I met up late with a trusted out-of-town source last night and got a whole slew of leads to follow up on. There should be plenty to wrote about in the days to come here.. but one topic that really was fascinating was this one:
"What teams are going to be the MOST Desperate this Summer?"
This sort of breaks into two categories, but it all really comes down to one word: EXPECTATIONS
1. Teams who can't seem to get into the playoffs.
2. Teams who can't get get far in the playoffs.
In this blog let's look at the teams who can't get into the playoffs.
1: Edmonton Oilers
Enough said, really. They are good enough to be a playoff team, but they lack depth and a lot more.
2: Buffalo Sabres
The early success had Sabres fans thinking they were over the hump, but in actuality the Sabres may not be there quite yet...
3: Columbus Blue Jackets
They are projected by our simulator to make the playoffs, and they went for it in a big way at the deadline. If they fall short, though, it will be trouble. The season expectation was NOT making the playoffs for Columbus: it was finally winning in the playoffs. It could still all fall into place for Columbus though. They just need to get into the top wild card and avoid Tampa.
4: Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are going to make big changes and already tried to make some. This is a team and a fanbase which has grown accustomed to winning.
5: Minnesota Wild
The Wild have the right young pieces and may or may not make the playoffs. Either way I feel the expectations are that they shouldn't be in a battle for their playoff lives.
6: Philadelphia Flyers
They have been the second best team in hockey since January 1, and Scott Gordon has put together a phenomenal record as interim coach, but there is an uneasiness about this franchise right now that feels like it's calling out for a new experienced coach to stabilize and help this team get out to leads. They are the worst first period team in hockey, too.
Who do you think are the most desperate this summer of the teams who can;t make the playoffs?
In case you missed it...
It was a relatively meaningless game and play....but wow...see below..
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