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Morning Notes: Duclair, Ceci, Bruins-Panthers

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We’ve heard previously that the Arizona Coyotes are looking to give Anthony Duclair a “fresh start” somewhere else around the league, and now Craig Custance of The Athletic reports that it is because the young forward requested a trade out of the desert. Duclair hasn’t been able to reproduce his breakout 2015-16 season in which he scored 20 goals and 44 points, but is still young enough to have an impact in the right situation.

The Coyotes, who seem happy with their development even in the face of another wasted season, are again one of the most likely sellers at the upcoming trade deadline. Though Duclair has just seven goals and 13 points on the year, he’s the kind of acquisition who could explode if given an opportunity in the second half. The fact that he’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights is no small thing, as his future salary is still very much up in the air.

  • Darren Dreger was on TSN 1260 radio this morning, and suggested that Edmonton had pursued a Taylor Hall-for-Cody Ceci trade before eventually dealing the winger to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson. For the Ottawa Senators, who have had trouble scoring over the last few years, adding a player like Hall may have changed some fortunes. Still, Ceci is a player who continues to see his name bandied about in trade rumors around the league, despite the Senators being quite happy with his play. If Ceci is dealt this year, surely it won’t be for a piece as big as Hall.
  • The game tonight between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers has been cancelled due to inclement weather, as a huge snow storm is headed for the Boston area. The city could get up to 18 inches of snow, and travel to and from the game isn’t safe. It has yet to be rescheduled.

Minor Transactions: 01/01/18

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The 2018 portion of the season is underway, and with it teams can try to turn the page on whatever problems they faced last year. In places like Edmonton and Ottawa, perhaps the new year will bring success. As always, we’ll keep an eye on the minor transactions around the league and report them right here.

  • The Florida Panthers have recalled Maxim Mamin from the minor leagues, giving the 22-year old forward a promotion for his solid play in the AHL this year. Mamin has 15 points in 23 games as a rookie for Springfield, after coming over from the KHL this season.
  • Peter Cehlarik has been sent to the AHL now that he’s healthy and ready to play again, as the Boston Bruins don’t want to mix things up. The team is on a long hot streak and seem to have found a good recipe up front. Cehlarik, who has played in just five games for the Bruins this season, will head back to the minor leagues where he’s been extremely effective since coming over from Sweden.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have called up A.J. Greer from the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage. With Sven Andrighetto day-to-day with a minor injury, Greer provides another option if he is unable to go. Greer, the Avs’ 2015 second-rounder, has just one point in six games with Colorado in 2017-18, but has ten in sixteen with San Antonio, on pace to set a new career-high in points in his second pro season. It may only be a matter of time before the power forward is a regular in Denver, with this promotion his newest opportunity to make his case.

Who Is On Pace To Score 60 Points In 2017-18?

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In 2016-17, only 42 NHLers hit the 60-point benchmark for the season. It was the lowest total since the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season (obviously), when only Martin St. Louis notched sixty, and down eleven from the 53 players who hit the mark two years earlier in 2014-15. However, with scoring up this season in the NHL, will the league increase it’s number of top scorers? Or will a greater depth and distribution of talent continue to limit players from reaching the high numbers of yesteryear?

As of now, with the 2017 segment of the season about to close, here are the players on pace for 60 points in 2017-18:

  1. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 54 points in 37 games, Projection: 120 points
  2. Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 48 points in 37 games, Projection: 107 points
  3. John Tavares, New York Islanders – Currently: 49 points in 38 games, Projection: 106 points
  4. Josh Bailey, New York Islanders – Currently: 49 points in 38 games, Projection: 106 points
  5. Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers – Currently: 46 points in 38 games, Projection: 99 points
  6. Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers – Currently: 46 points in 38 games, Projection: 99 points
  7. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers – Currently: 45 points in 38 games, Projection: 97 points
  8. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche – Currently: 43 points in 37 games, Projection: 95 points
  9. Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets – Currently: 44 points in 39 games, Projection: 93 points
  10. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames – Currently: 41 points in 38 games, Projection: 89 points
  11. Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins – Currently: 41 points in 39 games, Projection: 86 points
  12. Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals – Currently: 41 points in 40 games, Projection: 84 points
  13. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings – Currently: 40 points in 39 games, Projection: 84 points
  14. Anders Lee, New York Islanders – Currently: 39 points in 38 games, Projection: 84 points
  15. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks – Currently: 38 points in 37 games, Projection: 84 points
  16. Brock Boeser*, Vancouver Canucks – Currently: 38 points in 36 games, Projection: 84 points
  17. Brayden Schenn, St. Louis Blues – Currently: 41 points in 41 games, Projection: 82 points
  18. Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins – Currently: 32 points in 29 games, Projection: 82 points
  19. Jon Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 34 points in 33 games, Projection: 81 points
  20. Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals – Currently: 39 points in 40 games, Projection: 80 points
  21. Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils – Currently: 36 points in 36 games, Projection: 80 points
  22. Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers – Currently: 36 points in 38 games, Projection: 78 points
  23. Vincent Trocheck, Florida Panthers – Currently: 36 points in 38 games, Projection: 78 points
  24. Mathew Barzal*, New York Islanders – Currently: 36 points in 38 games, Projection: 78 points
  25. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers – Currently: 36 points in 38 games, Projection: 78 points
  26. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins – Currently: 35 points in 35 games, Projection: 78 points
  27. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues – Currently: 38 points in 41 games, Projection: 76 points
  28. Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres – Currently: 35 points in 38 games, Projection: 75 points
  29. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins – Currently: 34 points in 37 games, Projection: 75 points
  30. Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators – Currently: 34 points in 37 games, Projection: 75 points
  31. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 34 points in 37 games, Projection: 75 points
  32. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins – Currently: 35 points in 39 games, Projection: 74 points
  33. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars – Currently: 35 points in 39 games, Projection: 74 points
  34. David Perron, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 29 points in 30 games, Projection: 74 points
  35. Evander Kane, Buffalo Sabres – Currently: 34 points in 38 games, Projection: 73 points
  36. Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers – Currently: 33 points in 37 games, Projection: 73 points
  37. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche – Currently: 33 points in 37 games, Projection: 73 points
  38. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers – Currently: 32 points in 34 games, Projection: 73 points
  39. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs – Currently: 29 points in 29 games, Projection: 72 points
  40. Artemi Panarin, Columbus Blue Jackets – Currently: 34 points in 39 games, Projection: 71 points
  41. Tyler Seguin, Dallas Stars – Currently: 34 points in 39 games, Projection: 71 points
  42. Vlad Namestnikov, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 32 points in 37 games, Projection: 71 points
  43. Eric Staal, Minnesota Wild – Currently: 33 points in 39 games, Projection: 70 points
  44. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks – Currently: 18 points in 15 games, Projection: 70 points
  45. Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames – Currently: 32 points in 38 games, Projection: 69 points
  46. Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings – Currently: 31 points in 37 games, Projection: 69 points
  47. John Klingberg, Dallas Stars – Currently: 32 points in 39 games, Projection: 67 points
  48. William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 29 points in 36 games, Projection: 66 points
  49. Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche – Currently: 28 points in 33 games, Projection: 66 points
  50. Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers – Currently: 29 points in 35 games, Projection: 66 points
  51. Nicklas Backstrom, Washington Capitals – Currently: 31 points in 39 games, Projection: 65 points
  52. Alexander Radulov, Dallas Stars – Currently: 31 points in 39 games, Projection: 65 points
  53. Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets – Currently: 31 points in 39 games, Projection: 65 points
  54. Clayton Keller*, Arizona Coyotes – Currently: 31 points in 40 games, Projection: 64 points
  55. John Carlson, Washington Capitals – Currently: 31 points in 40 games, Projection: 64 points
  56. Reilly Smith, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 28 points in 36 games, Projection: 64 points
  57. Nikolaj Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets – Currently: 30 points in 39 games, Projection: 63 points
  58. P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators – Currently: 29 points in 38 games, Projection: 62 points
  59. Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers – Currently: 29 points in 38 games, Projection: 62 points
  60. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers – Currently: 29 points in 38 games, Projection: 62 points
  61. Teuvo Teravainen, Carolina Hurricanes – Currently: 29 points in 38 games, Projection: 62 points
  62. Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes – Currently: 29 points in 38 games, Projection: 62 points
  63. James Neal, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 27 points in 36 games, Projection: 62 points
  64. Kyle Turris, Nashville Predators – Currently: 27 points in 34 games, Projection: 62 points
  65. Danton Heinen*, Boston Bruins – Currently: 26 points in 33 games, Projection: 62 points
  66. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings – Currently: 29 points in 39 games, Projection: 61 points
  67. Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings – Currently: 29 points in 39 games, Projection: 61 points
  68. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs – Currently: 29 points in 39 games, Projection: 61 points
  69. Jordan Eberle, New York Islanders – Currently: 28 points in 38 games, Projection: 61 points
  70. Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks – Currently: 26 points in 35 games, Projection: 61 points
  71. Mikael Granlund, Minnesota Wild – 27 points in 34 games, Projection: 61 points
  72. Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks – Currently: 27 points in 34 games, Projection: 61 points
  73. Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 27 points in 36 games, Projection: 61 points
  74. Erik Haula, Vegas Golden Knights – Currently: 25 points in 32 games, Projection: 61 points
  75. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning – Currently: 27 points in 37 games, Projection: 60 points
  76. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins- Currently: 25 points in 32 games, Projection: 60 points
  77. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators – Currently: 25 points in 32 games, Projection: 60 points

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Snapshots: Three Stars, Rinaldo, Barrie, Niederreiter

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The NHL released their three stars of the week, and Boston Bruins’ Tuukka Rask has top honors after starting three games last week, going 3-0 with a 1.30 GAA and a .954 save percentage. He made 16 saves in a 7-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, and then followed that up with a 37-save performance (along with three shootout saves) to lead the Bruins past the Winnipeg Jets, 2-1, Thursday. Saturday, he made 30 saves to defeat the Detroit Red Wings, 3-1. He is 11-8-3 on the season with a 2.28 GAA and a .918 save percentage.

Mathew Barzal and James Reimer rounded out the top three amazing performances for the week. Barzal led the New York Islanders with a six-point performance for the week, including four goals in three games. His hat trick against the Winnipeg Jets Saturday was the first of his career. The 20-year-old leads all rookies with 23 assists and 35 points. Reimer stopped 106 out of 110 shots on goal in three games to lead the Florida Panthers to three victories. He posted a 1.33 GAA and a .964 save percentage for the week as he has been filling in for injured starter Roberto Luongo.

  • The Department of Player Safety announced that it has offered Arizona Coyotes forward Zac Rinaldo an in-person hearing for throwing a punch at an unsuspecting opponent. During the second period of Saturdays’ game against the Colorado Avalanche, Rinaldo laid a hit on Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. In response, Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard confronted Rinaldo, who subsequently sucker-punched him. Rinaldo has been suspended four times in his NHL career for a total of 19 games. The veteran has two goals and one assist in 31 games this year with 32 penalty minutes.
  • Mike Chambers of the Denver Post writes that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie fractured a bone in his right hand in Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. He blocked a shot from Coyotes’ defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the first period that deflected off his hand. A timeline for his recovery has not been announced. Barrie is having a solid year with Colorado, with four goals and 23 assists in 34 games, ranking third in the league with 27 points for defensemen.
  • Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune writes that Minnesota Wild winger Nino Niederreiter’s status remains unclear after he suffered a lower-body injury on Friday. He did not play Saturday and is day-to-day. “I don’t know if the puck hit him or if his foot banged against the boards,” said Boudreau, who figured Niederreiter was bruised on the play. The 25-year-old already missed six games earlier this season due to an ankle injury.

Veteran Free Agent Contracts Not Working Out Well In 2017-18

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There is no doubt that the game of hockey is getting faster and, as a result, younger. Yet, in 2016-17 that didn’t stop 44-year-old ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr from outscoring his age, 40-year-old Matt Cullen and 37-year-old Chris Kunitz from contributing to a second straight Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup title, 39-year-old Zdeno Chara from skating in more than 23 minutes per game, or 36-year-old Henrik Zetterberg and 37-year-old Joe Thornton from finishing among the league’s best in assists. Several teams who witnessed the impact that older players had on their teams last year went out and signed older free agents this summer in hopes of a repeat performance. It hasn’t happened for most of those teams. The majority of players age 36 and older who signed with new teams this off-season have struggled to meet expectations.

Jagr, of course, is the poster boy of the anti-youth movement. The 28-year NHL veteran has somehow remained consistent throughout his career even into his mid-40’s, but despite a 46-point campaign last year, got little attention this summer and it looked like his illustrious career was over. However, the Calgary Flames swooped in at the last minute, signing Jagr to a one-year deal in early October. At $2MM for the year, it was a low-risk, high-upside singing. Yet, through 36 games, that upside has not shown up. Jagr has only been healthy for 19 games, in which he has only one goal and six assists. Even if Jagr was magically healthy for each of the Flames remaining games this season, he would be on pace for a career-worst 24 points. It seems that Jagr’s days are finally done.

He’s not alone though. The Penguins aging role players also decided to leave Pittsburgh this off-season, with Cullen heading home to Minnesota to join the Wild and Kunitz chasing a fourth Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both players have been nothing short of a disappointment so far. Cullen, who was a major contributor to the Pens’ success last year as a dependable checking center and 30-point scorer. So far with the Wild, Cullen has been a non-factor offensively (7 points) and defensively (team worst -11) through 35 games and was even a healthy scratch earlier this month. Despite the incredible talent around him, Kunitz has just 10 points this season, a pace which is a far cry from his recent back-to-back 40-point seasons.

Who else is on the list? Defenseman Mark Streit was a complete disaster in Montreal, released by the Canadiens after just two games. Journeyman goalie Michael Leighton hasn’t done much better, already on his third team in 2017-18 and without an NHL appearance thus far. Despite the time-tested theory that Radim Vrbata always performs his best in Arizona, the aging scorer bolted the Coyotes for the Florida Panthers, who so far have only received 12 points and 29 games from the signing.

The jury is still out on a few veterans. Francois Beauchemin returned home to Anaheim this summer and many expected him to improve his game back on a familiar roster. While Beauchemin’s 7 points through 30 games pale in comparison to the better seasons of his career, it’s similar to the production he showed last year with the Colorado Avalanche. With the Ducks struggling as a team, it seems fair that Beauchemin’s play has also been a bit lacking. That hasn’t been the case for Ryan Miller, another aging addition in Anaheim. His .928 save percentage and 2.23 GAA has been very good. However, Miller has only gotten the win in four of his ten appearances and missed much of the early season due to injury. Miller has performed better than the rest of his team, but had he been healthy it may have reversed the Ducks’ fortunes early on. Matt Hendricks has already matched his point total with the Edmonton Oilers last season now with the Winnipeg Jets last season. He’s playing a valued energy role and the Jets likely don’t have many gripes. With that said, Hendricks needed only seven points to match that total from a down year in 2016-17 and has a been playing a less-physical game than he has in the past. Hendricks hasn’t been bad, but Winnipeg would undoubtedly rather see 2014-15 Hendricks, who posted 16 points and 220 hits.

The one team who has had great success with veteran signings in 2017-18 is the Toronto Maple Leafs. San Jose Sharks legend Patrick Marleau chose to sign in Toronto, leaving the only team he had ever played for, but the Leafs had to give him three years and $18.75MM to get it done. So far, it hasn’t been a bad investment. Marleau has 19 points in all 36 games, including 12 goals, and the 38-year-old should easily reach 40 points for the 18th time in his career. However, the real breakout veteran performance has been from the 36-year-old Ron Hainsey, whose signing was initially panned by many. Yet, Hainsey is on pace for one of, if not the best offensive campaigns of his career with 15 points so far. Forming a dynamic duo with Morgan Rielly, Hainsey seems rejuvenated late in his career and it has shown in an improvement on Toronto’s back end. But even the Leafs weren’t perfect though; the signing of Dominic Moore has been a disappointment. Moore has only nine points and has been a frequent scratch after a season with the division rival Boston Bruins in which he put up 25 points and played in all 82 games.

The NHL has been an increasingly difficult place for mediocre older players to find work. There has been a movement toward younger rosters, with veterans settling for minimum contracts, tryouts, or simply heading to Europe. Yet, exceptions continue to be made, especially for some talented older players. After the results this elderly free agent group has shown, veteran signings – especially those demanding big money and term – will surely become even less frequent.

Roberto Luongo Resumes Skating; Jamie McGinn Day-To-Day

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  • The Senators will be without defenseman Dion Phaneuf for a second straight game tonight against the Panthers, reports Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun. Unlike several other Ottawa players who are dealing with injuries or illness, this one is at least for a happier reason as Phaneuf is with family following the recent birth of his daughter.  He’ll be ready to go following the holiday break.
  • Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo has resumed skating, notes Walter Villa of the Miami Herald. However, he is still several weeks away from being able to return to the lineup from his leg injury.  Villa adds that winger Jamie McGinn’s absence from their game last night was due to an upper-body injury.  The veteran is listed as day-to-day.

Edmonton Oilers Trade Greg Chase To Florida Panthers

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In another pre-freeze move, the Edmonton Oilers have traded minor league forward Greg Chase to the Florida Panthers for future considerations. The move opens up a potential roster spot for the Oilers, who were at 49/50 contracts when the day began. The potential departure of Nathan Walker, who is on waivers, could open another slot. The Oilers also loaned Mark Fayne to the Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida’s AHL affiliate), though he—and his salary—will stay on Edmonton’s books.

Chase was selected by the Oilers in the seventh round of the 2013 entry draft, but has never quite found the scoring touch he had in the WHL as a junior player. Bouncing up and down between the ECHL and AHL without much success, he’ll get the chance for a fresh start in the Florida organization. The 22-year old still has plenty of time to improve and become a valued member of the Springfield organization, though the NHL seems a distant goal at this point.

More importantly, the Oilers now have room to make additional moves if they so choose. As we discussed recently regarding the Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs, the absence of contract slots can very much hamper your ability to improve the team if an opportunity arises. The Oilers could end the day at 48 contracts, giving them the option to claim someone off waivers or deal away draft picks for extra bodies to help them on their current playoff run.

Minor Transactions: 12/17/17

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After an 11-game schedule last night that included the Centennial Classic at Lansdowne Park between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL has just four games on Sunday, but after all that action, many teams are likely going to make some moves to shuffle their rosters.

  • NHL.com’s Brian Hedger reports that the Columbus Blue Jackets will make a few roster changes after the team’s 2-1 loss to Carolina Saturday. The team plans to recall winger Sonny Milano and defenseman Cameron Gaunce and intend to assign forward Jordan Schroeder and defenseman Gabriel Carlsson to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. For many of these players, they have been rotating back and forth between clubs most of the season. Milano has been one of those players. The 21-year-old has been with Cleveland for the past week and has two assists in four games there. He has played 25 games for the Blue Jackets, but has had trouble finding the net after a hot start. Gaunce will be recalled for the first time this season. The 27-year-old, who signed with Columbus in the offseason, has five assists in 20 AHL games. The team will return Schroeder, who has been up and down, but is slowly crossing the 10-game barrier that would force the team to place him on waivers again. The team placed the 27-year-old wing on waivers on Oct. 23. He has played eight games for Columbus with no points. Carlsson, has also been a two-way player quite often this year. The 20-year-old former first-round pick in 2015 has one assist in 10 games with Columbus and has played in just five games with Cleveland. He has been with the team since Dec. 1.
  • The Florida Panthers announced the team has loaned winger Dryden Hunt to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL as the team is starting to get healthy again. The 22-year-old has been with the team since Nov. 9, but has just one assist in 11 games with the Panthers. Hunt had been playing well with Springfield to start the season, which is what prompted his promotion to Florida after he put up five goals and three assists in 13 games.
  • The St. Louis Blues unsurprisingly activated defenseman Alex Pietrangelo Sunday, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Pietrangelo was activated after missing the last four games with a foot injury that he suffered in a Dec. 9 game against Detroit when he took a shot off his foot. The 27-year-old captain’s seven goals ranks third among NHL defenseman and his 23 points ranks him ninth among defenseman.
  • Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post tweets that the Washington Capitals made a couple of roster moves today, sending defenseman Madison Bowey and winger Jakub Vrana to the Hershey Bears of the AHL. However, Khurshudyan adds that it is just a paper move to give Washington a small amount of cap space as both are not expected to leave town and will be recalled tomorrow morning.

Tracking 2017 Draftees: Hischier, Patrick, Tippett

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While it didn’t have the star power of the 2016 or 2015 versions, the 2017 Draft class has still made some noise this season. There are certainly a number of players who have stood out for their respective teams as we move past the middle of December. We’ll take a look at three of those players who have been with the big club this season.

#1 overall pick – Nico Hischier

Key to the turnaround in New Jersey was the luck of the draw–the Devils were fortunate to grab the #1 overall pick–sporting only an 8.5% chance of nabbing it. There were rumors they would go defense but general manager Ray Shero went with Hischier, who has rewarded their trust with five goals and 20 points. Though he’s gone his last five games without a point, the rookie has been a much needed boost for the Devils, who are currently in a three-way tie for first place in the crowded Metropolitan Division. Some have wondered if he’s beginning to hit the proverbial rookie wall. All would agree, however, that the Devils are a much better team with Hischier in the lineup.

#2 overall pick – Nolan Patrick

Patrick was projected a number one pick for the draft when projections came out back in 2016, but his stock dropped slightly as Hischier’s presence on the world stage captured attention. Further, Patrick’s hernia injury that sidelined him in juniors raised questions about his durability. The Flyers snagged him second, and within the first week, Patrick underwent surgery prior to the draft and it turned out to be more serious than anyone expected. He recovered, and started the season in Philadelphia before spending time on the IR at the beginning of November. With six points in 22 games, it’s too early to tell with Patrick. Health, as has been the concern from the start, will truly dictate if Patrick becomes the player the Flyers envisioned when taking him second overall.

#10 overall pick – Owen Tippett

The winger with a wicked shot played seven games with the Florida Panthers before they sent him back to the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL. In those seven games, Tippett recorded one goal. Sun-Sentinel writer Craig Davis reported back in November that while general manager Dale Tallon called it a “tough” decision to send him back to junior hockey, there simply wasn’t an opportunity for the youngster to get quality minutes at the NHL level. Since going back to Mississauga, Tippett is over a point-per-game, notching 16 points (6-10) in 15 games.

Are The Atlantic Division Playoff Teams Already Set?

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It’s December and the 82-game NHL season is not even half over. Think what you will about the “Thanksgiving Rule”, but a lot can change over a long season. There’s no telling exactly how things will shake out this early in the campaign.

Yet, it seems almost impossible that the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs entries from the Atlantic Division are not already set. The Tampa Bay Lightning (23-6-2, 48 pts, .774 PTS%) are the best team in the league. The Toronto Maple Leafs (20-13-1, 41 pts, .603 PTS%) are second in the division and tied for second in the Eastern Conference in points, despite a current three-game losing streak. The Boston Bruins (15-10-4, 34 pts, .586 PTS%) are the closest team to the Leafs in terms of points percentage in the East and rank third in points in the division with the least games played in the NHL. The rest of the teams in the Atlantic are not even close.

The Montreal Canadiens (14-14-4, 32 pts, .500 PTS%) perhaps represent the best bet at a spoiler in the Atlantic, but needed a 6-2-2 record in their last ten just to get to .500. The team is still struggling to find its identity under Claude Julien and there has been more talk of a rebuild than a playoff run this season. The Detroit Red Wings (12-13-7, 31 pts, .484 PTS%) are overachieving this season in the opinion of many, yet are still a ways out in the Atlantic. Despite a talented roster, the Florida Panthers (12-15-5, 29 pts, .453 PTS%) are in even worse shape. The Buffalo Sabres (8-18-7, 23 pts, .348 PTS%) are challenging for the worst record in the NHL and, with the team in turmoil, the Ottawa Senators (10-13-7, 27 pts, .450 PTS%) are trending in that direction as well.

As of now, these five Atlantic Division teams hold the five worst records in the Eastern Conference and five of the seven worst records in the entire NHL. Not only will they struggle to catch the Lightning, Leafs, and Bruins, but a wild card spot versus the relatively dominant Metropolitan Division also seems far outside the realm of possibility. If the Metro’s worst team is the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins (16-14-3, 35 pts, .530 PTS%), how could any of the five hope to beat out its fourth and fifth best teams, currently the identical records of the New York Rangers and New York Islanders (17-12-3, 37 pts, .578 PTS%)?

A lot can change over the course of the NHL season, but in 2017-18 it seems very likely that the Atlantic Division playoff status is already set before the 2018 segment of the season even begins. Tampa Bay simply has too much talent to slow down. Toronto has the talent and youth to keep pushing forward. Boston is only now getting healthy for the first time this season. All three teams are likely to get better as the season progresses and, in turn, the gap between them and the remainder of the Atlantic will only get worse.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

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