WOE, CANADA’S PLAYOFF HOPES
Saturday is billed as Hockey Day in Canada, but they won’t be celebrating in the front offices of Canada’s seven NHL teams, where this season could be described as one big Hockey Night- Mare. Here is a breakdown by Mike Zeisberger
CALGARY FLAMES
THE EXPECTATIONS: After getting to the second round of the playoffs a year ago, the Flames looked to be legitimate threats to challenge the Western Conference powerhouses Blackhawks and Kings, especially after the off- season additions of forward Michael Frolik and defenceman Dougie Hamilton.
WHAT WENT WRONG: With Hamilton struggling mightily, a catastrophic 3- 9- 1 mark out of the gate hurt badly.
THE FORECAST: The recent 20game suspension ( pending appeal) of puck- moving defenceman Dennis Wideman is a key blow.
EDMONTON OILERS
THE EXPECTATIONS: With the arrival of wunderkind Connor McDavid, goalie Cam Talbot, general manager Peter Chiarelli and head coach Todd McLellan, there were hopes of an outside shot at a playoff berth.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Talbot needed more than two months to find his game, although there were plenty of defensive hiccups. But the key blow was the broken left clavicle suffered by McDavid on Nov. 3.
THE FORECAST: In the two games since his return this week, the Oilers are 2- 0 while outscoring the opposition 12- 3. With McDavid in the lineup, this club could make a charge from a long way back à la the Senators last year.
MONTREAL CAN ADIE NS
THE EXPECTATIONS: After reaching the NHL’s final eight the past two seasons, there were legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations.
WHAT WENT WRONG: A 9- 0 start is now a distant memory after a right-leg injury believed to be an MCL has limited standout goalie Carey Price to just 12 games played. Meanwhile the Habs have just 34 points in their past 43 games. The offence has dried up, scoring more than two goals in just five of their past 27 games.
THE FORECAST: With the Habs having won just five times since Dec. 1, a playoff spot still is within reach, but barely.
OTTAWA SENATORS
THE EXPECTATIONS: Buoyed by the momentum of last season’s Cinderella 23- 4- 4 run down the stretch that landed a playoff berth, optimism reigned supreme.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Only the Blue Jackets have allowed more goals. The Sens have lost 11 of their past 16 games, a stint in which they’ve been outscored 63- 37.
THE FORECAST: Captain Erik Karlsson recently made waves when he said that “We don’t have the same players as most teams do that are highly- skilled and we’re not going to win games from a skill base,” adding that the Sens are a “budget team.” Translation: the defending Norris Trophy winner thinks the Sens aren’t going to get any outside big- name help for another late post- season push.
TORONTOMAPLE LEAF S
THE EXPECTATIONS: Even though coach Mike Babcock despises losing, priority No. 1 this season is to weed out which players won’t be around in two years as part of this rebuild.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Leafs are near the bottom of the standings, which is reflective of their limited talent level.
THE FORECAST: With prospects William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen flourishing with the AHL Marlies and 2015 first- round pick Mitch Marner doing the same with the OHL’s London Knights, it’s important that the Leafs allow them to keep developing.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
THE EXPECTATIONS: Their firstround playoff loss last year to the younger Flames showed an influx of youth was needed.
WHAT WENT WRONG: With so many young players in the lineup there are going to be growing pains.
THE FORECAST: Any team with Ryan Miller has a shot at a playoff spot, especially now that Henrik Sedin seems healthy again.
WINNIPEGJETS
THE EXPECTATIONS: Having reached the post- season last April for the first time since returning to Winnipeg, the Jets were expecting a few more playoff whiteouts at the MTS Centre this coming April.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Winnipeg is just two games over .500 on home ice, where the Jets were a force in past seasons. Special teams have been especially brutal.
THE FORECAST: A Sens- like lateseason run might result in a playoff spot, but there just seem to be too many teams to leapfrog.