The standings in the West, comparatively, have been more fluid in part because of the recent additions of expansion teams Vegas and Seattle. The top eight teams never changed from that day forward. That’s when the ninth-place Bruins defeated Detroit 5-1 to vault a point ahead of the Red Wings. 2, nearly four months before the season ended. Last season, the East race was essentially decided on Jan. The rest of us are competing for two wild-card spots. “Pick whichever three in the (Metropolitan Division). “Toronto, Tampa, Florida: There’s the three teams in our division we expect to make the playoffs,” Yzerman said of the Atlantic Division’s pecking order.
Haves and have nota series#
That leaves the have-nots, made up of New Jersey (one playoff appearance in 10 seasons), Ottawa (two in nine years), Detroit (six-year playoff drought) and Buffalo (NHL-record 11-season playoff drought).ĭetroit GM Steve Yzerman made a series of offseason moves to spur his team’s growth, but he is realistic in assessing the reality of how far teams have to go to challenge for one of eight playoff spots.
Sharks take losing streak into matchup with the Blues When that might happen is uncertain, especially in the the NHL East that has been dominated by many of the same six teams since the league juggled its conferences in 2013-14, when Detroit and Columbus were moved over from the West. “At the end of the day, all the teams you mentioned are only going to ascend when their own players take that big step.” You need your players to continue to grow and get better and develop each year,” he added. “You’d like to think as we continue to ascend, Father Time has to help, and that the top teams that have been the top teams for a while start declining because it’s only natural,” Fitzgerald said.
Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin aren’t getting any younger, and New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald isn’t shy about hoping that age finally catches up to the NHL Eastern Conference’s elite players.Īt the same time, Fitzgerald can appreciate it takes more than hope and age to level the ice for teams such as his in a conference separated by the so-called haves and have-nots in recent years.
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