Wysh List: NHL playoff race reset
The NHL begins sending out their “playoff picture” emails on the first evening after the trade deadline. It’s a large spreadsheet filled with the current standings, the schedules ahead and the “tragic numbers” for teams in playoff contention, i.e. the number of points they have to lose and the team in the last wild card has to gain before they’re eliminated. (Memo to Connor McDavid: It’s 30 right now for the Edmonton Oilers.)
This email symbolizes the start of the stretch run, when we start really focusing on the playoff races and all of the various factors, as well as our Playoff Watch Daily page, for you to keep tabs on it all.
This week in The Wysh List, we present a snapshot of these playoffs races. Keep in mind that “ROW” are the teams’ regulation and overtime (non-shootout) wins, which are the first tie-breaker if they’re knotted in points at the end of the regular season on April 6.
Atlantic Division
1. Tampa Bay Lightning (103 points, 43 ROW, 17 games left)
2. Boston Bruins (85 points, 36 ROW, 18 games left)
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (82 points, 39 ROW, 18 games left)
Metro Division
1. New York Islanders (81 points, 34 ROW, 19 games left)
2. Washington Capitals (79 points, 33 ROW, 18 games left)
3. Columbus Blue Jackets (75 points, 36 ROW, 19 games left)
Wild card
WC1. Montreal Canadiens (75 points, 32 ROW, 18 games left)
WC2. Carolina Hurricanes (74 points, 33 ROW, 19 games left)
In the hunt
Pittsburgh Penguins (74 points, 32 ROW, 19 games left)
Philadelphia Flyers (68 points, 28 ROW, 18 games left)
Buffalo Sabres (66 points, 25 ROW, 19 games left)
The former Islander returned to a bold display of displeasure from his former fans. And, oh yeah, his team lost 6-1, too.
The trade deadline has come and gone, with some shifts in the rankings. Plus, which player on each team is under the most pressure?
Sharks, Rangers and Jets, move to the head of the class. Oilers? You’ve got detention. We grade every team’s moves (and non-moves).
Where you don’t want to be: Wild card No. 2. That gets you the Lightning in Round 1, and they’re 16-2 in the first two rounds of the playoffs in their last two postseasons. Of course, if you’re the Hurricanes, you’re probably just happy to be there.
What’s interesting about the Hurricanes: Money Puck has them at 77.8 percent to make the playoffs, which is a higher probability than the Canadiens (73.08) team that they’re chasing. Pittsburgh is right in the middle at 74.52 percent.
Most fascinating team: Obviously it’s the Blue Jackets. They’re the Giancarlo Stanton of hockey, taking the mightiest swing and knowing it’s either a home run or an epic whiff. What happens if they go all-in and they miss the playoffs? I don’t want to even consider it, because I want to believe that fortune favors the bold, but … what if they miss? What does this team look like in 2019-20?
X factor: The Penguins. After their eight-game winning streak to close out the 2018 calendar year, Pittsburgh hasn’t won more than two games in a row. They can’t find consistency, can’t find their rhythm, can’t stay completely healthy. It’s still Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. It’s still a franchise that hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2006. They could finish anywhere from second in the Metro to outside out of the playoffs entirely, and no one would be shocked.
Matchups we want to see: There are several scenarios in which the New York Islanders face either John Tavares or Barry Trotz’s old team in the playoffs, and we really, really hope to see one or both reunions.
Central Division
1. Nashville Predators (79 points, 35 ROW, 16 games left)
2. Winnipeg Jets (78 points, 35 ROW, 19 games left)
3. St. Louis Blues (74 points, 33 ROW, 19 games left)
Pacific Division
1. Calgary Flames (89 points, 41 ROW, 18 games left)
2. San Jose Sharks (82 points, 37 ROW, 18 games left)
3. Vegas Golden Knights (73 points, 31 ROW, 17 games left)
Wild card
WC1 – Dallas Stars (69 points, 32 ROW, 18 games left)
WC2 – Minnesota Wild (68 points, 30 ROW, 18 games left)
In the hunt
Colorado Avalanche (68 points, 27 ROW, 18 games left)
Arizona Coyotes (67 points, 27 ROW, 18 games left)
Chicago Blackhawks (63 points, 26 ROW, 18 games left)
Vancouver Canucks (63 points, 24 ROW, 17 games left)
The 2019 NHL draft is June 21-22 in Vancouver. Get ready with the latest prospect rankings and our mock draft.
• Mock Draft 1.0
• Top 50 draft prospects
Where you don’t want to be: In the two vs. three series in the Pacific, but alas it appears we’re destined to lose either the Sharks or Golden Knights after one round because they’re a bit locked in. Should be a classic series, but still a bummer.
Most fascinating team: St. Louis. Was that 11-game winning streak their calling card to the rest of the league that the formerly last-place team is now a championship contender, or are we in for a regression before the playoffs hit?
X factor: The Coyotes had a quiet trade deadline because they’re getting a slew of players back from injury. (True to form, they may have lost Derek Stepan to injury last night.) One reason they’re an X factor: They currently have only seven playoff teams on the schedule the rest of the way, and two of the games (Vegas and Winnipeg) are in the last two games of the season i.e. the rest zone.
Matchup we want to see: Nashville and Winnipeg. C’mon, why pretend this isn’t one of the NHL’s absolute bangers of a playoff series? Of course, it would be nice if Pekka Rinne could win a game or two in a critical spot this time around.
Gritty wasn’t at the Stadium Series game. Gritty was the Stadium Series game.
The Flyers’ tangerine dreamboat began the game looking like a Muppet version of “TRON” before leaping from the top of the dang stadium!
�� I’m just a Grit and I’m on FIREEEEEEE �� pic.twitter.com/lFFqZnlOgl
– Gritty (@GrittyNHL) February 24, 2019
Later, Gritty was accosted by security for streaking during the game, which was equal parts amusing and disturbing because once again we had to see that colorful Cronut he calls a bellybutton.
I’ve since been ejected. pic.twitter.com/6ims2CQpsc
– Gritty (@GrittyNHL) February 24, 2019
We’ve been saying for weeks that Gritty is currently the biggest star in the NHL. This was his first outdoor game. It delivered the biggest audience for a Stadium Series game in five years. You do the math.
1. Minnesota changed the game. I heard from multiple sources that the Wild officially flipping the switch to sell mode shifted things significantly around the deadline. Charlie Coyle going to the Bruins and Mikael Granlund going to the Predators affected the markets for similar players. Although he didn’t move, ditto Jason Zucker. The rental market was interrupted by players with term.
Catch more than 180 NHL games streaming live this season on ESPN+. Click here for the upcoming schedule and to learn how to subscribe.
2. Way-in-the-future considerations. The fact that two draft picks in 2022 were moved at the deadline was hilarious. It’s literally unpredictable what happens with teams year to year — ask Senators GM Pierre Dorion — and they’re trading picks that are nearly two “Mission: Impossibles” from now. But I have to admit: I was unaware that there is no limit to how far in the future a draft pick is for you to trade it. Someone should toss a seventh-round pick 1,000 years into the future into a trade just for giggles. Except for you, Ottawa. Never trade a future draft pick again.
3. There will be no Matt Duchene laundering. I’m here for wacky theories on how teams can creatively cheat the system. Like this Travis Yost suggestion on how the Blue Jackets could have Matt Duchene long term, but not have to give Ottawa the conditional first-round pick they’d owe them if they re-signed him this summer:
Is there anything in the CBA that bars Columbus from working a sign and trade with Arizona for, say Duchene, and giving them a third round pick for it? In lieu of the first round pick they’d owe? I don’t think there is.
– Travis Yost (@travisyost) February 24, 2019
How great is that idea? So great that I decided to put it to the test and asked NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly: Would this be kosher?
“No, that would be a clear circumvention. Not even a close call,” he responded via email.
Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.
From the mythical land of Tkachuk:
More than 30 Tkachuk family members are here wearing customized Ottawa/Calgary jerseys in honour of Brady and Matthew playing vs each other for the first time. #flames #senators pic.twitter.com/D79Slm0jcz
– Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) February 24, 2019
Two problems here. First, they’re hideous. They look like they were designed by someone in charge of stenciling house numbers on mailboxes. Second, it’s about the kids; put their darn names on the front of the jerseys, for the love of Walt.
As for everything that was seen at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday … we’ll just go ahead and apply the “Protest Jersey” exemption to them for one night.
1. That atmosphere. The John Tavares return to Long Island is easily in my top 10 for most memorable atmospheres for a sporting event I had the honor to cover. From the jersey torching outside to the inspired chanting inside. To wit: They unleashed the hilariously inaccurate (but hilarious nonetheless) “Where’s your jammies?” chant with about five minutes left in the game! That’s like if Chris Rock closed “Bring The Pain” with the “you’re supposed to take care of your kids” bit. (For the record, my praise of Islanders fans does not extend to throwing stuff at Tavares, which isn’t cool and undermined a lot of the other good-natured trolling.)
Postgame analysis and highlight show airing each night throughout the season from Barry Melrose and Linda Cohn. Watch on ESPN+
2. The Islanders are fast. Coaches are always talking about “being fast vs. playing fast.” The Islanders are a little of both in some cases (see: Barzal, Mathew) but in watching them a few times … man, does Barry Trotz have them playing fast. Quick passing, good transitions. Really tough team to play against. It’s going to be a Jack Adams race for the ages if Jon Cooper leads Tampa Bay to the highest point total in NHL history but has to overcome The Barry Trotz Narrative to win it.
3. The Leafs aren’t ready. Mike Babcock called the two games this season against the Islanders “a dress rehearsal” ahead of the playoffs. I’d be concerned the show might close after the first round. There’s no excuse for not protecting the puck. There should be legitimate concern that Auston Matthews, in two playoff-paced games with pride on the line against the Islanders, had no points and was a minus-4. The Neanderthals in the Toronto media will no doubt claim that this is an issue with physicality, and I’m not saying the Leafs don’t have issues there. But the bigger one, by far, is being the team that should be skating their opponent out of the rink and having that done to them.
Full NHL trade deadline breakdown from yours truly, Emily Kaplan and Chris Peters, who was stellar on the prospects moved by teams this week. A good listen if you want trade grades, or to see what it all means going forward. Stream here or grab on iTunes.
The Athletic ($) polled 198 players for their thoughts on different categories. P.K. Subban won for most overrated player, which is hilarious when you consider that his Norris Trophy case last season was made by people claiming we were underrating how good he was.
Disgusting racial incident in a Quebec pro league, which apologized to the player and his family.
Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan bring in ESPN NHL draft and prospects analyst Chris Peters for the trade deadline wrap-up show. The three discuss all of the deals that were completed, including Vegas’ acquisition of RW Mark Stone (13:02). Plus, Wayne Simmonds is heading to Nashville (24:56). Listen »
Oh, hey, look, another fan shamed because of someone applying their own narrative to a video clip from the arena is actually an OK person. “She never wanted the puck. She was angry about something completely different.”
Jesse Puljujarvi is done for the season.
The Huntsville Havoc are honoring the Mighty Ducks in a pretty awesome way.
What’s Taylor Hall‘s future with the Devils?
Ryan Lambert on who the best team in the West might be after the deadline.
Interesting news from the CWHL’s players association, which seeks to help with personal branding and establish an alumni association.
Finally, get the tissues because this moment between Carey Price and a young fan is just incredible.
This is everything – this young fan, Anderson, met his idol @CP0031, after his mother passed away due to cancer. She had promised him that she would do everything in her power to help the two meet and it happened. This right here is hockey. #OurGreatGame
(�� FB/ Tammy Whitehead) pic.twitter.com/ww6jLM2yoF
– NHL (@NHL) March 1, 2019
Hockey tl;dr (too long; didn’t read)
Eric Duhatschek on the Jarome Iginla trade is an insta-click.
In case you missed this from your friends at ESPN
Emily Kaplan on the “Black Girls Hockey Club” was just tremendously entertaining.