second round.

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs Los Angeles Kings (8) (LA lead 3-0)

Game 1: 2-4, Game 2: 4-2, Game 3: 1-0

I don’t want to be that guy who says it, but isn’t it strange that the closest game of the series happened with Cory Schneider in goal for Vancouver? With Roberto Luongo in goal for games one and two, the Canucks struggled to get anything going for them. Not to attribute their imminent demise to one player, because Luongo has only been one ailment in the big picture. Three shorthanded goals in the first two games by Los Angeles were brutal blows in those games, and again not to attribute failures on one player, but the absence of Daniel Sedin has severely hurt the Canucks, especially on the powerplay. With such a top—heavy powerplay, and such a big drop-off between their first and second units, it’s no wonder they’re struggling. It also hasn’t helped that Vancouver seem more concerned with what they say between the play or after games than what they do during the play itself.  

Jonathan Quick has been marvelous in goal for the Kings, and he has had lots of help up front, with Dustin Brown emerging as the leader on the ice for the underdogs. Drew Doughty hasn’t been anything overly special on the back end, but looks like he is starting to re-discover the form that earned him rave reviews at the 2010 Olympics. This one will be over quickly, as many predicted; the only problem is that for many predictors, it’s the wrong team who will be winning this series.

St Louis Blues (2) vs San Jose Sharks (7) (StL lead 2-1)

Game 1: 2-3 (OT), Game 2: 3-0, Game 3: 4-3

I thought going into the playoffs that this would be the most fun series of the eight to watch, and it has not disappointed. With two very big, physically imposing teams going at it, it’s also had a little bit of everything. After Jaroslav Halak got injured in game two, Brian Elliott has stepped in admirably, keeping the two-headed monster in goal alive for St Louis. The play of St Louis’s centres is crucial to their success, and their top three have been spectacular. David Backes, Patrik Berglund and Jason Arnott have combined for five goals, and have been the strong point for the Blues in the series. Their mantra all season has been strong defensive play and a balanced scoring attack, and they’re showing it off through the first three games.

For San Jose, they need to break out of their offensive struggles soon if they have any hope of advancing. Many thought they might flourish in an underdog role, with less pressure on them in the postseason, but so far they have underachieved, especially when it comes to their star players like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski and Dan Boyle. None of these players have found the back of the net in the series, which will have to change if the Sharks want to take a bite out of St Louis. Otherwise San Jose will be singing the Blues for the off-season (yes, those were intentional puns).

Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs Chicago Blackhawks (6) (Phx lead 2-1)

Game 1: 3-2 (OT), Game 2: 3-4 (OT), Game 3: 3-2 (OT)

No, those aren’t typos above, all three games in this series have needed more than 60 minutes to decide the winner. This shows how close the series is, and how close it could continue to be. Chicago fans have to be concerned with Corey Crawford’s confidence after the weak goal he allowed which gave Phoenix the win in game three, while at the other end of the ice Mike Smith has been sharp for the Coyotes. Both team’s best players have been their best players, and the supporting cast has been just as good throughout the first three games.

It’s going to be an interesting next couple of games in the series, as they wrap up in Chicago and move back to Phoenix. The intensity of the series hit a new level on Tuesday night, as Crawford and Smith had a staredown after the second period, and Raffi Torres leveled Marian Hossa, sending the Hawks winger to the hospital. Torres has been suspended indefinitely for the hit, and will have a hearing on Friday to determine his future. His absence, along with revenge in the mind of the Blackhawks, could be a spark to a Chicago team which is also looking to take advantage of an underdog role.

Nashville Predators (4) vs Detroit Red Wings (5) (Nsh lead 3-1)

Game 1: 3-2, Game 2: 2-3, Game 3: 3-2, Game 4: 3-1

The only series past three games at this point is the only one in which it is the goalie who is stealing the series for his team. Nothing against Nashville’s offence, which has produced when needed, but Nashville really had no business winning game four, being outshot 41-17 and spending much of the game chasing Detroit around in their own end. Pekka Rinne has been simply unbelievable for the Preds, making several spectacular saves and providing the people in the Music City a legitimate hope of a deep Cup run. With the series shifting back to Smashville for game five, it is going to be an intense and awesome environment as the Preds look to end the series and avoid another trip to Hockeytown.

Kevin Klein has stepped up from the back end to provide the Predators with some offence, scoring in the last two games, and David Legwand and Gabriel Bourque have been steady contributors in the series as well. Detroit needs better goaltending from Jimmy Howard, who found himself out of position on a couple of Nashville goals. He could also benefit from some help in front of him, as several times Nashville’s skaters have been either unimpeded in on goal or have been wide open in the scoring areas in the slot. Rinne definitely gives Nashville an edge, and with home ice in the next game it would not be surprising to see the series end in five games.

"Playoffs? Playoffs?!" The NHL's now-forgotten teams

With the NHL Playoffs set to begin tonight, the focus of the hockey world shifts onto 16 teams looking to make it to the month of June and emerge victorious with the Stanley Cup. But what about the other 14 teams? Well, for one short half an hour last night, five of the non-playoff teams were in the spotlight, as the NHL Draft Lottery took place, with Edmonton emerging victorious (is it really a victory though?) for the third year in a row with the first overall pick.

Since these 14 other teams will be getting absolutely no love over the next two months, it’s time to pay them a little respect by looking at what went wrong, how they can be improved, and early (really early) expectations.

Here are my thoughts on the 14 non-playoff teams, arranged in order from worst to, well, least-worst.

Columbus Blue Jackets

What went wrong: Their off-season acquisitions didn’t pan out. James Wisniewski wasn’t what they thought he’d be on the blueline, and Jeff Carter was traded at the deadline. And there was that whole thing with Rick Nash asking to be traded, and the GM leaving him out to dry by telling everyone that after the trade deadline. Nash is still a Blue Jacket for the time being, but it is widely expected that he will be traded in the summer months.

How they can be improved: More depth up front. If Nash stays in Columbus, he needs someone else who can score. They improved themselves on the back end by acquiring defenceman Jack Johnson in the Carter trade, but help up front is the big issue.

Expectations for 2012-13: Steve Mason, who struggled in net for the Jackets this season, should have a bounce-back season, but with the imminent departure of Nash, it might be another long season for Columbus. Expect to see them near the bottom of the West once again.

Edmonton Oilers

What went wrong: It’s tough to pinpoint one thing that went wrong, but inconsistency sure cost the Oil kids a bunch. They’re also a really young team, which might lead to some fans calling this year an “experience year” for the Oilers.

How they can be improved: Trading the first pick would be the smart thing to do; every young core needs that veteran piece to the puzzle. Ryan Smyth and Shawn Horcoff can be that, but they still need an established scorer. Jaromir Jagr is one potential free agent to keep in mind.

Expectations for 2012-13: Devan Dubnyk emerged late in the season as a more confident goalie than he’s been in the past. He might unseat Nikolai Khabibulin as the perennial starter, and the Oilers could actually make a run at the playoffs next year instead of find themselves in the draft lottery again.

Montreal Canadiens

What went wrong: Oh boy, where to begin. The fact that Carey Price, in a hugely underachieving season, was their only All-Star, speaks volumes to how bad a season it was in Montreal. A lack of scoring depth for much of the season, and little to no depth on the blueline at times were the weaknesses.

How they can be improved: Scoring depth at forward and a couple of solid blueliners in front of Price would be good to add. Sounds easy, right? Well when the team is looking for a new GM (preferably bilingual) and a new Head Coach (also preferably bilingual) things might be a little tougher than they seem in Montreal. Oh, and ditching Scott Gomez and his ludicrous contract would be a good place to start.

Expectations for 2012-13: Unfortunately, unless Price absolutely stands on his head all season, I anticipate much of the same next season for the Habs.

New York Islanders

What went wrong: Again, like Edmonton, it’s hard to find something that really went wrong with New York; maybe it’s because we’re just so accustomed to seeing them fail that we don’t really watch for anything.

How they can be improved: With some of the best young forwards in the league, John Tavares being the leader, a stronger defensive unit might be in order for the Isles.

Expectations for 2012-13: I think they’ll do better than this year for sure; maybe even a top-ten finish in the East?

Toronto Maple Leafs

What went wrong: They completely collapsed when the calendar turned from 2011 to 2012. Goaltending became a huge problem which was highlighted late in the season when the Leafs were losing games with scores like 6-5 and 7-4.

How they can be improved: Goaltending goaltending goaltending. Brian Burke, the team’s GM, has already said goaltending and team size are the two main issues to be addressed in the off-season, something many thought they’d do at the deadline, but didn’t.

Expectations for 2012-13: Unless they can sign a stud goaltender through free agency, they’re in for another unsuccessful season. Unfortunately for them, the only big-name starting goalie free agent under the age of 35 is their own Jonas Gustavsson. Good luck with the lottery next year, Toronto.

Anaheim Ducks

What went wrong: A really slow start to the season. They basically pulled an anti-Leafs, because as soon as 2012 came around they were on a tear. They were actually in the playoff race briefly before the rest of the Pacific Division took off, but that slow start to the season really set them back.

How they can be improved: Consistency, especially between the pipes from Jonas Hiller, and from their blueline as well. Their top forwards, namely Ryan Getzlaf, need to play to their full potential as well.

Expectations for 2012-13: Their players who had down seasons (Getzlaf, Hiller) will bounce back. If they can reel Teemu Selanne back for another kick at the can, they’ll definitely make a push for the playoffs under Bruce Boudreau.

Minnesota Wild

What went wrong: A collapse of Leaf-like proportions. In November-December 2011, the Wild were on top of the league standings. An injury to goaltender Nicklas Backstrom derailed their season, as their defensive strategy wasn’t as successful.

How they can be improved: Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Devin Setoguchi and Mikko Koivu all had bad seasons, so their bouncing back is huge. Backstrom staying healthy is obviously a big factor too, but the acquisition of defenceman Tom Gilbert shored up their blueline.

Expectations for 2012-13: In an always-competitive Northwest Division, it’s going to be tough for the Wild, especially against young up-and-comers like Edmonton and Colorado. Expect them to be at the basement of the division, but not quite at the conference’s bottom.

Carolina Hurricanes

What went wrong: Their stars weren’t their stars until late in the season. Eric Staal had a nightmarish start, with a plus-minus rating lower than the top five scores at the Masters combined. Cam Ward didn’t find his groove until February, and Jeff Skinner, last year’s Rookie of the Year, was out for about two months with a concussion.

How they can be improved: In all honesty, if the Hurricanes can add one piece on the blueline, and stay healthy, they’ll be more than alright in a lacklustre Southeast Division.

Expectations for 2012-13: The Hurricanes have a great chance of winning their division. Not joking.

Winnipeg Jets

What went wrong: After a surprising start to the season, the Jets faltered. They were in a playoff spot until late February, and a disappointing March led to their demise. Having the 24^th-ranked penalty kill didn’t help very much, and though Ondrej Pavelec played well down the stretch, he did struggle in December and January, and didn’t get a lot of help in front of him at times.

How they can be improved: More consistency from their blueline; picking up someone like Brad Stuart or Dennis Wideman through free agency would be beneficial. Another solid scoring threat like Zach Parise would help, or maybe they’ll do the unthinkable and bring Shane Doan back to the Peg. With around 20 million in spending money at their disposal, the Jets aren’t in a bad position.

Expectations for 2012-13: While Jets fans will look at my comment of their division as “lacklustre” with disgust, they will be happier when I say I think they could challenge for the division title in 2012-13.

Tampa Bay Lightning

What went wrong: Our third Southeast team in a row, and just like the Hurricanes, found their groove too late in the season. Questionable goaltending and anemic defensive play plagued the Lightning for much of the season.

How they can be improved: Easy, they need a goalie and a healthy defence corps. They’ve got the scoring up front with Steven Stamkos scoring 60 times this season, and Teddy Purcell emerging at the season’s end with Ryan Malone. Some support behind these stellar forwards is much-needed.

Expectations for 2012-13: Like the Canes and Jets, they have a shot at winning the division. Which by my math makes five teams who have great chances at winning the Southeast division. The division has five teams. Hmmm

Colorado Avalanche

What went wrong: Another team which found itself in a slow start to the season, but again it’s hard to pinpoint where they really went wrong. The ninth best powerplay was complemented by the twelfth best penalty kill, spearheaded by rookie Gabriel Landeskog. Failure to beat the teams higher in the standings can be credited to their not making the playoffs.

How they can be improved: Experience; the Avalanche are a young team with lots of players who emerged from the woodwork this season. And they still almost made the playoffs.

Expectations for 2012-13: The Avalanche will be fine next season, but in the competitive Western Conference it might be tough for them to crack the top eight again.

Buffalo Sabres

What went wrong: A terrible start to the season set the Sabres way back, and although they staged a late comeback in the season, it was way too late to make up for Ryan Miller’s slow start. Also, paying Ville Leino a lot of money seemed to spook him, as he underachieved big time.

How they can be improved: They just need their scoring forwards to score, and they’ll be fine in a weakening Northeast Division.

Expectations for 2012-13: Ryan Miller will have a bounce-back season for sure; one of the best goalies in the world won’t just curl up and fade away that easily. Watch for the Sabres to be their normal playoff selves again next season.

Dallas Stars

What went wrong: Chalk this one up to being in the best overall division in hockey. Let’s face it, you could be a really good team but it won’t matter if you’re in a division with Anaheim, Phoenix, San Jose and Los Angeles.

How they can be improved: They have to be better against their own division. A .500 record against their fellow Pacific Division isn’t going to cut it.

Expectations for 2012-13: This season the Pacific Division title went all the way down to the final day of the regular season; as of a week before the season ended, the Stars still had a shot at the spot before being eliminated during the last week. Next year, they’ll be right back in that mix once again.

Calgary Flames

What went wrong: A lack of real offence hurt the Flames, as Jarome Iginla once again put the team’s scoring on his back and was a major percentage of the team’s offence. Miikka Kiprusoff did his best sieve impression at times as well in goal, not helping the Flames’ cause.

How they can be improved: Secondary offence is going to be crucial if the Flames want to make the playoffs next season.

Expectations for 2012-13: I expect the Flames to make a big splash in free agency, and make a push for that elusive eighth spot. And to be honest, it would be nice to see a Northwest team other than Vancouver make the playoffs…

Ode to the Sleepers and Stinkers

There’s nothing I love more than watching sports analysts be proven wrong. I don’t know why, and it’s strange considering I am a budding sports journalist who one day hopes to be one of these analysts. There’s just some weird, undiscovered pleasure to be found when a team proves one of these guys wrong.

Going into every NHL season, the so-called “experts” make their picks and predictions as to who will win each division, and who will qualify in a playoff spot, and so on and so forth. And every year there’s a few teams who just screw everything up, whether it’s by being a feel-good story taking everyone by surprise, or a team who just manages to stink it up. This week I salute those sleepers and call out the stinkers, and thank them for disrupting the experts since, well, as long as there’s been experts to disrupt.

Eastern Conference

Sleepers

Florida Panthers – who would have picked this group to be leading the Southeast division right now? For the past few years it’s almost been a gimme pick to have Washington atop the divisional standings as a pre-season prediction, but led offensively by Kris Versteeg and helped by Brian Campbell from the blueline, it seems as though Florida is set to take the division. It doesn’t hurt that Jose Theodore has managed to re-discover what it’s like to be an adequate goaltender, and he’s been in net for 19 of the Panthers’ 32 wins this season. A no-name group of players for sure, but one which is ready to de-throne Washington as perennial division champions.

New Jersey Devils – Every year the Devils are picked to be out of the playoff picture, and every year they make playoffs. This year will be no different, as once again the Devils give the metaphorical middle finger to all those doubters. They won’t win the Atlantic division (Rangers, Penguins and Flyers are all ahead of them in the standings), but they’ll still provide an interesting playoff matchup for whoever they play. Ilya Kovalchuk is maintaining his superstar status, while the ageless wonder Martin Brodeur is still, yes still backstopping Jersey to a respectable playoff position. In all likelihood, they’ll finish sixth, but there is a chance they could catch Philadelphia for fifth place in the East. Take that, doubters!

Ottawa Senators – Rank these kids right up there with Florida as surprise team of the year. Not many could have seen the Sens in any type of playoff position in September, with such a young team on the ice every night. However this group of kids has had the right type of veteran leadership provided by Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza, and Erik Karlsson could very well be the next great NHL superstar defenceman. Craig Anderson has been steady all season, and Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop have stepped up well in his relief recently. A balanced offensive outburst aided by players like Chris Neil and Zack Smith has allowed Ottawa to find themselves comfortably in sixth place in the East, where they will likely end up. And don’t even try and tell me Paul MacLean’s moustache has nothing to do with their success this year…

Winnipeg Jets – So I know right now the Jets are in tenth in the East, four points behind Washington; but did anyone predict they would be anywhere near this spot? None of the experts did, but I bet the city of Winnipeg saw this coming. Ok, maybe not even they saw it coming, but that’s beside the point, which is that Winnipeg is still realistically in the playoff race. Right in the middle of it. Andrew Ladd’s leadership and the fanbase of Winnipeg have spurred the Jets on all season long, and while they’ve stumbled recently it isn’t because of goaltending. Ondrej Pavelec has been outstanding recently, allowing the former Atlanta Thrashers, who had only made playoffs once in their franchise’s history, to find themselves with a shot. A team essentially ignored by the experts at the beginning of the season has proven they have what it takes to prove these experts wrong, so I salute you Winnipeg!

Stinkers

Washington Capitals – At times this season it seems like the Capitals can’t buy a goal. Which brings me to this thought, which is that they’re paying Alexander Semin way too much money. A coaching change mid-season hasn’t brought about a change in their success, although they do now find themselves in the eighth playoff spot. Still, in a division with teams like Florida and Tampa Bay, you’d think Alexander Ovechkin’s Caps would be able to run away with the division. You would think.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Again, a team making a late-season charge at a playoff spot, but it might be too little, too late for the Lightning, who seemed destined to be a playoff team after making it all the way to the Conference Final  a year ago. Dwayne Roloson hasn’t been the same goalie, and Steven Stamkos has only recently turned on the little goal light in his head that makes him score on a regular basis. Too bad really, they seemed like they were about to challenge for the Southeast division title…

Toronto Maple Leafs – As if you thought they were actually going to make playoffs. Shame on you if you did.

Western Conference

Sleepers

St Louis Blues – Can you believe that the Blues are first overall in the NHL? Can you believe that nobody would have thought that at the beginning of the year? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you’re definitely not alone. Incredible goaltending from Jaro Halak and Brian Elliott has boosted the Blues in the standings all season long, and now they find themselves on top. They don’t have a point-per-game player, but they do have eight players with double-digit goals, showing that any player can contribute offensively on any given night. They’re sure giving these experts the Blues now.

Dallas Stars – Yes, Dallas, the team of the NHL’s best players you’ve never heard of. In the media vacuum that is hockey in Texas, players like Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson provide the offensive spark, while Michael Ryder has scored 30 goals for the first time in five years. Kari Lehtonen has been rock-solid in net for the Pacific-leading Stars, who only lead the division by two points, yet are 9-0-1 in their last ten. If they stay on this roll, playoff hockey will be coming to Texas once again. Not that anybody there really cares.

Phoenix Coyotes – it is truly amazing how this ragtag team of rejects does it year after year. They’re in seventh in the West right now, only two points back of the Pacific Division lead, and they’re doing it with players like Radim Vrbata and Ray Whitney leading the charge. Vrbata, who went through five teams in nine years before finding a home in the desert, Whitney, who had played for six different teams and is now 39 years old. Up and down the roster, you can find players who you remember scoring goals for some other team five years ago, and who you hadn’t heard from in a couple of seasons. Well, they’re emerging (sort of) now in Phoenix, and thriving under Dave Tippett’s coaching. When all is said and done, the team will likely make playoffs for the third year in a row, once again likely amidst rumours of relocation and ownership changes. Take that, experts!

Colorado Avalanche – Oh, those pesky Avalanche, always screwing things up in the Northwest division. Experts tend to take the sexier picks like Calgary, or even this year Edmonton (good one), but the Avs are showing they can never be counted out. Or maybe they should always be counted out, because that’s when they’ve thrived recently. Winners of seven of their last ten, and winners of seventeen games in 2012, the Avalanche are currently holding down eighth spot in the Western playoff picture, ahead of perennial playoff teams like San Jose and Anaheim. A playoff spot would look good on this group, led offensively by a young man named Ryan O’Reilly (sure he’s no Burnaby Joe, but the kid’s got talent).

Stinkers

Los Angeles Kings – I remember one of TSN’s “experts” prior to the season commenting how the Kings were going to have no problem finding offence this season, and the only question mark would be their goaltending. Well, the Kings can now laugh heartily in this “expert’s” egg-covered face, because you guessed it, the opposite has happened! LA has had no luck offensively this season, and goalie Jonathan Quick has single-handedly been what has kept them in the playoff race for so long. They’re not completely out of it (yet), but they desperately need to find that lost offence really soon if they want to have a chance. Nobody knows how to take an expert’s prediction to heart like the LA Kings, they really showed that guy!

San Jose Sharks – Again, a team not completely out of it, sitting only one game back of Colorado with three games in hand. But the Sharks, on paper, should be division leaders, no? Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Ryane Clowe, a Cup-winning goaltender in Antti Niemi. No? This doesn’t sound like a perennial division champion to you? Ok good, me either, I was just trying to appease the hungry Sharks. But they should definitely be a playoff team, and the fact they are in ninth is somewhat surprising. Maybe the only good news for the Sharks is that if they make the playoffs, it wouldn’t be very likely at all that they’d play their playoff-nemesis Nashville Predators until the third round at least.

Calgary Flames – Oh, those pesky Flames, always screwing things up in the Northwest division. Sound familiar? It seems like when the consensus is for the Flames to do well, they suck, and when the consensus is for the Flames to do poorly, they do well. This year I don’t think there really was a consensus either way, which explains why the Flames are now floundering in the middle of a tight group racing for the final two playoff spots in the West. Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff, as always, lead the Flames’ charge, which is starting to heat up a bit, as is Curtis Glencross. Still, the Flames should be doing better than tenth in the West, especially in the same division as perennial stinkers Colorado, Minnesota, and Edmonton.

Anaheim Ducks – While I do take great pleasure in watching the Ducks fail this season (they just haven’t been the same in my eyes since they ditched the “Mighty”), it is with some surprise. On paper they look like more than a sleeper team, but they’ve turned into a bit of a stinker this year. I guess that’s what can happen when a 41-year old leads your team in scoring, and the guy who’s supposedly the best power forward in hockey (hey Ryan Getzlaf, ever heard of Jarome Iginla?) only scores nine goals. Jonas Hiller has been missing in action as well, with a personal record far below .500. 

Preparing for the NHL stretch run

With the NHL Trade Deadline behind us, it’s now time to buckle up for the stretch run to the playoffs, and many teams are thinking they are in a good position to make a big playoff push.

When looking at the NHL’s Conference standings right now though, it seems to me that there is a huge difference between the Eastern Conference teams and Western Conference teams who currently hold down playoff positions. And the more I think about it, the more I think that there are really not that many teams who I see making a long Cup run this spring.

Here’s an team-by-team analysis of how I think each team’s immediate future will play out, in order of the standings as of this morning (Tues. Feb. 28, 2012).

Eastern Conference

1.       New York Rangers (40-15-6, 86 pts) – The way I see it, the Rangers are the only team in the East that can end up in the Cup finals, and the only team who can challenge someone from the West. They have balanced scoring from Marian Gaborik to Artem Anisimov, and have arguably one of the deepest bluelines in the league with Dan Girardi logging the most minutes in the league per game. Then there’s the fact they have Henrik Lundqvist in goal; the veteran Swede is on top of his game lately, winning 11 of his last 14 starts, and leads the league in shutouts with 8. While I think the Western Conference has a better chance of winning it all, the Rangers are the team from the East that could disrupt that.

2.       Boston Bruins (37-20-3, 77 pts) – The defending champs haven’t changed too much since last season, and definitely deserve the second seed in the East. While it’s not worrying that Brad Marchand is the team leader in goals (22), it is worrying that Nathan Horton and Rich Peverly aren’t even in the top five in goals on the Bruins. Their success in the postseason last year was due to their bruising physical play, but I think teams have stocked up with answers to the Bruins’ physical play, and the Bruins have become the league’s second most penalized team. Tim Thomas isn’t the same goalie as a year ago, which could hurt the Bruins come April.

3.       Florida Panthers (29-20-12, 70 pts) – The surprise team of the year, no doubt, currently leading the Southeast division. However, with Winnipeg and Washington right on their heels, there’s no guarantee that the cats will even make the playoffs. The quietly good play of Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmensen has been nice to see, but there’s just something about a team whose leading scorers are Kris Versteeg and Thomas Fleischmann...should Florida make the postseason, they’re very young, and aren’t built up yet for a long playoff haul.

4.       Pittsburgh Penguins (36-21-5, 77 pts) – Evgeni Malkin is the best player in the NHL right now, which is scary for other teams to think about. The last time he went on a tear like he is now was the postseason in 2009 when the Pens won the Cup. James Neal has emerged as a legitimate superstar, and the discipline change in Matt Cooke has been phenomenal for the Penguins, who are also getting strong goaltending. If the Penguins are looking this good now, it’s going to be frightening if you-know-who returns for the postseason, and might even be able to give the Rangers a run for their money.

5.       Philadelphia Flyers (34-20-7, 75 pts) – This team is good, there’s no doubt about it. Claude Giroux has emerged as a superstar, Scott Hartnell is putting up career numbers, and the resurrection of Jaromir Jagr takes me back to my childhood, watching him make play after play. There’s just one problem in Philly: goaltending. Ilya Bryzgalov isn’t even close to living up to his massive salary, and Sergei Bobrovsky is struggling as well. Because of this, I don’t see the Flyers lasting too long in the playoffs.

6.       New Jersey Devils (35-23-4, 74 pts) – I swear every year I don’t hear anything about the Devils until about this point in the season, and they’re always in the playoff spot. Ilya Kovalchuk is their heart and soul, averaging the most ice time per game among NHL forwards. Could this be a mistake, though? Are the Devils overplaying him? Fans will have to wait it out and see, but one concern is production from their blueline, where there leading scorer has only 16 points. This has to change by the playoffs, otherwise the Devils are in big trouble.

7.       Ottawa Senators (33-23-8, 74 pts) – While I am pleased to see Ottawa in a comfortable playoff spot, and happy that they didn’t make any big moves at the deadline, I still don’t think they are quite set for another run at the Cup. Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson are the clear leaders on a team which could make some noise in the first and second round of the playoffs. A young, inexperienced group never amounts to much in their first postseason together, and while I do like the Sens as a group, GM Bryan Murray had better work on keeping them intact for next season and a legitimate Cup run. Oh, and Craig Anderson being out “indefinitely” doesn’t help their chances this season, either.

8.       Winnipeg Jets (30-27-8, 68 pts) – I know what you’re thinking: Winnipeg, a playoff team? Well, don’t speak too soon, as they do have the Capitals breathing down their neck. Another surprise team, the Jets have some good pieces in place, but again don’t expect this relatively young team to do much when the playoffs begin, if they’re in the playoffs. Two-time Cup champion Andrew Ladd and fellow champ from Chicago Dustin Byfuglien are the only true, tested playoff vets on the team.

9.       Washington Capitals (31-26-5, 67 pts) – In my opinion, Washington is the only Eastern team who doesn’t currently occupy a playoff spot that has a chance at taking one. They’ve begun to heat up lately, and with a healthy Mike Green back in the lineup, they will only get better. That being said, there’s still lots of hockey to be played between now and the end of the regular season, and coach Dale Hunter had better hope that Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin keep producing offensively, and that Michael Neuvirth and Tomas Vokoun keep providing him with a comfortable backstop in net.

10.   Toronto Maple Leafs (29-26-7, 65 pts) – Let me put this succinctly: the Leafs need a real goalie if they want to have any chance of making any playoffs for the next few years. Jonas Gustavsson and James Reimer may one day be that goalie, but I don’t see it happening overnight. Oh, and did I mention that the Leafs are the NHL’s worst team over the past month? Until they find that goalie, it will be another April on the golf course for Toronto.

11.   Tampa Bay Lightning (28-28-6, 62 pts) – Their chances are slim, but they’re still chances. Goals leader Steven Stamkos is starting to get secondary offensive contribution behind him, but just like the Leafs, the Lightning have a bit of a goaltending situation to figure out. Fortunately for them, they will have a long off-season to do so.

12.   Buffalo Sabres (27-27-8, 62 pts) – Their chances are slimmer than Tampas, simply because of a lack of offence. Huge spending in the past off-season has turned out to be a disaster, and really everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong for Buffalo this year.

13.   New York Islanders (26-28-8, 60 pts) – It is absolutely baffling to me that the Isles aren’t last in the East. Other than John Tavares and the emerging Matt Moulson, they don’t have any consistent offensive threat, and their blueline and goaltending is also an issue. While they are (somehow) only eight points out of a spot, their season’s as good as done.

14.   Carolina Hurricanes (23-26-13, 59 pts) – With all due respect to the Hurricanes, they are the epitome of what is a weak Eastern Conference this season. Remember back in November and December, when they were right down with Columbus in the basement of the league? Well now the Canes are only nine points out of a spot. Again, simply mind-boggling.

15.   Montreal Canadiens (24-29-10, 58 pts) – Remember when I said I didn’t know how the Islanders or Hurricanes were in last spot? I had forgotten how terrible Montreal has been playing this year. Not to beat a dead horse, but eight million dollars a year for Scott Gomez? Pretty much sums up the Habs right now.

Western Conference

1.       Vancouver Canucks (40-16-7, 87 pts) – We all know what happened to the Canucks last season; they made it to the Cup Finals, and then got the living daylights beaten out of them (literally) by the Big Bad Bruins. Their answer this year: Zack Kassian. Who, you might ask? Zack Kassian. All due respect to Kassian, but he’s no answer to a Milan Lucic or a Mike Rupp. While I do think the Canucks will make a deep push, there’s still the possibility that Roberto Luongo could fall into his annual playoff slump. But I guess that’s not as concerning when you have the best backup in all of hockey sitting on the bench. Of the four Western teams who I think have a shot, Vancouver is one of them.

2.       St Louis Blues (39-17-7, 85 pts) – Where did this come from? I’ll tell you where, Ken Hitchcock. Since he took over as head coach, St Lou has been playing unbelievably well. Their stellar one-two goalie punch of Jaro Halak and Brian Elliott has been superb, they’ve been getting awesome play from the blueline, and then there are the centremen. Let’s examine the size: David Backes, 6’3, 225 lbs. Patrick Berglund, 6’4, 219 lbs. Jason Arnott, 6’5, 220 lbs. This bodes very well for a matchup against, say Vancouver. I really do like the Blues’ chances, and they’re also in the four teams I think can make a Cup run from the West.

3.       Phoenix Coyotes (32-21-9, 73 pts) – Every time I look at the Pacific division standings, there’s someone new at the top of it. Now it’s Phoenix’s turn, but there’s just something about the team that I just can’t see them coming out of a series against someone like St Louis or Detroit. If the Coyotes can get lucky, and win out the division, then maybe the stronger teams will end up matched against each other, and wear each other down. Otherwise, and as much as I want to, I just don’t think Shane Doan and the desert dogs have quite what it takes yet.  That would make a sweet band name, though.

4.       Detroit Red Wings (41-19-3, 85 pts) – Every year I say this is the year that the Red Wings will start to stumble, and won’t make playoffs because they’re getting old. And every darn year they prove me wrong. The third team which I think can make a Cup run from this conference, the Wings seem to have everything going well at the moment. Their almost unbeatable at home, they have a shockingly balanced scoring attack, and Jimmy Howard might just be a candidate for the Vezina Trophy at season’s end. After proving me wrong the past few years, maybe they’ll prove me right this spring and play deep into the spring.

5.       Nashville Predators (37-19-9, 81 pts) – I am becoming a big fan of the Nashville Predators. The moves they made before the deadline will help them out a lot, and the Preds are already a really good team. It’s unfortunate they’re stuck in a division with Detroit and St Louis otherwise we might be seeing them in the top three of the conference. Mike Fisher is becoming the #1 centre they were hoping for, Ryan Suter and Shea Weber are staying put for a push, and Pekka Rinne might be the best goalie in the league after Lundqvist. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year that Barry Trotz’s Predators can make it past the second round and make some noise late in May or even into June. I think this is the year they can do it.

6.       Chicago Blackhawks (33-24-7, 73 pts) – I don’t know what’s wrong with the Hawks. It seems like every time I hear about them, someone is being blasted for not playing well. First it was the defence corps, then their goaltending, now their forwards. Jonathan Toews is having a great year, but they need more production from guys like Patrick Kane and Viktor Stalberg. Also, while Corey Crawford is a good goaltender, he needs to get in a groove and find his consistency that won him the starting job over Marty Turco last season.

7.       San Jose Sharks (32-22-7, 71 pts) – Every year I say this is the year the Sharks will win the West and challenge for the Cup in the Finals. And every darn year they prove me wrong. Sound familiar? Well maybe this year they, too, will prove me right. Yes they have good offensive players like Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau, and Logan Couture. But, just like Phoenix, I have trouble seeing them being able to get past Detroit, or their playoff nemesis in Nashville.

8.       Dallas Stars (33-26-4, 70 pts) – The Stars are another one of those teams who, while I think is a very good team, doesn’t have either the scoring touch or the toughness to take down one of the higher-ranked teams in the West in a best-of-seven format. With multiple teams breathing down their neck, it’s conceivable that neither the Sharks nor the Stars could make the playoffs, which would not come as a big surprise to me.

9.       Colorado Avalanche (33-27-4, 70 pts) – One of the hottest teams in the league right now, the Avalanche are quietly making their way into the playoff picture. How are they doing so, you might ask? Honest answer: I have no idea. They have gotten relatively balanced scoring, and relatively steady goaltending, but could it be that they’re just catching teams on bad nights? Or just wearing them down? If the Avs do make the playoffs, it will be a short-lived post-season, but one can always hope, right?

10.   Los Angeles Kings (28-23-12, 68 pts) –Long gone are the days when Luc Robitaille and Wayne Gretzky ruled LA, and now it’s on the shoulders of Anze Kopitar and new acquisition Jeff Carter to find an offensive stride. One problem: both players are underachieving drastically this season. How the Kings are still in the playoff race with nobody on the roster who has 20 goals this season is beyond me, but it’s a strong testament to their defensive play and the skill of Jonathan Quick in goal. If they do manage to squeak in, they might make things interesting for a few games in the first series, but if they don’t find their offensive stride (which they won’t under Darryl Sutter), then it’ll be a first-round exit.

11.   Calgary Flames (28-24-11, 67 pts) – The Flames are so hot and cold that it doesn’t even make the lame pun funny. One night they’ll look unbelievably good against Detroit, and the next they’ll stink it up in Edmonton. This sort of consistency won’t see you go far in the playoffs. Miikka Kiprusoff has been their saving grace all year, but he struggled last night against St Louis, so he needs to rebound, and quickly.

12.   Minnesota Wild (28-25-9, 65 pts) – It seems like only a short month and a half ago that I remember seeing the Minnesota Wild atop the NHL overall standings. Oh wait, it was only a short month and a half ago that the Wild were atop the standings. They’ve fallen very far from grace since then, and now are very much in danger of not making the postseason. What’s missing: offence.

13.   Anaheim Ducks (27-26-10, 64 pts) – Yes, they’ve been one of the league’s hottest teams since Christmas, but I still don’t think they’ll get up past LA or Dallas in the standings before the end of the regular season. It’s been a weird year in Anaheim, but they should be back to their normal annoyingly good selves next season.

14.   Edmonton Oilers (25-31-6, 56 pts) – The Oilers have one of the best youngest teams in the league. Add in another early first-round pick this summer, and they might be able to make a push for a playoff spot next year. I think they’re still a good goalie and stud defenceman, along with three or four years away from being a top Cup contender though.

15.   Columbus Blue Jackets (18-37-7, 43 pts) – This team is a disaster. After a month of speculating whether the team would trade its only good player, Rick Nash, before the deadline, GM Scott Howson came out with the news yesterday that Nash asked to be traded in January. My question is, why didn’t Nash ask for out sooner? Some horrible off-season acquisitions, coupled with this Nash debacle, and I don’t see the Jackets coming out of the West basement anytime soon.

In conclusion, my current predictions, which are subject to change when the playoffs begin, will be that the Rangers will come out East champions, and will face either the Canucks, Blues, Red Wings or Predators in the Stanley Cup Finals.