FIXER-UPPERS
With the key American Thanksgiving point approaching, here are five teams that must turn it around — fast
Halloween is over. Time to get out the Christmas decorations.
Talk to most NHL general managers and the holiday they’re looking forward to next is U.S. Thanksgiving. By Nov. 23, a quarter of the season will be in the books and you will generally have a good idea of whether a team is bound for the playoffs or the draft lottery.
“I think it is a measuring stick that a lot of people do tend to look at,” Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told Postmedia News last year.
We’re still three weeks away, but the clock is ticking for teams to figure out their problems. It was three days after Thanksgiving when Gerard Gallant was fired as the coach of the Florida Panthers.
From finding someone other than Connor McDavid to score goals in Edmonton to helping Montreal’s Carey Price get through a nasty slump, here is how five teams can fix their franchises (all stats before last night’s games):
MONTREAL CANADIENS 4-7-1, 15th in East
What’s wrong? Carey Price has lost his mojo, something Montreal fans reminded him of when they gave him mock cheers on dumped-in pucks during a recent 4-0 loss to the Kings. And despite scoring 13 goals in the past two games, the Canadiens are averaging the fifth-fewest goals per game (2.50). How do they fix it? Price, whose .883 save percentage is among the worst in the league, will eventually improve. Until he does, the Canadiens’ offence needs more of those 8-3 and 5-4 scores that we saw in the last two wins. What if they don’t? GM Marc Bergevin can’t fire a second coach in two years. But he might be able to pull off another blockbuster trade and move the enigmatic Alex Galchenyuk to a team (Colorado? New York Rangers?) in exchange for a top-six centre or top-four defenceman.
EDMONTON OILERS 3-7-1, 14th in West
What’s wrong? McDavid has five goals and 13 points, but he’s about the only one scoring for Edmonton. The team is averaging a leagueworst 2.18 goals per game, with Milan Lucic and Ryan Strome having scored one goal each and rookie Kailer Yamamoto still searching for his first NHL goal.
How do they fix it? In hopes of generating more offence, coach Todd McLellan moved Leon Draisaitl from centre to McDavid’s wing. It’s worked, but Edmonton is now just a one-line team. The Oilers need to spread the wealth around, which could mean more line juggling.
What if they don’t? Look for the team to call up 19-year-old winger Jesse Puljujarvi (one goal and four points in eight AHL games) from the minors. Of course, based on GM Peter Chiarelli’s history of trading top prospects, don’t be surprised if Puljujarvi, the 2016 fourthoverall pick, becomes a trading chip.
NEW YORK RANGERS 4-7-2, 13th in East
What’s wrong? Whether it’s Henrik Lundqvist (.898 save percentage) or Ondrej Pavelec (.887), the Rangers are simply not getting good enough goaltending. They wouldn’t look so bad if Rick Nash could find the back of the net a little more frequently.
How do you fix it? The Rangers went on a scouting mission to Ottawa for a game between the Sens and Habs earlier this week. A defenceman could solve their problems, but the smarter move might be to sell some assets and move toward a rebuild.
What if they don’t? Alain Vigneault was reportedly coaching for his job in a game against the Golden Knights. Whether that’s strictly true, it still looks like he’s on the heat seat.
CALGARY FLAMES 6-6-0, 11th in West
What’s wrong? We’re reluctant to put the Flames in this category, since they went into Thursday’s game with the same number of wins as the Blackhawks and Canucks. They also went into it as a .500 team with a minus-5 goal differential, the league second-worst offence (2.25 goals per game) and just two wins in their last six games.
How do they fix it? Jaromir Jagr, who is out with a lowerbody injury, should give the third line a shot in the arm when he returns. The guy who needs it the most is snakebitten youngster Sam Bennett, who is without a point in the first 12 games of the season and was recently moved to the wing.
What if they don’t? With a loaded upcoming schedule against tough opponents, such as the division-leading Devils and Blues, the next three weeks could go a long way in determining Calgary’s fate.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5-5-2, 12th in West
What’s wrong? The Stanley Cup hangover doesn’t just affect the winners. After coming up short against the Penguins in the final, the Predators have stumbled out of the gate, losing four of their last five games. It’s not hard to see why. The team lost winger James Neal to the expansion draft, is missing defenceman Ryan Ellis and is currently without third-line centre Nick Bonino.
How do they fix it? Patience. Ellis could be out for another month or so and Bonino’s return is uncertain. Until then, the Preds will look to Filip Forsberg (eight goals and 13 points) and goalie Pekka Rinne (.931 save pct.) to carry the load.
What if they don’t? Compared to last season’s 2-5-1 start, the Predators are actually in decent shape.