With the playoffs just around the corner, Mike Brophy analyzes the stories making headlines.
The answer to who will win the Stanley Cup this season is drawing nearer. In the meantime, however, we are stuck with many questions and observations such as:
The Detroit Red Wings are the originators of not paying big bucks for their goaltending and thus far it has worked. Wonder how they feel about that strategy now? Goaltending is the biggest question mark for the Red Wings heading into the playoffs and could be their downfall.
A few months ago the Raffi Torres hit may not have brought forth such stern punishment. But four games just may be the new two-game suspension we have grown accustomed to seeing on such blindside hits as the one the Vancouver Canucks winger dished out on Edmonton's Jordan Eberle. Even though Eberle wasn't hurt on the play, the recklessness of the hit is what put Torres on the sidelines for four games.
Is it possible for a team to miss the playoffs due to a loss in the 82nd game of the season? The New York Rangers sure hope not. Regardless, this has been a positive year for the Rangers who seem to have embraced the notion of developing talent from within as opposed to overpaying for players on the downside of their career.
Sticking with the Rangers, you have to wonder if they wouldn't have a playoff position secured if their best skater, Marian Gaborik, had performed to his potential? While coach John Tortorella has done a masterful job with his team this year, he must find a way to coax maximum performances out of Gaborik for the Rangers to become Stanley Cup contenders.
The Calgary Flames made a valiant effort to make the playoffs after a dismal first half, but ultimately fell short. Currently in 16th place in the overall standings, the Flames need to do something drastic to change their fortunes. They finished 16th last season; 10th the year before and 14th and 13th the previous two years. In other words, they are a middle of the pack team. I'd give acting GM Jay Feaster the keys to the car if his plan included changing the culture of the dressing room by getting younger. That, obviously, means moving out veterans.
The closer we get to the conclusion of the regular season, the more probable it seems Pittsburgh's Dan Bylsma will be the coach of the year. Others such as Vancouver's Alain Vigneault, Nashville's Barry Trotz and Washington's Bruce Boudreau certainly rate serious consideration, but the fact the Penguins are sixth overall playing without their two best players is a testament to the impact Bylsma's strategy has had on the club.
Don't look for a duplicate of last season's long playoff run from the Montreal Canadiens this year. Even if Carey Price plays to his potential, the Habs are simply too thin up front and too soft overall. If it turns out they face Boston in the first round, they'll get pummeled. Obviously injuries to key defenders have hampered Montreal, but the real reason for their late-season indifference is the fact the players they count on to score have been mostly quiet.
Adam Foote will wave good bye to the NHL after a splendid 19-year career. While Foote had the good fortune to skate with some wonderfully gifted teammates, his contribution to two Stanley Cup championship teams with the Colorado Avalanche included solid defensive play in his team's zone and a physical presence that could not be denied. Foote made life miserable for the opposition's skilled forwards. Let the Hall of Fame debate begin.
We have seen lower seeds succeed in the Stanley Cup playoffs in recent years and we may see it again this year. The Anaheim Ducks, currently holding down seventh place in the Western Conference, look very much like a team that could upset a higher seed. Corey Perry is scoring at an MVP pace on one of the NHL's best lines with Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan; the club has solid secondary scoring led by ageless veteran Teemu Selanne and reclamation project Ray Emery has been very good in goal.
The hockey world is full of wonderful people, but we lost one of the best and most respected in EJ McGuire on Thursday. It wasn't just the impact he had on the game, whether it was through coaching or scouting, that made McGuire such a beloved individual; it was his passion for sharing his knowledge and love of the sport. McGuire dedicated his life to hockey and he will be dearly missed.
