Yeah, Ottawa may not even make the playoffs, trailing again tonight. The team I'd most like to avoid in the Atlantic is TB. If they get healthy they have the most talent there. Think if they get in most likely it will be 4th/the lower WC though, and play the Caps, which is great I believe. Then the Atlantic bracket is NYR/Montreal and Boston/Toronto. This is not the Ottawa team we saw a few years back. I'd welcome them in round 2, but my guess is it will be Boston/Toronto winner in round 2 for the NYR/Habs winner.
Tampa's next two games. At Boston tomorrow night, and at Toronto Thursday night. If they lose both they have no chance to catch either. If they win either, the team they beat they can catch still. And we'll see if Ottawa falls off the map and TB can get 8th. Ottawa just tied it after trailing 4-2. Huge game for them at Detroit.
Yeah they aren't as good as that 2012 Ottawa team that's true but they're always a real pain. I guess any of these teams except maybe Toronto would be.
We'll know all we need to know about TB in the next 3 days as mentioned above. Let's see what they do at Boston and at Toronto. Most likely situation right now is Ottawa at the Caps and Boston/Toronto in the other Atlantic matchup, but a couple of wins by TB this week and that changes quickly. I would love to see Tampa get the 8 seed though and have the Met bracket be TB/Caps and BJ's/Pens. That is crazy tough. Meanwhile the Atlantic would be NYR/Habs and Boston/Toronto. Just a little easier.... What a ridiculous playoff system the NHL has. Teams 3 and 4 in the whole NHL play round 1 with the BJ's/Pens series. Crazy. BTW...Montreal is red hot right now. That series is going to be real tough for the Rangers to win unless they raise their game a few levels, not just one level.
I don't know how many of you feel that the NHL will not be participating in the 2018 Olympics, but I am glad.
Nash, Zuc, Fast and Mcd all getting the night off against Washington. I'd imagine another group the next game.