My last look at the Pittsburgh Penguins was in late August, after they were able to re-sign both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang to keep their core in tact for few more seasons. Some cracks in the roster were starting to show, however, and there wasn’t much separation in the Metropolitan Division projections. Sitting in a playoff spot at the Christmas break, are the Penguins set for another run at the Stanley Cup? Let’s take a look at their season so far, with data for games played up to the Christmas break.
Team Synopsis: Vancouver Canucks – December 28, 2022
When I last looked at the Vancouver Canucks, they looked likely to be a factor in the playoff race in the Pacific this season. That was during the preseason, before they crashed out of the gate with a 7 game losing streak to start the 2022/23 campaign. They’ve been steadily recovering since their dreadful start to the season. Can they still make a push for a playoff spot this season? Let’s take a look at their season performance so far, with data up to the Christmas break.
Team Synopsis: Ottawa Senators – December 27, 2022
The Ottawa Senators have had an inauspicious start to the 2022/23 season. After a busy offseason that saw them add players in what looked like an attempt to power out of their rebuild, they went into the Christmas break well back in the wild card race.
Team Synopsis: Colorado Avalanche – December 26, 2022
The Stanley Cup hangover has claimed another victim in the Colorado Avalanche this season. After winning the ultimate prize last spring, the Avs haven’t looked like the juggernaut of the past couple of seasons through the first third of the 2022/23 season. Injuries have certainly played their part with a number of Avalanche skaters spending time on the sidelines. With some big names expected to return to the lineup soon, what can we expect from the Avalanche for the remainder of the season?
Team Roadmap: New York Rangers – December 20, 2022
In yesterday’s post, I looked at the New York Rangers performance this season and their overall roster profile. We saw a team that appears to be in real danger of missing the playoffs the season after making a run to the Eastern Conference Final. Today, we’ll look at some options to improve the roster in season to make a return trip to the postseason.
Team Synopsis: New York Rangers – December 19, 2022
The New York Rangers got off to a good start this season but have now settled in with the group of teams that look likely to compete for a wildcard playoff berth. After a trip to the Eastern Conference Final last season, it certainly seems like a disappointing position through a third of the 22/23 regular season. Can the Rangers build on their recent win streak to prove they belong as contenders?
Metropolitan Division Snapshot: December 18, 2022
Today’s division snapshot focuses on the Metropolitan Division. I last checked in on the Metro in late November when the New Jersey Devils were in the midst of their historic win streak. The top of the standings have tightened up significantly since then. Let’s take a look at how the Metropolitan landscape has evolved over the past month, with data including games played up to December 17.
Team Roadmap: Calgary Flames – December 13, 2022
Yesterday, I looked at the Calgary Flames 22/23 season performance and roster profile. We saw a team that looks like a potential contender this season and left off with the question of how the Flames can maximize their roster for a playoff run this season. Today, we’ll dig into that question and look at team needs and possible targets to upgrade their roster.
Team Synopsis: Calgary Flames – December 12, 2022
The Calgary Flames flew out of the gate this season, posting a 5-1-0 record in their first 6 contests. They quickly sputtered though, after a tumultuous offseason that saw two cornerstone players head for greener pastures. Flames fans have been strapped into a rollercoaster over the past 12 months and the new season has done nothing to suggest they can unbuckle their 5 point harnesses. Will the ride ever stop? Are the Flames legitimate contenders or not?
Pacific Division Snapshot: December 11, 2022
We’re now a third of the way through the regular season. The standings are beginning to stabilize as we get past the early season streaks. I last checked in on the Pacific Division in mid-November and the landscape looks much the same today as it did a month ago. Let’s take a closer look at the updated projections and how each team has performed over the past month.