John Shannon

John Shannon is an analyst on Hockeycentral.

Another March and another great end of season run for the Maple Leafs. It sure makes it fun for the fans around Toronto, but there should be some level of caution around Big Blue. Two years ago, the Leafs were four games above .500 after the All-Star break. Last season, it was three games above. As of this writing, the club is 7-3-1 since the Olympic break. My fear is that the judgment of Brian Burke, Dave Nonis and Dave Poulin will be tainted by a successful record in the spring. Managing a hockey team is totally subjective. The Leafs have a long way to go. Auditioning players at this time of year is fine, but understand the environment in which they are being played. Last season, mediocre players had great numbers down the stretch, and it gave management a false sense of team talent and not enough turnover in the summer, and hockey fans in Toronto paid the price in October and November.

Dave Tippett has done a remarkable job in Phoenix. Almost every night on some TV broadcast, he is being anointed with the Coach of the Year mantle. Well deserved. What he has done is overshadowing a few other coaches who really have surpassed expectations. Barry Trotz, the only man to coach in Nashville, continues to amaze. His team doesn't play the most exciting brand of hockey (particularly on the road), but they do play like a team every night. And Terry Murray in LA, who raised a few eyebrows when he got the job, has obviously done something right with the Kings. What I like about Terry, is that he is always accessible and will share knowledge and information with anyone. It is great to see someone get a fourth chance at coaching in this league, and has obviously learned a great deal from his past performances. And you shouldn't forget Alain Vigneault in Vancouver and Lindy Ruff in Buffalo, who go well under most people's radar.

I don't think I'm alone, but I do have a few concerns about officiating in the NHL. I certainly think (or maybe hope) that others inside the NHL have the same concerns. I am even more concerned about the future of the two-man refereeing system. Someone (read the league) has to invest in more two-man development in the minor leagues. On-the-job-training at this level is not satisfactory, there has to be more two-man officiating well before the young officials get to the NHL. I am also waiting for the announcement soon that Bill McCreary will be asked to delay his retirement for atleast one more year.

Last week, I made the proclamation that the eight teams in the east were set, with the Bruins claiming the eighth spot. A week later, I am still right, but the Atlanta Thrashers are trying to prove me wrong. The back-to-back victories over Philadelphia have thrown John Anderson's team back into the hunt. They have eight wins, six losses and three overtime losses since trading Ilya Kovalchuk. And you know what? Real hockey fans in Atlanta are still showing up at Philips Arena to watch the games. The doom and gloom about the franchise after the trade has been proven wrong. Atlanta is a tough town, for any pro sports team. All they want is a winner. And there haven't been enough of those. With Kovalchuk in the line-up, the Thrashers didn't do enough winning. Without him in the line-up, it will be interesting to see if they get to the playoffs and win their first playoff game.

Everyone has a responsibility to ensure better player safety. The owners, the players, the officials, the league all have a role. One group that hasn't played a large enough role in safety is the equipment manufacturers. And before you yell that helmets are better, I agree. But there has to be concerns about the hard cap elbow and shoulder pads. And certainly, this new epidemic of skate blades that slice through hockey socks near muscles and tendons is not a strong recommendation of the new materials used for the New Era uniforms. Sure the materials handle water better, but what kind of practical tests were done to make these socks cut-resistant? Just asking.

Finally, the Red Wings western trip and their last second heroics in Edmonton and Vancouver (and don't forget their winning goal late in Calgary) are just symbolic of this season for Hockeytown. They will probably get into the playoffs, by the smallest of margins, on the last day, in the last period, with less than a minute to play!

But remember, on April 14th, 16 teams start equal. Beware the Winged Wheel.

Happy Hockey Everyone!