More than one month remains in the NHL regular season, but the action leading up to Friday’s trade deadline sure whet the appetite for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
With so many teams loading up to give themselves the best possible chance to claim the title, the playoffs will be fast and furious.
A case can be made that 10 of the 16 clubs who will advance to the Stanley Cup tournament have legitimate shots at claiming the crown.
Granted, some teams will be favored over others with the way they loaded up for the push — notably the Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning and defending champion Florida Panthers — but the list does not end there.
The league’s top two teams, the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals, understandably did not want to tinker too much or didn’t find the prices appealing, while the Vegas Golden Knights were handcuffed to make further moves. The Edmonton Oilers addressed their depth, the Toronto Maple Leafs switched gears on the fly, and the Carolina Hurricanes had to make the best of a tough situation regarding Mikko Rantanen.
Adding to the anticipation is how the arms race could possibly add an extra element to the first round. Consider that the Central Division clash between the second- and third-place teams may just pit the Stars and Rantanen against Colorado.
Remember, Rantanen was dealt by the Avalanche to Carolina, and because he refused to sign an extension with the Hurricanes, was flipped to Dallas and promptly signed an eight-year deal — reportedly for less money than both the Avalanche and Hurricanes offered.
If that is not enough, we may see a Battle of Florida if the Maple Leafs can somehow vault to the top of the Atlantic Division. Wouldn’t a clash between the Lightning and Panthers get the blood boiling?
Now, more thoughts on the trade deadline fallout and looking ahead.
Speaking of the Hurricanes, credit them for how they managed to net a pair of first- and third-round picks, as well as youngster Logan Stankoven, by dealing Rantanen to Dallas.
But they went through plenty of upheaval created by having Rantanen for six weeks, which puts GM Eric Tulsky in the crosshairs. Then again, being spurned by Rantanen may have galvanized the players, who have won five straight games.
It sure was odd seeing Vegas only a bit player, limited mainly to re-acquiring Reilly Smith, one of their original misfits. Then again, we’re talking about a team that has made so many swaps there was little of consequence to deal, nor salary cap space. To the surprise of nobody, Vegas did deal away another first-round pick in Brendan Brisson (2020), so not everything changed.
Somebody really smart must come up with a solution to offset the advantage boasted by teams in states with no personal income tax.
It has been an issue for a few years, but no longer can people overlook how the clubs in Florida, Nashville, Dallas, Las Vegas and Seattle are playing with an uneven field. Good on them for using it, but more and more teams are feeling the frustration.
Whether it brings them a Cup for the first time since 1967 remains to be seen, but the Maple Leafs made solid moves in acquiring center Scott Laughton and defenseman Brandon Carlo.
Toronto reportedly chased Rantanen, with Mitch Marner vetoing a trade, but added skill and grit. The Maple Leafs paid a high price but needed to swing big with the pair of Florida clubs working their magic.
The NHL must be concerned nearly all the big-market, U.S.-based teams may not be part of the playoffs for long, if at all.
The New York Rangers and Islanders are currently on the outside, and the New Jersey Devils are in tough to hold their position. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings continue to flounder, the Boston Bruins sold off, the Chicago Blackhawks are years away from making noise, and the Los Angeles Kings did very little and appear poised to be fodder for the Oilers for a fourth consecutive season.
