Poll: Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend In 2019-20?
Just how important is playoff position in just the second month of the regular season? Very, if you look at recent results. Over the past six years, more than 70% of teams in a playoff position at American Thanksgiving have held on to their spot. While last year was slightly below the mark – 11 of 16 teams (69%) in a playoff position on November 22 qualified – the standings at the time were even more predictive than usual. The Lightning, Predators, Flames, Maple Leafs, Jets, and Sharks all finished in the same divisional seed that they occupied at Thanksgiving.
So who were the outliers in 2018-19? Obviously, the St. Louis Blues’ return from the basement of the league standings to win the Stanley Cup is a story that will stand the test of time. However, four other clubs also turned their seasons around: the Islanders, Penguins, Hurricanes, and Golden Knights. And the teams whose seasons took a turn for the worse: the Sabres, Wild, Rangers, Canadiens, and Ducks. Ironically, the Canadiens were narrowly inside the playoff window on Thanksgiving and ended up just barely outside in the spring. Meanwhile, the Ducks, Oilers, and Coyotes were all tied for the lowest playoff-qualifying record on Thanksgiving, with the Ducks getting the tiebreaker at the time, and all three failed to qualify for the postseason.
This season has gotten off to an unpredictable start, which could potentially threaten to derail the Thanksgiving trend. Several teams considered Cup contenders are currently outside the playoff picture, while multiple surprises currently occupy a spot. With Thanksgiving arriving tomorrow, this is the current status of the NHL standings (reminder – points percentage is the ideal way of viewing NHL standings):
Eastern Conference
M1 New York Islanders (.773)
A1 Boston Bruins (.771)
M2 Washington Capitals (.740)
M3 Carolina Hurricanes (.646)
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning (.619)
A3 Florida Panthers (.604)
W1 Pittsburgh Penguins (.625)
W2 Philadelphia Flyers (.604)
Outside the Playoff Picture: Montreal Canadiens (.563), New York Rangers (.545), Columbus Blue Jackets (.522), Buffalo Sabres (.521), Toronto Maple Leafs (.520), Ottawa Senators (.479), New Jersey Devils (.435), Detroit Red Wings (.327)
Western Conference
C1 St. Louis Blues (.680)
P1 Edmonton Oilers (.673)
C2 Dallas Stars (.615)
C3 Colorado Avalanche (.609)
P2 Arizona Coyotes (.620)
P3 Vancouver Canucks (.560)
W1 Winnipeg Jets (.604)
W2 Nashville Predators (.543)
Outside the Playoff Picture: San Jose Sharks (.540), Chicago Blackhawks (.521), Anaheim Ducks (.500), Vegas Golden Knights (.500), Calgary Flames (.481), Minnesota Wild (.480), Los Angeles Kings (.417)
2018-19 playoff teams jump off the page as potential candidates to disrupt the status quo. Particularly in the Pacific Division, it is hard to image none of the Golden Knights – who beat the Thanksgiving odds last year – the Sharks or the Flames will make the playoffs, especially as they look up at the Oilers, Coyotes, and Canucks. There could also be hope in West for the Ducks and Blackhawks, who sit at .500 currently. Over in the East, the Maple Leafs stick out like a sore thumb among non-playoff teams and could be line for improvement following their coaching change. But will it be enough given their difficult start? The Canadiens will also hope for a reverse of fortunes from last year, going from first team out in the conference at Thanksgiving to in the postseason come April. The Sabres have started hot and collapsed two years in a row, but there is still time for them to turn things back around. All three Atlantic clubs see a Panthers team with plenty of problems ahead of them in the standings right now. Meanwhile, the Rangers and Blue Jackets will look to make an unlikely run to the postseason as they chase down the Flyers.
What do you think? Which of these teams will find their way into the playoff picture and which will fall victim to the Thanksgiving postseason trend? Select as many teams below as you like, but remember that for every addition, there has to be a subtraction of a current playoff team.
Which Teams Will Buck The Thanksgiving Playoff Trend?
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Maple Leafs 21% (279)
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Golden Knights 19% (252)
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Sharks 10% (134)
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Blackhawks 9% (113)
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Rangers 8% (106)
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Canadiens 6% (81)
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Sabres 6% (76)
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Flames 6% (76)
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Kings 4% (49)
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Blue Jackets 3% (43)
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Wild 3% (34)
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Devils 2% (25)
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Ducks 2% (22)
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Red Wings 2% (22)
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Senators 1% (9)
Total votes: 1,321
[Mobile users click here to vote]
Boston Bruins Extend Charlie Coyle, Chris Wagner
The Boston Bruins have reached extensions with two of their veteran forwards, signing Charlie Coyle for an additional six years and Chris Wagner for three. Coyle’s new contract will carry an average annual value of $5.25MM while Wagner’s carries an AAV of $1.35MM. Both players were scheduled to become unrestricted free agents after this season.
Coyle, 27, will now be under contract through the 2025-26 season and locked in as a core piece for the Bruins to build around. The versatile forward can play wing or center and adds a well-rounded game to the group, even if he did struggle offensively early this season. Lately, including last night at Montreal, Coyle has been able to support the team’s top unit by creating secondary scoring further down the lineup and adding another weapon on the powerplay.
Acquired from the Minnesota Wild last season in exchange for Ryan Donato, Coyle was a huge part of the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run, scoring 16 points in 24 games and tying for the team lead with nine goals. Add that postseason success to the fact that Coyle is from Massachusetts and bleeds the black-and-gold and there was always a match to be made.
Wagner meanwhile has finally found a home with the Bruins after bouncing around the NHL through the early part of his career. The 28-year old played 76 games for Boston last season and recorded 12 goals and 19 points, but was an effective bottom-six option for the team. Another Massachusetts boy, his new deal keeps him under team control through the 2022-23 season for a more than reasonable price.
There’s risk in any signing the length of Coyle’s, but the Bruins have bought themselves wiggle room with other excellent deals in the past. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak are legitimate contenders for the Hart Trophy this season and cost a combined $12.79MM against the cap, an incredible bargain in today’s NHL. Though they have other players needing new deals—namely star defenseman Torey Krug, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency—these two new cap hits shouldn’t hinder their ability to sign whoever they want.
Ryan Whitney of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast was first to report that the deals were close.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Three Stars, Draft Rankings, McKee
The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week and once again a member of the Boston Bruins “Perfection Line” has taken the top spot. Brad Marchand is the first star after a seven-point week, taking him to 39 on the season in just 23 games. Marchand also leads the NHL in +/- with a +17 rating and looks like he could be in legitimate contention for the Hart Trophy this season.
Second and third place go to Connor McDavid and Brock Nelson respectively after each posted four-goal weeks. While Nelson doesn’t get quite the same press as a player like McDavid, he has still been quite effective for the New York Islanders this season with 19 points in 21 games including four game-winning goals.
- Alexis Lafreniere may be the presumptive first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, but Craig Button of TSN argues that Quinton Byfield and Yaroslav Askarov should both be considered contenders for the spot. Button contends that if a team really values the center position Byfield should be the pick, going so far as to say he “can’t imagine a scenario” where a center-needy team doesn’t go with the 6’4″ pivot. Askarov meanwhile is the best goaltending draft prospect since Carey Price according to Button.
- The Kitchener Rangers have fired head coach and former NHL defenseman Jay McKee, naming general manager Mike McKenzie the interim bench boss. McKee, who played over 800 games in the NHL, took over as head coach of the OHL’s Rangers in 2016 and took them to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.
Minor Transactions: 11/25/19
A new week is upon us in the NHL and nine games will kick things off tonight. That schedule includes the struggling Calgary Flames heading to Pittsburgh to try and get another win to slow the bleeding, while the super-hot Dallas Stars welcome the Vegas Golden Knights into their arena. With plenty of action on the schedule we’ll keep track of all the minor moves teams make to prepare.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Matthew Highmore from the minor leagues, his first opportunity at the NHL level since the 2017-18 season. That year Highmore played in 13 games for the Blackhawks and scored two goals, but missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
- Riley Stillman has been sent back to the AHL by the Florida Panthers, while the team takes a few days off. Florida doesn’t play again until Wednesday, when they will try to stop their short two-game losing streak in its tracks.
- After just a couple of days in the minors for cap reasons, Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers. Both players were in the lineup when the Flyers took on the Calgary Flames on Saturday and were sent down just to bank some cap space on the off day.
- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled Jean-Sebastien Dea from the AHL, giving them another option with Evan Rodrigues unavailable for tonight. While Dea gives the Sabres a fine option, the team is really testing their organizational depth with all the recent injuries.
- Daniel Carr has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, a little more than a month after he cleared waivers and was sent down. Carr absolutely tore up the AHL during that time, posting 21 points in 16 games. The 28-year old is an elite AHL offensive weapon, but has just 103 NHL games under his belt.
- Jack Studnicka and Brendan Gaunce have both been recalled by the Boston Bruins. The team will not have Patrice Bergeron, Brett Ritchie or Par Lindholm for their two-game road trip that starts tomorrow in Montreal.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled Michael Hutchinson, sending Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the minor leagues. The backup goaltender usage under new head coach Sheldon Keefe isn’t clear, but the Maple Leafs do have a back-to-back situation coming up this weekend.
Snapshots: LeBreton Flats, Backes, Gelinas
It has been a refreshing change of pace lately to see the Ottawa Senators performing well, winning seven of their last ten games and reaching .500 on the year – a mark they never hit again last year after the sixth game of the season. Their success on the ice is not only a shift from the results over the past year plus, but also serves as a distraction from the continued concern over the team’s ownership issues and fiscal future. A new report today though will bring those problems back into focus.
The Kanata-based club has long desired a downtown Ottawa location for a new arena. The Senators rank dead last in the NHL so far this year in capacity percentage attendance, as they did in 2018-19 as well, and only part of that can be attributed to their play, while their inconvenient location also play a key role. The closest the team has come to finding a new home has been the LeBreton Flats development, an urban development project under the oversight of the National Capital Commission (NCC). At one point, the NCC was working closely with the RendezVous LeBreton Group, led by Senators owner Eugene Melnyk. However, last December the NCC terminated their relationship with the RendezVous LeBreton Group amidst legal turmoil between Melnyk and his business partners and in February confirmed that their bid would not be considered. Yet, the NCC maintained that their plans for the project would be whatever best served the people of Ottawa, leaving open the possibility that an NHL arena could remain in the plans as a rental opportunity for the Senators. However, CTV Ottawa reports today that the LeBreton Flats development plan has finally been made public, and an NHL arena is not currently planned. There is space for a “sports complex” at the LeBreton Place location, but the likelihood of the Senators moving to the area looks doubtful at best at this point in time. This comes as another setback for the organization and yet another blow for a fan base with a growing resentment for ownership and management.
- The Boston Bruins plan to take their time with getting veteran forward David Backes back on the ice for game action. Per WEEI’s Matt Kalman, head coach Bruce Cassidy was happy to see Backes take part in morning skate on Saturday for the first time in several weeks, but wanted to temper expectations of an upcoming return. “Once you’ve had a few head injuries, you got to be really careful,” Cassidy stated, “we don’t need to rush anybody back right now, no matter who it is, especially in this situation. So, yes we’re being as careful as we need to be.” Backes, who has a history of concussions over his long NHL career, suffered yet another in a collision with Ottawa Senators forward Scott Sabourin earlier this month. Until now, he had only been training off-ice and skating by himself before or after practice and, as Cassidy warned, his non-contact participation in morning skate today does not indicate that he is ready to jump right back into the mix. Backes was only a part-time player for the Bruins even prior to his injury, so they will continue to be patient with the 35-year-old and wait for the proper time to bring him back.
- Eric Gelinas’ days in the NHL are likely over, but his hockey career continues overseas. The 28-year-old defenseman last played in the league in 2016-17 and left North America ahead of the 2018-19 campaign. After beginning last season with HC Slovan Bratislava of the KHL, Gelinas jumped over to Rogle BK of the SHL to finish the year, signing a contract through this season. However, with things going well in Sweden, Rogle announced that they have extended Gelinas through the 2021-22 season. With eight points in 15 games, Gelinas is doing well for himself offensively, even if he is only third among Rogle defensemen in scoring. More so, the team values his aggressive style and defensive ability and leadership. The former Devil and Avalanche defender has found a nice fit in the SHL and will continue to star in the league into his early thirties and possibly longer.
Torey Krug To Return Tonight, Kevan Miller Suffers Setback
The Bruins have received some good news and some bad news on the injury front when it comes to their back end. The team announced (Twitter links) that defenseman Torey Krug will return tonight after missing the past five games with an upper-body injury. Despite missing those games, he still leads the team in points by a defender with 13 in 17 contests. Meanwhile, John Moore is now participating in practices with a full contact jersey but is still a couple of weeks away from returning from the shoulder issue that has caused him to miss the entire season so far.
Brett Ritchie Dealing With Flare-Up Of Early-Season Infection
- Bruins winger Brett Ritchie is dealing with a flare-up of an early-season infection, notes NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty. This and other injuries have limited him to just 14 games so far this season where he has recorded three points while logging just under 11 minutes a night. There is no timetable for his return.
Minor Transactions: 11/18/19
Just two games grace the NHL schedule as teams continue to get a little rest after a busy Saturday, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t hockey chatter going on all across North America. As we head into the second quarter of the season coaches are already feeling their seat get a little warmer, while pending free agents should start becoming available for trade. As the hockey world continues to turn, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- The Ottawa Senators have recalled Max Veronneau, the young forward that signed out of Princeton at the end of last season. The 23-year old suited up for 12 games down the stretch for Ottawa but is getting his first chance of this season.
- Brendan Gaunce and Urho Vaakanainen have both been recalled by the Boston Bruins after the team sent three players (including Vaakanainen) down yesterday. After an incredible start the Bruins have looked mortal lately, going just 5-2-3 in their last ten games.
- The New Jersey Devils have recalled Louis Domingue, giving them three goaltenders on the roster for the moment. That’s a curious development and one that will make the waiver announcements today something to watch. Cory Schneider has struggled mightily this season, with an .852 save percentage through six appearances.
- The Edmonton Oilers have sent Joel Persson to the minor leagues, giving them just six defensemen on the active roster for the time being. That should soon be fixed by the return of Adam Larsson, who will be activated off long-term injured reserve.
- Steven Santini and Mathieu Olivier have been recalled by the Nashville Predators, adding some more youth to their group as they prepare to face the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow night. Olivier was an undrafted free agent signing out of the QMJHL and has seven points in 17 games for the Milwaukee Admirals this season.
Minor Transactions: 11/17/19
Most of the NHL is at rest today after the huge number of Saturday games, meaning just four teams are in action. The Buffalo Sabres travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks, while the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights get reacquainted in Sin City. As teams prepare for the next week of action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves right here.
- Noah Gregor has been returned to the AHL after playing in ten games for the San Jose Sharks. The 21-year old center failed to register his first NHL point but at least got his feet wet and saw what would be required of him at the next level.
- Former NHL goaltender Justin Pogge has found a new home for this season, signing a one-year deal with Sodertalje SK in Sweden’s second league. The 33-year old netminder has spent the last several seasons overseas after a North American career that saw him quickly turn from top prospect to AHL afterthought. In seven career NHL games, Pogge posted an .844 save percentage and 4.36 goals against average.
- Miikka Salomaki has been assigned to the minor leagues by the Nashville Predators after five games with the team. The 26-year old was recalled on October 19th, meaning he’s close to needing waivers again. Sending him to the AHL now leaves the Predators with some extra roster flexibility.
- The Boston Bruins have returned three players to their AHL affiliate, according to the AHL transactions page. The website reports that the Bruins have sent forwards Paul Carey and Trent Frederic and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen to Providence. Carey played Saturday in their shootout loss to Washington, receiving 6:22 of playing time. Frederic played back-to-back games Friday and Saturday, but was held scoreless, while Vaakanainen played in three games, playing 19:19 on Saturday.
- The Athletic’s Darren Haynes reports that the Calgary Flames have recalled forward Dillon Dube from the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Dube, who has dominated in the AHL, but struggled last year in his first taste of NHL action, was brought in to spark the team, which has been struggling with offense recently. Dube has four goals and 13 points in 13 games with the Heat. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis adds that forward Alan Quine was sent to Stockton in a corresponding move.
- The Vegas Golden Knights announced they have assigned forwards Brandon Pirri and Nicolas Roy to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Pirri cleared waivers and has already been reported to have been sent to Chicago, while Roy has been up and down multiple times this year as a fourth-line option for Vegas. The 22-year-old has fared well in six games, posting a goal and three points.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have re-assigned center Rhett Gardner to the Texas Stars of the AHL. The 23-year-old had appeared in eight games for Dallas but failed to register a point. He had eight shots on goal over that span. With no game until Tuesday, it could just be a paper transaction to save some cap space.
- The Detroit Red Wings announced they have assigned defenseman Joe Hicketts to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Hicketts has appeared in five games for the Red Wings, which included picking up his first point of the season Saturday in their shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks.
- The New Jersey Devils announced they have assigned defenseman Colton White to the Binghamton Devils of the AHL. White was recalled Friday by the team but served as an emergency defenseman for Saturday’s game against Montreal.
- The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled forward Eetu Luostarinen from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to a Checkers’ release. The 21-year-old Luostarinen was recalled 10 days ago, and appeared in three games for the Hurricanes, registering one assist, before being returned to Charlotte. The 2017 second-round pick has looked good in the AHL with five goals and eight points in 12 games.
- After being sent back to the minors following Saturday’s game, the Canadiens announced that they’ve recalled winger Charles Hudon from AHL Laval. He played less than eight minutes yesterday in his season debut but with Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin both injured, Montreal was down to just 11 healthy forwards.
- The Rangers have decided to give Lias Andersson some more playing time as they’ve assigned him to Hartford of the AHL per a team release. The seventh pick in 2017 has just one assist in 17 games this season while playing less than ten minutes per night. Winger Tim Gettinger has been recalled to take his place on the roster.
Injury Notes: Bruins, Sabourin, Juolevi
When the Boston Bruins placed Torey Krug on injured reserve earlier today, it was more a reflection of their injury-riddled lineup than it was the extent of his injury and timeline for recovery. While Krug is expected to miss at least a couple more games with an upper-body injury, the Bruins could not afford to wait that long to bring up reinforcements. Yet, the team had already recalled rookie Urho Vaakanainen to sub in for Krug, so it was veteran forward Paul Carey getting the all from AHL Providence. As it turns out, that move was made in response to Patrice Bergeron needing to take a seat tonight, as Boston hosts the Washington Capitals. Head coach Bruce Cassidy spoke to the media about the situation, indicating that Bergeron is dealing with a nagging lower-body injury, a frequent issue for the star center over the past few seasons, and the team feels that giving him the night off in the second game of a back-to-back may help to prevent the injury from lingering. Bergeron is considered day-to-day, but this is likely a case of load management and he could return to the lineup as soon as the team’s next game on Tuesday.
In more encouraging news for the injury-plagued Bruins, Cassidy noted that Krug skated this morning, as did forwards Jake DeBrusk and Brett Ritchie and defenseman John Moore, who has yet to play this season. Cassidy stated that Ritchie is the closest to returning and could be in play for Tuesday as well. The potential returns of Ritchie, DeBrusk, and Moore sooner rather than later would allow the Bruins to return to some state of normalcy, as they currently are lining up with an entire line – Carey, Par Lindholm, and Trent Frederic – of players who were not expected to have a regular role in Boston this season. The Bruins have done relatively well for themselves to not allow injuries to slow them down too much this season, but the team has struggled this past week or so and improved health would help to get them back on track.
- Among the Bruins not yet ready to resume skating are Kevan Miller, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, and David Backes. Backes has been out since early November following a violent collision with Ottawa Senators forward Scott Sabourin, which left the latter hospitalized. There is no time table for Backes’ return, and the same goes for Sabourin. The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the journeyman grinder has finally resumed working out, but exclusively off the ice. Sabourin has not been cleared to resume skating and the Senators have not released any details on when to expect him to return to play. While Backes’ history with head injuries it what is keeping him off the ice, it was very evident from the collision that it was Sabourin who received the more serious hit to the head and is likely dealing with a severe concussion.
- Another season, another setback for Vancouver Canucks’ defensive prospect Olli Juolevi. Canucks GM Jim Benning announced that Juolevi has been removed from the roster of the AHL’s Utica Comets and is on his way to Vancouver to undergo medical testing. Although all reports out of Utica were that Juolevi’s recent absences from practice were precautionary, the status quo has clearly changed, as he is now expected to miss considerable time. This is purportedly a new lower-body injury plaguing Juolevi, unrelated to the issue that cost him all but 18 AHL games last year. The 2016 No. 5 overall pick seems as far away from making his NHL debut as ever before and it’s fair to begin wondering if he will ever be an impact player in Vancouver.