Metropolitan loaded with strong teams
Ten important questions asked and answered about the NHL heading into 2017:
1 Is the Metropolitan Division as strong as it looks?
Yes. The top five teams (the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers) are formidable. Each has strong goaltending and an offense that can do damage. The good news for the other teams in the Eastern Conference is that four of these teams have to play each other in the first round of the playoffs.
2 Could Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, 34, be starting his decline?
With the focus and work ethic this guy boasts, the guess has been that he would start to decline in his late 30s. For that reason, Lundqvist’s inconsistency (.915 save percentage) feels more like a slump than an indication he’s no longer elite. It’s hard to believe he won’t be his old self as the season progresses.
3 Is the scoring race Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid’s to lose?
Not at all. Entering Tuesday, McDavid had 42 points to Sidney Crosby’s 38, but Crosby is still a king who must be toppled. Plus, why aren’t we talking more about the season Evgeni Malkin (39 points) is having?
4 Are the Tampa Bay Lightning really going to miss the playoffs?
The Lightning were three points behind the Boston Bruins for the final spot in the Atlantic Division and seven points away from the last wild-card spot. It’s hard to see general manager Steve Yzerman letting them miss the playoffs. They are a more dangerous team than the Ottawa Senators and Bruins. Yzerman will make a move for defensive help before the trade deadline.
5 Are the Minnesota Wild a hot team or a high-quality team?
Bruce Boudreau does have a knack for coaxing more out of his teams. He also has a disappointing playoff history. But the Wild’s 10-game winning streak is anything but a fluke. Under Bou- dreau, the Wild are fourth in goals per game and first in goalsagainst average.
6 Are the Buffalo Sabres the Eastern Conference’s worst team?
They should not be, but they are. Losing first-line forward Ryan O’Reilly to an appendectomy seems fitting for a team that has been out of sync all season. Their 2.12 goals per game is tied for second worst in the NHL. More important, they don’t look like they are making progress. With Jack Eichel, Rasmus Ristolainen and Sam Reinhart leading the way a year ago, this team appeared to be up and coming.
7 Will the NHL pull the plug on Olympic participation?
It’s hard to tell. The majority of NHL owners want to end the league’s practice of sending players to the Games. But the players want to go. It feels as if we are waiting for the players to exert pressure or offer an inducement to persuade the NHL to give its blessing for them to go to the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
8 Are the Metropolita-nleading Blue Jackets for real?
Sergei Bobrovsky’s play (.935 save percentage) has given the Blue Jackets the capability of sustaining this elite level (23-5-4 record). Coach John Tortorella has done an impressive job mak- ing this team believe in itself after last season’s disastrous result (34-40-8 record). It is, however, difficult to project this team for the postseason, because the players don’t have playoff experience together.
9 Is Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine having a better season than Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews?
No. Although Laine has scored more goals (19-16), Matthews has more even-strength goals (13-12) and more shots on goal (121-96), even though Laine plays more. Matthews seems like the better all-around player today. But this is splitting hairs because both of these players are stars in the making.
10 Could the Chicago Blackhawks win their fourth Stanley Cup in the salary cap era?
Yes, it’s possible, even though they don’t have the depth they once possessed. They are sixth in goals-against average, and when they won it all they did so on the strength of goal prevention. Goalie Corey Crawford is the key player to their playoff aspirations, but their defense is a close second.