Playoff picture getting clearer
that old hockey cliché applies here. you might not be able to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the first month of the season. but in a season that has been condensed to 56 games, you sure can fall out of the playoff picture.
Just ask the Ottawa Senators, who are 12 points back of the final playoff spot. Or, better yet, ask a Vancouver Canucks team that could be contemplating a coaching or managerial change after losing six in a row.
We’re only a month in, but it feels like it’s longer. Teams in the North division are slowly starting to separate themselves. The playoff picture is coming into focus.
Alone at the top of the standings are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have won 11 of their first 14 games. At the bottom are the Canucks and Senators, who have combined for 24 losses in 32 games. That leaves the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and edmonton Oilers in a dogfight for the final three playoff spots.
With less than three months to go, here’s a look at why the all-canadian divisional standings look the way they do (ranked by winning percentage):
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Record: 11-2-1, 23 points (.821 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: Somewhere, Mike babcock is smiling.
What’s gone right: Just about everything. The Leafs have gone nine games without a regulation loss. Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have combined for 17 goals and 37 points, while John Tavares is producing at a point-per-game pace and the power play is ranked fourth best in the league. but beyond the high-powered offence, which we all expected, has been an unexpected attention to team defence. The Leafs aren’t just winning — as babcock would say, they’re winning “the right way,” having allowed the fewest goals per game and shots per game in the North division.
What’s gone wrong: The veterans haven’t been able to stay healthy. Joe Thornton got hurt a week into the season, while Wayne Simmonds broke his wrist after scoring five goals in his last six games. And if we’re being honest, the Leafs have probably won a couple of games recently that they should have lost.
The month ahead: With a three-game series against Ottawa coming up, expect Toronto to further separate from the pack.
WINNIPEG JETS
Record: 8-4-1, 17 points (.654 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: Patrik who?
What’s gone right: Trading Patrik Laine when he was injured — and before he became a distraction — was a masterstroke of timing, especially considering that the return was Pierre-luc dubois. And while dubois hasn’t had a chance to make an impact yet, it’s scary to think just how much deeper Winnipeg has become up front. Five Jets forwards have 10 or more points, including Nikolaj ehlers (nine goals in 13 games), and Kyle Connor (seven goals). No wonder Laine was considered a gratuitous piece of the puzzle.
What’s gone wrong: blake Wheeler, who has only five even-strength points and is a minus-9, has been playing so poorly that head coach Paul Maurice was forced to defend his captain against the analytics community. And if not for defending Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, we’d be talking a lot more about how bad defensively Winnipeg has once again been.
The month ahead: The Jets, who have played the Leafs just once but have yet to play the Canadiens at all, will see how they stack up against the best in the division with a combined seven games against Toronto and Montreal in the next four weeks.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Record: 8-4-2, 18 points (.643 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: Marc bergevin has my vote for general manager of the year.
What’s gone right: Tyler Toffoli and Josh Anderson have nine goals each and Joel edmundson leads the league with a plus-14 rating. In other words, the new guys are fitting in just fine in Montreal. The addition of edmundson is a big reason why Jeff Petry, who has six goals and 14 points, is getting recognition as an early Norris Trophy candidate. And while Carey Price’s numbers aren’t Vezina-worthy, it’s worth noting that backup Jake Allen has won four games and has a .933 save percentage. What’s gone wrong: Only Toronto, Tampa bay and Washington are averaging more goals per game than Montreal. but take away the five blowout wins against the Canucks, and the Canadiens would rank near the bottom of the standings with 2.44 goals per game. Also, what happened to the Jesperi Kotkaniemi that dominated in the playoffs?
The month ahead: With a week between games, look for Montreal to work on its disastrous power play, which has just one goal in the past five games.
CALGARY FLAMES
Record: 7-5-1, 15 points (.577 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: In Jacob Markstrom, they trust. What’s gone right: Johnny Gaudreau and elias Lindholm each have 14 points in 13 games. but the reason why Calgary is in the playoff picture is because of Markstrom, who is 7-20 with two shutouts and a .922 save percentage. For a team that’s averaging fewer goals than any other team in the division other than Ottawa, that’s huge. It makes you think where Vancouver might be had they re-signed the free agent back in October.
What’s gone wrong: unhappy with his role and reportedly wanting out, Sam bennett was put on a line with Gaudreau in hopes of making him happy. but the player the Flames should be more concerned with is Sean Monahan, who has just one even-strength goal in 13 games.
The month ahead: The Flames, who are on a threegame winning streak, have three more games against the struggling Canucks and four games against the lowly Senators over the next three weeks. In other words, there’s opportunities to pick up points.
EDMONTON OILERS
Record: 9-7-0, 18 points (.563 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: Is it possible for teammates to share the Hart Trophy? What’s gone right: Connor Mcdavid and Leon draisaitl are ranked 1-2 in league scoring, having combined for 17 goals and 54 points in 16 games. At this pace, each could end up with close to 100 points in a 56-game season. but unlike previous years, they are also getting help. darnell Nurse has put himself on Team Canada’s radar for the 2022 Olympics with six even-strength goals and a plus-9 rating, while Tyson barrie has 12 points in 16 games. And for the first time in more than three years, the Oilers actually won a game last week in which Mcdavid and draisaitl failed to record a point. What’s gone wrong: Kyle Turris was signed in the off-season to take the offensive load off Mcdavid and draisaitl. but with one goal and three points in 16 games, once again the third line has become an offensive black hole. And don’t get us started on James Neal.
The month ahead: The net now belongs to Mike Smith, who has allowed just one goal in a pair of wins since returning from injury.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Record: 6-11-0, 12 points (.353 winning percentage) First month in a sentence: Is Travis Green or Jim benning to blame?
What’s gone right: It was only a couple of weeks ago when the Canucks went on a fourgame winning streak, outscoring their opponents 204. Of course, three of those four wins came against the Senators. Since then, they have lost six in a row by a combined scored of 29-11.
The good news? Vancouver’s big 3 of elias Pettersson, brock boeser and Quinn Hughes have combined for four goals and 16 points in those six losses.
What’s gone wrong: When people are placing bets on whether the head coach or the GM will be fired first, you know the season isn’t off to a great start. yes, losing Markstrom, Toffoli and Chris Tanev to free agency hurt. but what hurt more was that their replacements — braden Holtby, Nate Schmidt and Travis Hamonic — have made little positive impact.
The month ahead: With no games against Ottawa to look forward to, change could be coming.
OTTAWA SENATORS
Record: 2-12-1, 5 points (.167 winning percentage)
First month in a sentence: Only five months until the draft.
What’s gone right: If this year is all about developing the kids, then it’s not all that bad in Ottawa. Josh Norris (three goals and eight points) and No. 3 overall pick Tim Stutzle (four goals and six points) are among the rookie scoring leaders. Thomas Chabot is producing at a career-high pace in goals and points. And though he’s not being rewarded for it, brady Tkachuk is averaging more shots per game than he was a year ago. Give it another year (or two) and Ottawa should be in a better spot. Maybe.
What’s gone wrong: When you’ve won twice in 15 games, it’s difficult to find positives. And it’s also difficult to pin the blame on just one area. With that being said, what’s going on with goalie Matt Murray this season? The two-time Stanley Cup champion was brought in to give the Senators a fighting chance. Instead, with a .882 save percentage, he’s been their No. 1 problem. The month ahead: The punching bags of the North are playing Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal six times in the next two weeks. Good luck with that.