NHL Storylines to Watch: Post All-Star Break
NHL Storylines to Watch Heading Down the Final Stretch of 2015-16
There’s no shortage of NHL storylines heading down the final stretch of the 2015-16 season. We’re less than a month away from the trade deadline, and only two and half months away from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It’s one of the more exciting stretches of hockey coming out of the NHL All-Star Break, so let’s take a look at the most interesting NHL storylines to watch between now and April.
Anaheim Ducks
A few things to watch in Anaheim. Firstly, can the team score enough goals down the stretch? If so, can John Gibson continue his hot play and carry the Ducks into a surprise playoff spot after their extremely slow start?
Anaheim might still be active on the trade market over the next few weeks. They’ve got a wealth of offensively gifted defenseman, and could afford to move one to address other needs. It’s still unclear whether they’re open to moving Frederik Andersen. Time will tell.
Can Robin Lehner Secure No.1 Spot in Buffalo?
Recently returned from a long-term injury after going down in the first game of the season. After dealing with a small setback that pushed his recovery time a couple of weeks back, it seems Lehner is fully healthy.
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Both Chad Johnson and Linus Ullmark played well in his absence, but the hope is that Lehner secures the starter role after paying a hefty price to acquire him last offseason.
Rental Watch
There’s a sizable list of pending free agents that could be trade rental targets at the deadline. Below is a list of what should be the most sought after rentals (if available).
Mikkel Boedker (Arizona), Loui Eriksson (Boston), Jiri Hudler (Calgary), Eric Staal (Carolina), Lee Stempniak (New Jersey), Keith Yandle (NY Rangers), Kyle Okposo (NY Islanders), P.A. Parenteau (Toronto), Roman Polak (Toronto), Radim Vrbata (Vancouver), Andrew Ladd (Winnipeg)
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Which Teams Will be Buyers/Sellers at Trade Deadline
It’s crunch time – that time of year when teams decide whether they’re buyers or sellers. This is particularly difficult for teams such as Pittsburgh, who are on the bubble, and had playoff aspirations going into the new season.
With a large crop of potentially available players (including the rentals), we could see a slight increase in trade activity leading up to and on the trade deadline. Among the most likely to be active subtracting for prospects and draft picks are the Toronto Maple Leafs, Arizona Coyotes, and Buffalo Sabres.
Who finishes 1st in the Western Conference?
Chicago leads the way coming out of the All-Star break with 70 points in 53 games. They’ve also played upward of six more games than some teams. The Dallas Stars led most of 2015-16 before hitting a wall in January, but still sit just behind Chicago with 67 points. Sitting behind Dallas is St.Louis with 64 points, followed by Los Angeles with 63 points (leading the Pacific).
Which Team Finishes With the Worst Record?
Among the bottom feeders right now are the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres, and Calgary Flames.
If one had to guess, Toronto would be the logical choice for projecting the team that finishes with the worst record. In all honesty, 2015-16 is a big win for the Toronto Maple Leafs regardless of record. The building blocks for a promising future have been laid, and a high-standard has been set from bench boss Mike Babcock, all the way through the front office with Brendan Shanahan and company.
Can the Florida Panthers win the Atlantic Division?
Leading the Atlantic at the moment with a record of 29-15-5 for 63 points, the Panthers have a five point lead on second place Tampa Bay. Led by future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr and a group of talented kids in Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad, and Reilly Smith. A lot of credit is due to veteran goaltender Roberto Luongo – having arguably a Vezina quality season.
How will the Montreal Canadiens Fare Over the Final Stretch?
When Mike Condon and Dustin Tokarski fell apart, the Canadiens made a move to acquire Ben Scrivens. Long story short, the goaltending carousel has not worked over the past couple months. Early on, Mike Condon was impressive in-goal, looking like a man possessed that could easily fill in for the injured Carey Price. How quickly things changed. A rough two month stretch has the hockey world anointing the Canadiens the NHL’s worst team.
As quickly as things went downhill, they can again do the opposite. If Montreal gets their star goalie back soon, and makes a move or two leading up to the trade deadline, there’s hope for Montreal to not only make the playoffs, but make some noise with a well rested Carey Price.
Will Any Canadian Teams Make the Playoffs?
Barring an Andrew Hammond-like stretch, it should be safe to exclude Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Winnipeg from the playoff conversation. Both Ottawa and Calgary showed us enough in 2014-15 to believe they can play excellent hockey down the stretch. Montreal may be Canada’s best hope at a playoff spot.
Steven Stamkos
It’s been a bit of a circus with the Steven Stamkos saga. A lot of strange happenings that have us questioning his future in Tampa Bay. Will he sign a new contract, or will he walk into free agency?
How Many Players Will the Rebuilding Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Away Over the Next Few Weeks?
There’s very few untouchable pieces on the roster. Beyond Morgan Reilly, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, any player can be had for the right price. Fans in Toronto would love to see contracts moved out, particularly Dion Phaneuf, Tyler Bozak, and Joffrey Lupul, but it’s unlikely any of those three are moved prior to the deadline. Consider Leo Komarov and Michael Grabner potentials to be moved.
Likely Moved Prior to the Trade Deadline:
P.A. Parenteau, Shawn Matthias, Roman Polak
Can the Washington Capitals Secure the President’s Trophy?
Washington is 35-8-4 with 74 points, holding a four-point lead on Chicago. They’ve also got six games in hand compared to the Blackhawks. Dominating the NHL in 2015-16, it would be surprising if any team surpasses them over the final stretch. Led by early Vezina favorite Braden Holtby, Washington is getting production up and down their entire lineup.
Which Player Ends up Being the Odd-Man Out in Winnipeg?
Latest rumors suggest efforts to re-sign Dustin Byfuglien is now the main priority. Logic dictates the odd-man out in that scenario is captain Andrew Ladd. It’s unfortunate the Winnipeg Jets are unable to secure all pending free agents, but it’s the unfortunate reality of the salary cap world.
Next: NHL Predictions: Post All-Star Break Edition
Calder Trophy Race: Exciting Rookie Battle Royale in 2015-16
Heading into 2015-16, the expectations were a head-to-head battle between Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel that would spark a debate similar to Alex Ovechkin vs. Sidney Crosby. A slow start (production wise) for Eichel, and an injury to McDavid quickly changed the Calder Trophy race landscape.
Surprisingly, it’s been one of the more exciting rookie scoring battles in recent history. Chicago’s Artemi Panarin leads all rookies, with Buffalo’s Jack Eichel, and Detroit’s Dylan Larkin rounding out the top three. Max Domi is still in the mix, but his production has slowed down in the second half.