As the All-Star break approach, we can start to look at the standings and get a good idea of who will make the playoffs and which teams will be in for a fight until the final days. We can also see which teams don't have a chance in hell of making it. The Devils and the Islanders are done. Neither team has shown anything to make me believe that they could put together any sort of run. Remember when the Islanders were winning the Atlantic Division? Yeah, they don't either. While the Senators are only 13 points of of 8th place, they are currently hemorrhaging points as they have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Their longest winning streak all year is 4 games, and I just don't think this team has it in them to go on the type of run that would bring them back into the playoff race. Toronto and Florida are two teams that I think could put up a fight as the season closes, but I don't think either team will make the cut. Florida has to deal with the Lightning, Capitals, and Hurricanes who are all currently in the top nine in the standings. Florida also has a history of fading down the stretch, and I don't see that trend changing this season. When the Leafs jumped out to a quick start I thought this would be the year that they returned to the playoffs, but as the season progresses I no longer think that is the case. They have only been able to put together two winning streaks longer than two games all season, they won their first four games of the year and then won four in row early in January. Meanwhile, they have had five three plus game loosing streaks, including an eight game losing streak at the end October that carried into November. I just don't see them being able to put enough winning streaks together to be ale to make up the difference.
Now teams that should have no problem making the playoffs; Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Washington. All five of these teams have being playing consistent hockey all season, well except for the Capitals and their eight game losing streak in December. The Flyers have been playing fantastic hockey, aside from a few game that they let slip away. The Flyers are currently the only team with more than 30 wins, and they have an outstanding recored against the Atlantic Division (12-1-1) and the Eastern Conference (27-7-2). The Penguins put together a 12 game winning streak over November and December and have hung tight with the Flyers all season long. There is no reason to believe that they will fall off, even if they do drop a little in the standings while Sidney Crosby is out with a concussion. Tampa has been playing great hockey as well. The addition of Simon Gagne and the continued emergence of Steven Stamkos as a superstar, combined with the reliable contributions of Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis have propelled the Lightning ahead of the Capitals in the South East Division. The Capitals meanwhile are winning like they have for the past couple of seasons. They might not be getting as many points against the divisional foes as they are accustomed to, but they are winning games none the less. I see no reason, beside unseen injuries, that the Capitals won't make the playoffs. The Bruins have bounced back nicely from their embarrassing collapse in the playoffs last year. Thought struggling against their own division (6-5-3) they are 19-6-2 against the rest of the East. The Bruins have only lost three games in a row once this season, and that is the type of consistency that will have them set up for home ice advantage once the playoffs roll around. These teams should continue to swap places for the rest of the season, but I fully expect all of them to make the playoffs easily and that home ice will resided with four of these five teams.
Positions six through ten is where I think the excitement will be; the Rangers, Canadiens, Thrashers, Hurricanes, and Sabres. The Sabres have been able to crawl back into the race after a horrible start to the season. The Sabre stated the year 4-9-2, they went 8-5-2 over the next 15 games, and then 9-6-1 over their last 16 games. Although they are still not winning as consistently as they want to, they have been playing good enough to get back within seven points of a playoff spot. If they are able to improve their record over the next 15 games, they should find themselves in a tight race for 8th. The Hurricanes have been hanging around 9th place all year. They have pulled to within two points of the Thrashers, but their inability to play better then .500 hockey is preventing them from jumping ahead of the Thrashers. I am not sure what the Canes will end up doing, I think they could fade down the stretch or play good enough hockey to stay on the bubble till the end. I don't see them getting into the playoffs, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they did. The Thrashers have had a hard time winning games since mid December (4-7-3). This has allowed the Canes and Sabres to gain a lot of ground on the Thrashers, it has also dropped the Thrashers from 3rd to 8th in the standings. The Thrashers need to turn things around quickly, or they will find themselves on the outside looking in. The Rangers and Canadiens are two teams that have consistency issues. Each team will play great one night and then blow a lead the next. The Rangers power play is ranked 22nd in the league and their offense is barely in the top half of the NHL. The Rangers have been good at not going into long losing streaks, but at the same time their longest winning streak is three games. They are currently fighting the injury bug, and their performance over the next 2 weeks could make or break their playoff hopes. The Canadiens are struggling even worse than the Rangers to put the puck in the net with an average of 2.5 goals a game. The Habs had a bad stretch of games in December (2-8-0) but have rebounded nicely in January (5-1-2). As long as the they do not fall into an extended sump, which I don't think they will, I think they should make the playoffs.
Well now that I have gone through all that here is how I see the standings at the end of the year:
1:Flyers
2:Lightning
3:Bruins
4:Penguins
5:Capitals
6:Canadiens
7:Sabres
8:Rangers
Lets see what you guys think the final standings will look like. If we get enough responses, maybe we can have Potter to offer up a prizes to the poster that gets the closest.
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