Snapshots: Zadina, Byfuglien, Kings
Filip Zadina has had a difficult year. The sixth-overall pick from 2018 has just 11 goals and 23 points with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and was held to just a single assist at the World Juniors, a tournament he dominated last year. Still, that won’t stop the Detroit Red Wings from giving him a taste of the NHL before the end of the season. GM Ken Holland told Ansar Khan of MLive that Zadina will play a few games with the Red Wings before the end of the year, but won’t go over the nine-game threshold that would make his entry-level contract kick in for this season.
Zadina is an extremely skilled player with a deadly accurate shot, and is still just a teenager playing in a professional league with opponents sometimes more than a decade older than him. Struggles maybe were to be expected, but for the Red Wings success he needs to take another step forward next season. Getting him a taste of what it takes to play in the NHL before the summer will give him even more focus this offseason to come to camp ready to compete in September.
- Dustin Byfuglien has been activated from injured reserve by the Winnipeg Jets after a 15-game absence, and should immediately help them on their push to finish at the top of the Western Conference. The Jets are still in the market to make a move at the trade deadline, but getting Byfuglien back at this point should feel like a big addition for the last part of the season. The big, mobile defenseman usually logs some of the highest ice time totals in the league and is a physical force that demands respect all over the rink.
- Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake had some snark for the analysts at TSN when speaking with Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times, and explained that there’s not definite time frame on when he’s looking to make moves to improve the club. If there are opportunities like the one he took by trading away Jake Muzzin the Kings will jump all over it, but they’re not rushing to sell off the whole team right away. For what it’s worth, our readership at PHR believes that Tyler Toffoli will be the next player sent packing by the Kings.
Winnipeg Jets’ First-Round Pick “In Play”
As the trade deadline approaches every year, contending teams must take stock of all the assets they have at their disposal. Perhaps there is a struggling prospect who could still be of some value to a rebuilding team, or an excess roster player not being used to his full potential. Usually, the asset most commonly discussed is a draft pick, specifically a first-round draft pick.
Every year it is written at some point that teams are loath to part with their first-round selection. The draft is deep, and giving up your first crack at a top prospect is a tough decision. Just today, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford said on radio that he is trying to avoid trading his first-round pick given the exceptional talent available in June. That might not be the case for the Winnipeg Jets. Today in an update of the TSN Trade Bait board, reporter Frank Seravalli writes that the Jets’ first-round pick is “in play” for the deadline again this year.
The Jets moved a first-round pick last season to acquire Paul Stastny, and Seravalli notes that this time around the team is still looking for an answer in that second-line center spot. Still, the team has being inquiring about names like Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds and Micheal Ferland, all natural wingers and all pending unrestricted free agents.
Winnipeg is in an obvious win-now situation, given their position in the Western Conference standings. Now four points ahead of the Nashville Predators and 12 points clear of the Dallas Stars in the Central Division, the Jets look as ready as any team to compete for the Stanley Cup this season. Their depth is already an incredible strength of the team, shown blatantly by the recent play of young Jack Roslovic. The barely 22-year old forward was seeing fewer than ten minutes of ice time on most nights before a recent move up the lineup card, and now is fresh off taking home first star of the week honors.
Players like Roslovic are exactly why the Jets are able to move their first-round pick if they so choose. The team has hit on so many of their draft picks the last few years that another season without a top selection is acceptable. It’s not ideal, and certainly not something you want to make a habit of, but obviously an acceptable risk the team will take over the next few weeks.
Trade Rumors: Boyle, Seabrook, Petan
Interest in veteran forward Brian Boyle is increasing and the New Jersey Devils may be forced to move the respected two-way veteran. Boyle, 34, is an impending free agent and the Devils have expressed a desire to re-sign him, but with the postseason out of reach they could feel pressured to capitalize on his trade value. Boyle is not without protection, though. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that the specifics of Boyle’s Limited No-Trade Clause are that he may submit a list of eight teams that he may not be traded to. That would hypothetically leave New Jersey with 23 other suitors, but if Boyle’s list includes mostly deadline buyers, the options could be much more limited. Seravalli adds that Boyle’s preference is also to remain in New Jersey, so he could seek to make it difficult for the Devils to move him. Boyle is currently on pace for 22 goals and 32 points on the year, which would rival his 2010-11 season for the best offensive campaign of his career. Meanwhile, he continues to excel as a defensive forward, leading all Devils forwards in blocked shots and trailing only Blake Coleman for the team lead in hits. The all-around impact on the ice coupled with the experience and locker room leadership that Boyle brings will continue to make him a talked-about deadline target.
- Brent Seabrook may be immovable for a number of reasons, but the Chicago Blackhawks are going to do their best. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the Blackhawks have asked Seabrook to waive his No-Movement Clause. Friedman then adds that, so far, Seabrook has declined. The veteran defenseman is in a steep decline, but apparently is content to ride it out in the city and with the teammates that he has played his entire career, rather than trying to rejuvenate his game with a change of scenery. That’s Seabrook’s prerogative, but meanwhile his cap hit of $6.875MM will continue to cripple Chicago’s attempts to improve and it will likely only get worse each year. For that reason, it comes as little surprise that Friedman notes the Blackhawks plan to keep shopping Seabrook despite the trade protection in hopes that they can find a taker in the market that Seabrook would accept a trade to. It’s a lofty expectation, but if any GM has proven that he can find someone to take expensive contracts off his hands, it’s Chicago’s Stan Bowman.
- There are no guarantees at the NHL Trade Deadline, but the one player who is looking almost certain to be on the move is young Winnipeg Jets forward Nic Petan. Petan, 23, was a highly-touted second-round pick back in 2013, but has been unable to carve out a full-time role for himself in Winnipeg. Petan played a career-high 54 games in 2016-17, recording 13 points, but that number dropped to just 15 games last year and 13 games so far this year. The jury is still out when it comes to whether or not Petan can be an impact player at the NHL level, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to get the chance to prove it with the Jets anyway. As such, Winnipeg is shopping Petan in their pursuit of help up front, writes Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. Bell goes so far as to say that the team will not play Petan, in fear of injury or simply because he is not trusted, until after the deadline or longer. The Jets are all-out buyers this season and selling off a young depth forward is not something that they will rule out if it helps to land a top-six forward. However, Bell says that the team is not keen to move Jack Roslovic, rejecting several offers including the budding forward so far; Petan appears to be the go-to “young roster player” that the Jets are willing to give up. For his part, Petan did a good job of treading carefully around questions from The Winnipeg Sun’s Ken Wiebe about his frustrating season and needing a fresh start, but did admit that he’s looking forward to his “next opportunity”. Reading between the lines, it seems pretty clear that Petan is as eager to get out of Winnipeg as the Jets are to trade him.
Latest On Patrik Laine’s Next Contract
This offseason is shaping up to have an almost unprecedented amount of elite young players hitting restricted free agency all at the same time. While the Toronto Maple Leafs have drawn much of the spotlight given the media circus that surrounds them on a daily basis, another Canadian team might actually have even more work to do. The Winnipeg Jets have three core players in Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba all set to hit RFA status, with several other role players also without a contract. It’s Laine though that has so many people speculating, given the uncertain outcome of his next contract.
At one point earlier in his albeit short career, Laine looked like a lock for an eight-year extension that would make him the team’s highest paid forward. He would even likely surpass captain Blake Wheeler‘s extension that comes in with an $8.25MM starting next year. Buying out that many UFA seasons of an elite goal scorer would come at a price, and Laine was set to lead the Jets and challenge for the Maurice Richard trophy every year.
Now, media around the league are starting to wonder if the two sides might take a different path in negotiations. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos suggested on radio today (and not for the first time) that Laine isn’t going to be a player that the Jets feel comfortable in giving an eight-year deal. The analyst points directly to Laine’s assist total this season—sitting at just nine coming into tonight’s action—as a reason why the team can’t hand over a blank check. That idea was furthered by Andy Strickland of Fox Sports, who tweets that the Laine camp has been “irritated” by his usage and linemates this season.
The 20-year old forward is averaging more than 17 minutes on the season, but received just under 11 minutes of ice time in Tuesday’s game against the Boston Bruins. He has notably played most of the season beside Bryan Little or another center, instead of seeing time beside Mark Scheifele. There is absolutely no reason to think that the Jets have soured on Laine, given he still has 25 goals in 50 games, but Strickland tweets that he doesn’t think the young forward wants to sign a long-term deal right now.
The easy answer for both sides is to sign a shorter deal, and that actually may turn out better for all parties. Just like Auston Matthews in Toronto, a five or six-year deal could keep Laine’s cap hit lower while getting him to unrestricted free agency with plenty of prime years remaining. With deals for Connor and Trouba still to be done and other core pieces like Wheeler, Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Dustin Byfuglien and Nikolaj Ehlers all taking at least $6MM each, there won’t be a ton of money to go around in Winnipeg.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Snapshots: Pominville, Moravcik, Winnipeg
When the Buffalo Sabres take the ice tonight against the Dallas Stars, they will do so without veteran forward Jason Pominville. Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News, after speaking with head coach Phil Housley, relays that Pominville will sit out Wednesday night’s contest as a healthy scratch. Some quick research by the Olean Times Herald’s Bill Hoppe indicates that this is Pominville’s first healthy scratch since April 4, 2006 – during his rookie season. Pominville, 36, has been an All-Star and frequent Selke Trophy candidate over his 15 years in the league, split between two stints with Buffalo and five seasons with the Minnesota Wild. So why now is he out of the Sabres’ lineup? Lysowksi writes that the only reason Housley gave was to rest the veteran of more than a thousand games in the second night of a back-to-back and give young Remi Elie a shot. However, Pominville’s streak of one goal and two assists in his past 24 games likely contributed as well. Even though Pominville is on pace to meet or exceed his 34 total points from last season, he has cooled off significantly after a hot start, much like the Sabres overall. His spot in the lineup could be in jeopardy, especially if Elie proves to be the spark that Buffalo is seeking.
- It didn’t take long for defenseman Michal Moravcik to find new employment. Just a day after clearing unconditional waivers and having his contract terminated by the Montreal Canadiens, Moravcik has returned home to the Czech Republic. HC Plzen has announced a contract with the 24-year-old blue liner for the remainder of the season. Plzen is the same team that Moravcik had come up through the system with and was playing for before signing in North America. As such, Morazcik should soon return to the elite form that first caught the eye of NHL scouts. Plzen is surely looking forward to the boost, as the team that also employs familiar names like Jakub Kindl and Petr Straka hopes to make up ground in the standings.
- The city of Winnipeg already hosts the NHL’s Jets and the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but it will have yet another tenant beginning next season. The WHL’s Kootenay Ice have decided to move to Winnipeg, as first reported by The Winnipeg Free Press’ Jeff Hamilton. The team is expected to keep the “Ice” moniker and same logo and will soon get to work on a long-term development plan for a new arena and sports complex on the south side of the city. While Winnipeggers already have two good teams to root for, no one in the area is likely to complain about the return of major junior hockey and should be excited to watch presumptive top-15 pick Peyton Krebs lead a young, rebuilding team next season.
Winnipeg Jets Looking For Depth Forward
Though the Winnipeg Jets have been linked to nearly every potential free agent forward including the very best of the best, it might be a smaller move that gets things kicked off for the Western Conference contender. Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press reported yesterday that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has been working to bring in an experienced depth forward in order to “give head coach Paul Maurice more options in his bottom six.” McIntyre notes that the Jets have too often become a three-line team, benching their fourth unit because Maurice can’t quite trust them.
That can be seen perhaps most notably in the ice time logs of a young player like Jack Roslovic, who until recently had been limited to fewer than ten minutes almost every night. In fact, Roslovic has played fewer than seven minutes in 14 of his 49 games this season, hardly giving the young forward a chance to contribute. While Roslovic has been given an opportunity to play a little more recently, there is obviously a balance issue on the Jets that could be addressed with adding some more experience down in the lineup.
While McIntyre and just about every other media member points out how the Jets could also use a legitimate second-line center for the stretch drive—the role that Paul Stastny filled last season after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues at the deadline—it’s an interesting note that Cheveldayoff seems more focused right now at adding down in the lineup.
Perhaps that is because the Jets believe more names will be put out onto the market in the coming weeks. The Ottawa Senators have seemingly not yet made Matt Duchene available in trade as they continue to try and sign him, and with Kevin Hayes recent comments about wanting to stay with the New York Rangers perhaps he’s not the ideal target. Other names like Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds and Artemi Panarin are all in complicated situations and don’t fit into the Jets structure perfectly because of their position on the wing.
The Jets will no doubt make a move at some point in the next three and a half weeks, but it’s still not clear how much they want to give up this time around. Remember that Stastny cost them a first-round pick last season meaning they didn’t select until 60th overall, and the team is already without their 2019 third-rounder from an expansion draft trade. Even though Winnipeg has built one of the strongest pipelines of talent in the entire league, they’re not a team that can afford to throw away futures every year. Still, the team looks as dangerous as ever as the playoffs draw closer and Cheveldayoff will have to decide whether it’s worth taking another crack at a top rental to push them over the edge, or just settle for a bottom-six addition in the meantime.
Minor Transactions: 01/27/19
The All-Star festivities ended with Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby winning an award he’s never won before, All-Star MVP, as he scored two goal in the All-Star Game finals Saturday night and had eight points total as Team Metropolitan defeated Team Central, 10-5. Crosby has already won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythe awards, three Lester B. Pearson (now Ted Lindsay) awards, two Art Ross Trophies and two Maurice “Rocket” Richard awards. Now he can add an All-Star MVP. However, with the 2019 All-Star games concluded, many teams will start making roster adjustments as several teams will be back on the ice on Monday. Check back to see continuing updates throughout the day.
- The New Jersey Devils announced a number of roster moves today as the team started by placing defenseman Ben Lovejoy on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, retroactive to Jan. 15. That means the team can activate Lovejoy whenever they are ready. The team also recalled forward Kevin Rooney, defenseman Egor Yakovlev and goaltender Cam Johnson from Binghamton of the AHL. Both Rooney and Yakovlev were sent down a week ago to get some playing time in while the Devils were on break. The Devils play Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- With a game coming up Monday as well, the Winnipeg Jets announced they have recalled defenseman Sami Niku from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Niku was sent down to get some playing time while the Jets were on their bye week and now will return. Niku has made 10 appearances for Winnipeg this season, but picked up his first two points on Jan. 17. He will fill in for the injured Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot, although both are rumored to be close to returning.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are getting ready to return from their bye week and have announced they have recalled goaltender Carter Hart and forward Mikhail Vorobyev from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. The team also added they have assigned forward Dale Weise to Lehigh Valley to make room for both transactions. Weise cleared waivers on Jan. 16 and will now spend time with the Phantoms. Hart has been impressive in 12 games for the Flyers this year, posting a 2.66 GAA and a .918 save percentage and will continue his development in Philadelphia. Vorobyev struggled after making the team out of training camp, playing just seven games. However, the 22-year-old has been impressive in the AHL and will get another chance to prove that he belongs with the Flyers.
- The New York Rangers announced they have recalled two players as they return from their bye week in forward Boo Nieves and goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. Both were assigned to Hartford to get extra playing time while the Rangers were off. Nieves has played 16 games for the Rangers and has two goals and seven points, while Georgiev has struggled as New York’s backup goalie with a 6-8 record, a 3.66 GAA and an .883 save percentage.
- The Dallas Stars announced they have recalled defenseman Connor Carrick from the Texas Stars of the AHL from his conditioning loan. He played four games with Texas, putting up a goal and an assist along with 13 shots on goal. The 24-year-old came over in a trade with Toronto at the beginning of the season, but has dealt with a lower-body injury and has appeared in just 13 games this season.
Winnipeg, Nashville May Have “Arms Race” For Rental Players
In a competitive Central Division, the rivalry between the Winnipeg Jets and the Nashville Predators may head directly into the trade deadline as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the two teams may go into an “arms race” over acquiring deadline rentals. Not only are both teams expected to be active at the trade deadline, both teams could find themselves competing for similar targets.
Both teams battled each other right through the playoffs last season as Winnipeg came out the victor, knocking off Nashville in the Central Division Finals before being eliminated by Vegas. However, that rivalry has continued as they both are the top two teams in the Central, deadlocked with 64 points at the All-Star break. Winnipeg sits with a 31-15-2 record, while Nashville has a 30-18-4 record. Both teams struggled with injuries in the first half, but both teams are looking more and more healthy and both teams should continue to battle for the top spot in the division for the remainder of the season. However, LeBrun reports both are ready to give up prime assets to acquire quality rental players.
One of the players that is often mentioned that both teams have shown interest in is center Derick Brassard, who Winnipeg tried to acquire last season at the trade deadline from Ottawa before the Penguins stepped in and acquired the veteran forward. However, other names that have come up recently suggest that both teams may also be interested in Wayne Simmonds, Kevin Hayes, Gustav Nyquist and Marcus Johansson.
Western Notes: Edler, Fiala, Jets Injuries, Berube
Many people expected to see the Vancouver Canucks sitting at the bottom of the Pacific Division this year. Instead, they are fighting for a playoff spot and suddenly the team has to decide whether they intend to be sellers like many anticipated. Of course, it wasn’t like the team had a lot of obvious trade candidates as the team only has one significant player who will be an unrestricted free agent — Alexander Edler, who is finishing up a six-year, $30MM deal he signed in 2013.
However suddenly, the team must decide whether they want to move the veteran defenseman or keep him around to help the team win a few extra games, and according to The Province’s Patrick Johnson, that’s a big dilemma in Vancouver right now. In the end, whether the Canucks move Edler will come down to three factors.
First, Edler must be willing to waive his no-trade clause. If he isn’t there will be no trade. Second, teams must show interest in him, which you assume they would. Finally, does Vancouver really want to trade him. After all, he is the team’s No. 1 defenseman, who plays good defense and plays on both the power play as well as the penalty kill. On top of that, he is a leader and is very good with helping the team’s younger players.
General manager Jim Benning said he will meet with Edler and his agent next week to figure out what Edler is interested in doing.
- With many recent complaints to the play of Nashville Predators’ winger Kevin Fiala, The Athletic’s Adam Vingan (subscription required) writes that while he can understand that fans are frustrated by Fiala’s play, most especially his high rate of turnovers (3.45 giveaways in 60 minutes), he’s only 22 years old, is still learning and is a very creative player. Fiala, who tallied 23 goals last season has just eight so far in 2018-19. Vingan suggests the team hold onto Fiala, rather than sell low on the forward and suggests the team re-sign the soon-to-be restricted free agent to a bridge deal, which could force him to prove his value to the team.
- Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun writes the Winnipeg Jets should get healthier very quickly. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, who has been out since Dec. 29 with an ankle injury, is expected to be back soon after the break, while Ben Chiarot, who missed the team’s last three games, is expected to be ready for the team’s next game against Philadelphia. Wyman adds that winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who has been out for a month, is expected to return within a week after their break ends. The additions of Byfuglien and Ehlers should bring a huge boost to the team.
- In a recent mailbag, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that interim head coach Craig Berube may have a hard time getting his title changed to a permanent position. The scribe writes that just making the playoffs won’t be enough for the team to hand him the coaching reigns. The team would need to go on a real run and show they have momentum, then Berube might be able to keep his job.
Poll: Which Team Is Under The Most Pressure To Make The Playoffs?
When the NHL’s unofficial second half kicks off this week, there will be substantially fewer teams with playoff hopes than when the first half began back in October. Of course, no team has been statistically eliminated yet, but a quick look at the standings can help to rule out more than a handful of the league’s bottom-dwellers. In fact, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn had seven teams with less than a 5% chance of reaching the playoffs in his latest model: the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers.
On the other hand, there are also quite a few teams whose first-half success has given them near certainty of playing beyond the regular season this year. Luszczszyn’s projections give eleven teams an 85% chance or better of qualifying for the postseason: the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, and New York Islanders.
This leaves 13 clubs remaining – the “fringe” teams – who are vying for a possible five playoff spots. Eight of these teams will miss out. Who least wants to be part of that group?
Well, the team who has been a member of the early off-season club the longest would certainly like to change things up. The Carolina Hurricanes have gone nine seasons since making a postseason appearance and have come close the last few years but fallen short. The team could crack 90 points this season for the first time in eight years, but it might not be enough in the tight Eastern Conference wild card race. The two other teams who are desperate to get back to the playoffs are the Buffalo Sabres, who are on a seven-year drought, and the Arizona Coyotes, who are six years out from a postseason appearance. The Sabres got off to a hot start this season and looked to be a surprise playoff team, but have regressed recently, with three wins in their past then games, and are now tied with Carolina for ninth place in the East. The Coyotes have been resilient in the deep Western Conference wild card race, battling injuries and inconsistency to stay in the mix, but Arizona has their work cut out for them the rest of the way.
Then there are the teams who have made the playoffs recently but not performed. The Blue Jackets – who have never won a playoff series in franchise history – will almost certainly have another shot this year, but what about the Florida Panthers? Many have dismissed the team this season, but the Panthers have plenty of talent and have fallen short of expectations until recently. They face an uphill battle to make the postseason but if they do, the team would have a chance to snap the league’s longest streak without a playoff series win. Florida has not won a round since 1996, a whopping 21 seasons without postseason success and longer than the Blue Jackets have even existed. That’s a substantial mark on the franchise. It’s been a decade now since the Colorado Avalanche have won a postseason series as well and now that they are armed with one of the league’s best forward lines, have a chance against anyone if they can win a spot. The Avs looked like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender early this season and with some trade deadline reinforcements could be a factor this spring. However, recent struggles have plummeted them into the thick of the wild card race in the West and they are in danger of missing the playoffs entirely.
Then, there are teams that simply entered the 2018-19 campaign with high expectations and need to meet them. The defending champion Washington Capitals are of course part of this group. Among the most likely fringe teams to make the postseason, it is nevertheless hard to ignore the disastrous play of the Capitals of late. Three wins in their past ten games, including a number of blowout losses, has begun “Stanley Cup hangover” talk and has legitimately injured Washington’s playoff odds. The team needs to right the ship soon or risk falling out of the current playoff picture. A team on the opposite trajectory are the Minnesota Wild, who have improved their play of late and have pulled away in the race for the final Central Division berth. Minnesota is another team that entered the season with high expectations and are still searching for the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup final appearance. With hopes reaching new highs this season, a collapse for the Wild would be devastating.
Unlike the Capitals and Wild, there are also teams with high expectations who don’t have promising playoff outlooks right now. The Edmonton Oilers and the league’s best player, Connor McDavid, sit atop that list. Edmonton is currently in 13th in the Western Conference and in danger of dropping out of the playoff conversation sooner than any fringe team. The organization has already fired their head coach and general manager this season amid another year of disappointing results and face slim odds that this campaign will end any differently. McDavid and company maintain that the Oilers are a playoff-caliber team, but something has to change with this team down the stretch for that that hypothesis to be tested this postseason. The St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars certainly look like playoff teams on paper, but both have been mediocre at best this season. The Blues, a popular dark horse Stanley Cup pick before the season, have been disappointing in every regard and there has been talk that the team could blow it up this season. A recent improvement paired with the struggles of others in the Western Conference playoff race have revived postseason hopes, but few expected that making the playoffs would be this difficult for St. Louis this season. The same goes for Dallas, who has had highly-publicized feuds between ownership, coaches, and players alike this year as the team continues to fall short of expectations. The Stars currently hold the top spot in the wild card race, but a recent history of late season collapses casts doubt over their ability to hold on to that spot.
There are still many teams whose playoff futures this season remain in question. These franchises all have varying degrees of desperation based on history and expectations. Of the 13 “fringe” teams, which team is under the most pressure to make the playoffs?
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