I suppose it would be easy enough to say at this point in the season that the Toronto Maple Leafs won't make the playoffs. There will be massive pressure on Brian Burke to either leave or make a big splash in free agency, and to draft a near perfect class of players to join the Marlies for next year. Not only that, but to trade up and try to get a top 5 pick.
Then again, they're just about halfway to earning that themselves.
Sure, a wonderful run of 6 or 7 games in a win streak would probably see them back into the reckoning for a final spot in the conference but it's unlikely. They have to play Boston, Philadelphia, and loads of other playoff calibre teams who have as much to lose. There's a difference between home ice advantage and playing away from home. Needless to say, it's more money for your club to fill the coffers and to have your home fans supporting you is tantamount to a sixth man.
Toronto officially parted ways with Ron Wilson, no surprise to anyone really, give the run of form they were in. Randy Carlyle has made his way into Wilson's old position, winning his first game and then losing two in a row where the Leafs battled, admirably.
Otherwise there are some interesting notes in the league these days.
First of all, the St. Louis Blues are terrific. They have shades of previous 4 line teams that have both toughness, skill and excellent work ethic. Much maligned coach Ken Kitchcock was appointed after the early goings and has amassed wins like lint. The fabric they have there, the speed, the system, not to mention excellent defensive capabilities will see them as a dark horse in the playoffs, rather than a favourite. I'd bet on them making it to the second round at least, with a chance to make the conference finals. At this point, it's experience that would have them less favoured to make it farther as clubs like Vancouver, Detroit, Nashville and Chicago will provide a stern test of their Stanley Cup credentials.
Another interesting note is the playoff picture in the east. Once a foregone conclusion that the New York Rangers would win the Atlantic division, and most likely the conference. Now they're just four points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins who are playing some other-worldly style of hockey, collecting 8 wins in a row at this point in the season, which is the best time to catch fire. Remember, Sidney Crosby hasn't started playing yet but could make it back for the most important point of the season for the Penguins and he does have some playoff pedigree, doesn't he?
The Penguins will have a chance to reiterate their candidacy for best team in the conference. This week they will make a three game road trip to New York to play both the Rangers and Devils, followed by a home/road match against Philadelphia. If they make it out of that with at least two wins, they could very well be the favourites to get the first spot, pushing the Rangers down to fourth spot in the conference, likely setting up a battle with Philadelphia. It would mean that the Penguins would get a series against either a)the Winnipeg Jets, Washington, or Buffalo -- I'd fancy Pittsburgh to make it out of that alive.
One last note about the east I'd like to make is the playoff seeding system. I don't like the fact that the Florida Panthers are the 7th best team in the Eastern Conference but because they lead their division by a mere three points, they are automatically awarded the 3rd spot. That's massive favouritism within the system that is awarding a mediocre team a plum playoff draw. At this point, as I've said all along, it allows the 6th place team an automatic progression to the next round -- at this point, the New Jersey Devils, and that's just not 'parity' in the NHL. One thing it does do, is give playoff hockey to a club starved for success since the mid 90s.
So, with those things discussed and a big round of games to occur today, one wonders what the next week will bring?
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