The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is officially underway and eight teams are left standing in the quest for the Cup, eight more teams had their hopes of hoisting Lord Stanley’s mug this spring doused. Let’s compare some key metrics from the regular season and round 1 to see where things went wrong for the teams we said goodbye to in round 1.
Greg Amundsen
The Importance of a Contention Window
Why is it so important to build toward a window instead of going all-in for a single season?
What Has Driven the Bruins Success This Season?
The Boston Bruins’ snarl is menacing this season. They were the first team to clinch a playoff berth and had a chance to lock up Continue Reading
Are The Calgary Flames Unlucky?
The Calgary Flames have underperformed expectations this season. The loss of Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk in the offseason certainly hurt, but they came out of the summer with a roster that was widely expected to be playoff worthy and possibly even a contender. They haven’t lived up to that billing though and, with 13 games left on the schedule, they sit outside the playoffs chasing a wild card spot.
What’s behind the Calgary Flames struggles this season?
Analyzing the Yzerplan: Part 3 – Forwards
I’ve been digging into the ‘Yzerplan’, looking at both the current state of the Red Wings and where they might be headed over the next few seasons. Part 1 looked at the current roster, while Part 2 started to lay out a possible road map for the future with a focus on defense and goaltending. Next, we’ll look at the forward group and put it all together.
Analyzing the “Yzerplan” – Part 2: Defense & Goaltending
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the current state of the Red Wings including their current NHL roster, future cap and roster flexibility and prospect pipeline. With a good understanding of where the Red Wings are currently at, we’ll start laying out a strategy that Steve Yzerman could use to build them back into a contender in Part 2. Today’s focus is on the defense corps and goaltending.
Analyzing the “Yzerplan” – Part 1: State of the Red Wings
Is it time to worry about the lack of results, or does the “Yzerplan” simply need more time to come to fruition? Over the next few posts, I’ll dig into that question. We’ll look at the state of the team and what the next steps may be to return the Red Wings to glory.
A Closer Look at the Nashville Predators’ Deadline Sell-off
With the trade deadline approaching, the Nashville Predators sat 10th in the Western Conference. They appeared to be a longshot to make the playoffs and decided to move out a handful of roster players in exchange for futures. It’s a strategy fans of borderline playoff teams might like to see more often, so let’s take a closer look at how the 2023 trade deadline re-shaped the Nashville Predators.
Devils Add Timo Meier
The New Jersey Devils added Timo Meier to their roster on Monday, via a trade with the San Jose Sharks that involved 13 players and picks. A 26 year old pending RFA, Meier was the the prized target of the trade deadline and his addition to the Devils roster is clearly a boon for their playoff aspirations this season. When we scratch below the surface, however, it’s clear Meier’s addition fits well within a longer term vision.
Transaction Assessment: Jets acquire Nino Niederreiter
The Winnipeg Jets acquired Nino Niederreiter from the Nashville Predators earlier today, sending a 2024 2nd round pick in exchange. Let’s take a closer look at the deal.