It’s March Madness time, which means that the final playoff push is underway. Oh, and I heard about some sort of basketball tournament that uses the same name with something about a billion dollar bracket giveaway. Apparently the chances of getting that payout are the same as being eaten by a shark while getting struck by lightning on a roller coaster in Kenya. Good luck to all!
Seriously though, the most meaningful NHL action you will see all year is happening right now. The Boston Bruins became the first team to punch their ticket to the postseason Friday night as the musical chairs for the 16 playoff spots begins.
Here is how we have all 30 NHL teams lined up in the eDraft Power Rankings 20.0
30. Buffalo Sabres-No surprises here, the Sabres are the first team to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
29. Edmonton Oilers-To no one’s surprise the Oilers are playing their best hockey when there is absolutely nothing to play for. Oilers’ fans deserve better.
28. Florida Panthers-I’d love to take a peek at the Panther’s big board to see what their plans are for the future. I think I’m one of only seven people on the planet that feels this way.
27. New York Islanders-When is John Tavares coming back? Not until next year? Oh. The Islanders finish up their tenancy in Long Island with a typically morbid showing. Hard to believe that this franchise and the word “dynasty” were once used together.
26. Calgary Flames-Keep working hard you pesky Flames! This is a surprisingly fun team to watch. They skate hard every shift, and the talent gap will close over the next year to make them relevant. Bob Hartley is an underrated coach and could have the Flames as a playoff team next season.
25. Ottawa Senators-Five straight losses have basically sealed the fate of the Senators and possibly their coach. They have obviously stopped responding to him, which will mean curtains to the Paul MacLean era in Ottawa.
24. Carolina Hurricanes-Rumors abound about a rebuilding effort in Carolina. The Staal movement obviously hasn’t worked out so something new needs to happen. Not sure if Kirk Muller is the right guy behind the bench. There is a lot of talent on the Hurricanes’ roster, and they are playing far too inconsistent to be a playoff team.
23. Winnipeg Jets-Paul Maurice can’t wait for the off-season to whip this team into the team he wants versus the team he inherited. Maurice is another coach that doesn’t get his due. The Jets are another fun team to watch, but need more depth on defense and a legitimate number one goaltender.
22. Nashville Predators-This season is winding down for the Preds and it looks like the playoffs are well out of reach. Not enough offense in Nashville this year plus the season long injury to Pekka Rinne was too much to overcome.
21. Vancouver Canucks-Dumpster fire is burning strong in Vancouver. I’m going to have to do a little research and see if I saw this coming at all. I don’t think anyone anticipated the discontent at this level for the Canucks though.
20. New Jersey Devils-Here I had given the Devils the benefit of the doubt and declared them a dark horse playoff team. Thanks for the effort New Jersey! It’s not impossible for them to make up five points in the last twelve games, but I wouldn’t bet your paycheck on it.
19. Detroit Red Wings-Too many man games lost to injury for the Red Wings to keep their playoff streak alive. It might not be a terrible idea to shut down Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Darren Helm and gently place them in bubble wrap until next October.
18. Dallas Stars-I don’t believe the Stars are as bad as their current four-game, playoff-crushing losing streak. However, my opinion is not taken into consideration when playoff spots are handed out. The Stars have literally shot themselves in their collective skated foot. Their only four points behind with a game in hand, but Phoenix will be tough to catch.
17. Columbus Blue Jackets-The Jackets are clinging to the final wildcard spot in the east, but I can’t see them holding off the Capitals or even the Red Wings. In the end I think a more talented team simply trumps the Jackets.
16. Washington Capitals-It may be the kiss of death, but I feel like the Caps are in a position to swipe the final wildcard spot in the east. Don’t underestimate the value of Jaroslav Halak in goal. If Washington can get some scoring from anyone other than Alexander Ovechkin they are not only a playoff team, but also a dangerous playoff team.
15. Toronto Maple Leafs-Jonathan Bernier’s injury showed exactly how important he is to Toronto and their playoff hopes. Whether it is his role as emotionally damaged James Reimer’s safety net or just as the starting goaltender, Bernier’s absence has sent the Leafs into a freefall.
14. Phoenix Coyotes-The resurgent Coyotes have jumped Dallas for the final playoff spot in the west and are trying to put some space between themselves and the slumping Stars. Mike Smith has picked the best time of year to play well and Phoenix looks dangerous right now. Don’t be surprised to see them catch the Wild.
13. Minnesota Wild-The Wild keep plugging along fairly unimpressively. They are still holding on to the seventh spot in the Western Conference and are under siege by the hard-charging Coyotes. Even if Minnesota manages to hold on to a playoff spot, their recent play suggests it’s hard to see them doing anything in the playoffs.
12. New York Rangers-The Rangers went to Columbus for a huge game with the Jackets and Rick Nash’s first game back since his trade to New York. The big picture has the blue shirts slowly but surely getting some chemistry on offense, which is bad news for the rest of the conference.
11. Montreal Canadiens-Carey Price is back in the line up and Thomas Vanek finally scored a goal for the Canadiens. A first round playoff date with the Lightning looks like an inevitability if Montreal can keep itself in the playoff picture.
10. Philadelphia Flyers-The Flyers have stepped up and are playing their best hockey of the season at the moment. Huge momentum gained from the home-and-home sweep of the hated Penguins. The Flyers still have work to do in the parity driven Metropolitan Division, but certainly control their own destiny. Claude Giroux is the MVP of the second half of the season.
9. Los Angeles Kings-After a huge streak to gain relevance, the Kings stumbled back to mediocrity. This team has too much talent to be written off in the west. They smell like a first round exit or a conference finalist. Depending on how the moody Kings feel it’s just a roll of the dice.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning-Eventually you had to figure Steven Stamkos would find his groove. The rest of the Tampa club has stepped up as well, winning five straight and solidifying their playoff position.
7. Colorado Avalanche-The Avs suffered their first shutout of the season Friday as Boston steamrolled through Denver. After jumping over Chicago in the standings, Patrick Roy’s team has cooled a tad. Three straight losses and a 5-4-1 record in the last ten games have Colorado looking back up in the standings at their division rivals.
6. Chicago Blackhawks-The loss of Patrick Kane cannot be overstated enough. Chicago has plenty of depth, but there is no one at Kane’s level to step in to his spot. The Hawks will cruise into the playoffs, but need to hold off the hard charging Avalanche for home ice in their projected first-round series.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins-The Pens are starting to get healthy just in time for the playoffs. The Bruins have passed them like an old lady driving in the left lane in the Eastern Conference super highway. Their main objective needs to be to establish chemistry with the players that are returning to the lineup.
4. Anaheim Ducks-You almost have to assume that coach Bruce Boudreau is employing some sort of contingency plan for the postseason. Regular season success didn’t translate to the playoffs in Washington. Maybe the psychology of finishing first was something Boudreau doesn’t want the Ducks thinking about. Or the more conventional theory is that better teams are just outplaying Anaheim. A 2-4-2 record over the last eight hardly inspires confidence.
3. San Jose Sharks- A head-to-head win over in-state rival Anaheim established division superiority (for now) but we’ll see if the streaky Sharks can keep their foot on the gas down the stretch.
2. St. Louis Blues-It almost seems unfair that the Blues lose their spot at the top, but Boston’s win streak can’t be topped this week. St. Louis looks every bit the favorite out west right now.
1. Boston Bruins-11 consecutive wins aren’t a fluke. Like I’ve been saying all year, the Bruins seemed like they were on cruise control, almost laying in wait. When it matters most Boston has flipped the switch and looks like they cannot be beaten.