It has taken a while, perhaps far longer than expected, but the Washington Capitals have taken to new head coach Barry Trotz and are starting to click. The Caps won five out of eight games to climb into the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.
The defending Eastern Conference Champion New York Rangers, meanwhile, were also finding their way with seven wins in 10 games to climb into the final wild card spot. Just as was the case last year, the Rangers got off to a sluggish start but have now been sparked by an offense that has become an asset and one of the best in the NHL.
Nash Delivers
Rick Nash had a couple of disappointing and underwhelming seasons since arriving in a trade in 2013 but has finally played up to the level that everyone expected of him this year. Nash had a team leading 18 goals and 13 assists with a +12 and was playing the with the style that had made him one of the most respected and coveted forwards in the NHL. Of concern was a defensive dropoff in which the Broadway Blueshirts ranked in the middle of the NHL pack for both shots allowed and goals against. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been good but hardly dominant with a save percentage of .911.
The Great Eight Completes his Game
Washington has shown significant improvement on defense which would be expected with a Trotz coached team. Washington has dramatically cut down on shots against to rank sixth in the NHL while ranking 17th for goal against. Braden Holtby had a .915 save percentage with a 2.38 goals against average. “Then Great Eight,” Alex Ovechkin led the Caps with 14 goals with a +3.
The fact that Ovechkin is not loafing on the back check is not only a credit to Trotz but to the much maligned captain and reputed “coach killer” after last year’s disgraceful season in which he was nowhere to be found on the back end. One man in total control of the back end was D John Carlson as he had four goals. 18 assist, and a +9.
Blue Jackets Make Move
The injury battered Columbus Blue Jackets rode a six game winning streak to come within six points of a final playoff spot in the East. Columbus gained a considerable amount of credibility and good will last year with their fan base that had long been abused with boring and losing hockey. Unfortunately the Jackets lineup was wiped out by the injury bug early this season and that remains a factor that they will have to overcome in their immediate future.
Scott Hartnell, their big acquisition over the past summer in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, is out until the end of December with a broken finger. Columbus has some ugly metrics that still make their long term playoff viability a question mark. The Jackets ranked 23rd for goal scoring, 27th for shots allowed and 28th for goals against. Sergei Bobrovsky has been spectacular in December with a .943 save percentage as he again has proven to be the foundation of the team.
Columbus has an upcoming homestand this week and weekend which makes for a great opportunity to further their playoff aspirations. If they can hold serve or even steal a few more games until they get a full lineup there is enough here to make a real run at a repeat post season appearance.
Hurricane of Losses
The Carolina Hurricanes find themselves in the Connor McDavid Draft Lottery Sweepstakes as the bottom team in the Eastern Conference. Years of mismanagement and poor player personnel decisions are finally catching up to the Canes. The best example of this stupidity was the contract given to Alexander Semin in 2013. Semin is the second highest paid player on the Canes at $7 million this season but has only one goal.
He is a mere shell of the player that scored 40 goals in 2010. Carolina has long suffered from a punchless offense and this year is no different as they ranked 28th for goal scoring. There are a lot of empty seats at home games as a result.
