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Under 25ish games (varies) remain for teams to claim a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs; the noise on the ice is rising in decibels. Top seeds have current dead-bolt locks in place, bringing the attention to the Wild-Card races. We have teams surging, and teams plummeting under the pressure to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. On top of the noisy fight for the playoffs; we have the trade-deadline ringin' off noise with eight days remaining for teams to make deals.
Stars made a big move last night to bring in a productive defenseman- who will follow their motives? Several teams could use a piece or two, while the failing teams wouldn't mind focusing on next season with getting rid of some salary. Please don't have expectations like the NFL and NBA followers who think each deadline will be a fantasy draft of moves.
Last night we got our second big deadline deal as one of the best alleged players to be available has been dealt in a trade between the Stars, Flames, and Devils. Dallas has landed veteran defenseman Chris Tanev from the Flames, in exchange for defenseman Artem Grushnikov, the Stars' 2024 second-round pick, and a conditional 2026 third-round pick (changes hands if Dallas makes the 2024 Stanley Cup Final). Stars also received the rights to UMASS goalie Cole Brady. New Jersey helped facilitate the deal by picking up 50% of Tanev's salary; Devils received the Stars' 2026 fourth-rounder as comp.
This is a big-time trade for the Stars when you look at the deal in full retrospect. Not only do they acquire a huge piece and the best available d-man, but they do so without takin' a cap hit or trading a first-round pick. Great GM work here by Jim Nill. He used a three-team trade to help aid a run for the Cup this season while protecting the Stars' cap space and assets to make potentially more moves prior to the deadline. Tanev is also a wonderful fit for the Stars.
The 14-year vet Tanev is hands down one of the most efficient defenseman in the league on the right side. He's one of the last remaining old school guys who works the trenches and gets gritty. Tanev is 2nd in the NHL in total blocks this season (171) and can break things out on the offensive as well with his high-level moving of the puck. I love this addition to the Stars' D; he should elevate the young cats Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist in a big way. Not sure if they plug Tanev in on the top line with Harley or the second line with Esa Lindell, either way, Tanev improves the Stars' defensive rotation in a massive way. I personally would like to see Pete DeBoer pair Tanev up with Miro Heiskanen, whom has been playing on his off-side most of the campaign. That pairing allows Miro to go full-throttle on the offensive with Tanev manning the back end. That should give off some great results. Interesting to see what they do. Incredible trade for Dallas. Stars' faithful should be pumped as the team shows urgency and a will to win.
Who else will join in on the deadline fun to bolster their club going into the final weeks of the campaign & the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs? Will the Flames keep selling with the likes of Noah Hanifin and Jacob Markström receiving calls? A lot can happen in the coming week. A lot can happen! I want to see several clubs attempt to be players. If you are in the hunt for a WC spot- you best be on that phone dialing. Predators, Kings, Red Wings, and Flyers; I speak to you. Bolster up. Don't settle. Devils you want the playoffs? Click recent calls and call back Craig Conroy to discuss a Markström trade. The coming days can be a huge tool for contenders to use with teams willing to sell assets prior to deadline; lets see what happens after the dust is settled.
We must scale-out our focus with both the trade-deadline nearing & the race for the playoffs reaching it's final laps. As the front offices get active on the lines, the players are fighting tooth and nail to secure a spot in the playoffs. The top six seeds in each conference seem to have confident separation as their playoff hopes are in their own hands. The Wild-Card race is the same theme. We are seeing teams surge, and teams plummet. The standings currently have a firm picture, but that can still change depending on who chokes or not.
Detroit is provin' that the ability to choke isn't something they have in their DNA. Red Wings are SOARING right now as they hold firm grasp of the top WC spot, while giving off major notice in the Maple Leafs' rearview mirror for the third seed from the Atlantic division. Detroit has things in full over-drive mode and look hungry to keep rising.
Red Wings are a team that can be real dangerous in the playoffs. Detroit has now won six in a row for their longest winning-streak since 2018-19. They have outscored their opps 26-11 across the streak with three OT winners and a 5-nil shutout of the Flames. This team thrives off a spark and are playing with a ton of confidence. Detroit is one of the hottest teams in Chel since the beginning of 2024; with a rock solid 16-4-2 record. Their success inside Little Caesars Arena has been most notable as they continue to thrive with one of the top records at home. Wings are 8-1-2 at home in '24 and have won eight of their last ten home games. The team is playin' well together and most importantly, Patrick Kane is starting to catch a groove in the scoring department.
Kaner is having the best stretch of scoring since his six game scoring streak in late December, and has been superb all February long. The rust is coming off the more healthier and confident Kane becomes. The electric showtime cellys have been on more display and his special moment in his return to Chicago, where he spent 16 seasons, may elevate him even more as we enter March. Watch Kane steal the moment of Chris Chelios' number retirement night in the Windy City:
video via B/R Open Ice//X
I knew the moment Kane passed the blue-line that he was going to bury that game-winner and thrill in the moment. The cat is something else. The more he scores and returns to form; the more teams need to be wary of the Wings come playoff time. Detroit's playoff hopes rest in their own hands. I for one am pumped for the clash on Saturday when the Panthers travel to Hockeytown. How high can the Red Wings go?
Can't talk hungry WC contenders and not talk about the surging Predators. Nashville has been on the same type of roll as the Wings as they too have won six games in a row to create separation in their respected Wild-Card race in the West. Preds and Kings each have 68 points as they hold the Western Conference WC on lock with a comfy 5-point cushion over the Flames and Blues. Nashville got things clickin' to the positive just in the nick of time.
After going a lackluster 6-7-1 in January, the Preds have flipped the switch going 7-2-0 in February. They have struggled all year against the Pacific; all of a sudden they win four straight road games inner-Pacific includin' dubs over the Kings and Golden Knights. Looks as if they have an appetite for a playoff spot with their current play. Predators have outscored their opps 26-11 (just like Detroit) on their current streak and Juuse Saros is now startin' to play like he was in early December after a rocky January. The embarrassing 2-9 loss to the Stars looks to have kicked a step in the Preds.
I'd like GM Barry Trotz to be active at the deadline. Even more so than Yzerman in Detroit. Active in buying; not selling. They could add a piece to this surging Preds team who have a good shot of being a problem in the playoffs on the Western Conference side of the equation. All in all, the Preds sit in a good position right now going into an easy slate on the schedj to start March. Flames are selling at the deadline and the Blues are plummeting out of the hunt; Predators just need to avoid a losing skid and they will be in the playoffs.
The same can't be said for the Coyotes in terms of sitting in a good position. They went from the hunting, to the hunted, and soon- to the extinct. The downward spiral for the Yotes has happened at a rapid pace. Arizona has now lost a franchise record 13-games in a row, surpassing the dreaded Sharks' losing streak of 12 for the longest on the current campaign. The streak actively ranks Arizona tied-4th for the worst losing skid of all-time with the record set at 17. It has been a horrific 2024 thus far for Arizona.
Coyotes are just 4-16-4 (4-20) in the new year, have lost ten straight on the road, and the losing streak is the tip of the iceberg. Yotes have been outscored 21-60 across the skid and have given up 5+ goals in seven of the thirteen losses. Karel Vejmelka has lost ten starts in a row and starter Connor Ingram hasn't been much better in 2024. The season looks to be gone for the Coyotes, who once held a spot atop the Wild-Card ranks. I don't expect them to flip back the switch with having six of their next nine games being on the road. There is a good chance they could top that haunted 17.
Coyotes could use the type of energy that Connor McDavid used when he flipped the switch to his season. The assisting mad-man is scoring points at a RAPID pace as he shockingly now ranks 3rd in points (94), thanks to his unreal assist rate in the latter part of the season. McDavid now has 72 assists on the campaign, makin' up 77% of his points. Connor's changing of the guard is quite fascinating.
McDavid is on pace to shatter his impressive 89 assists that he put up last season, which was the third most in a season by a player in the 21st-century. His passing has elevated the Oilers back into the playoff hunt and back into a contender after an extremely rocky start to the season. The passing has also elevated him back up the rankings for points. The crazy thing? McDavid has been real quiet in the Goals department after posting 64 last season; which was the 2nd most by a player this century (65 by Ovechkin). He is on pace for a career-low in Goals in a season with 50+ games played (45 GP in rookie season). It's odd not seeing him put the puck in the back of the net, but there was no way he was going to slow down in all facets of his game. The assist work is still at the highest level in the league. You just gotta wonder about his goal-scoring slump.
Maybe McJesus is just teasin' us; maybe he is doing some load management to hold his scoring spark for when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. A great idea if that's the case. Edmonton can only hope that that is the case. You know he won't slow down being a passing machine. If he turns it up in scoring Goals, then watchout for Edmonton. They already have brought some fear back as a contender- McDavid unleashing a fury of goal-scoring will make them ultra-dangerous.
Lets see if any other playoff hunters will be players at the trade-deadline. Circle March 8th. Teams have just over a week. I would love to see some noise pop off. Why not join the wave that the NBA and NFL front offices like to ride!? I want to see some fireworks. I want to see some noise at the deadline.
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