Surprises abound in NHL thus far
One of the nicest developments of the past month: When hockey people use the ‘L’ word, it usually relates to a game loss and not the dreaded lockout that smothered the NHL for nearly four months.
And yet, in what might be a simple twist of fate (or simply poetic justice), isn’t it funny how the condensed NHL season resembles the lockout in the sudden twists, turns and daily surprises being dished out.
In what seems the blink of an eye but in fact is the quarter point of the regular season (12 games), who among you predicted:
The New Jersey Devils would be the top team in the Eastern Conference, coming off a weekend sweep of the supposedly powerful Pittsburgh Penguins. Oh, and did you pick David Clarkson for your fantasy pool team?
The New York Rangers, picked by many to win the east, would be eighth.
A three-game win streak would carry the Toronto Maple Leafs into fifth place after 12 games.
The Anaheim Ducks, who haven’t yet signed Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry to new deals, would face the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday in a battle of No. 2 vs. No. 1 in the Western Conference. Ageless Teemu Selanne has 14 points.
The Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings would be tied for last in the west despite Monday night’s 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues.
Daily, the standings change as teams lurch, teams surge and the games keep on coming. So many games. So little time in which to play them.
“Two days are a blur, you can’t keep track there are so many games being played, so much happening in those games,” said Senators general manager Bryan Murray, watching his team engage in a rare 60-minute practice.
Head coaches like Ottawa’s Paul MacLean are lucky to get one of these a week.
On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres are in town, then the team flies out for a date in Pittsburgh against the Penguins the next night.
Then, a bit of a break before Round One in the Battle of Ontario — a Hockey Night In Canada game in Toronto versus the Leafs.
The following week the Senators play Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Without a doubt, the quality of hockey is suffering from the packed schedule. Players are tired, they’re getting hurt. They’ve lost the usual rhythm of an 82-game schedule.
Occasionally, often in a rivalry game, they can still paint a masterpiece. Other days, such as Saturday’s listless matinee between the Winnipeg Jets and Senators, a five-year-old could do as well with a paint-bynumbers kit.
Not a pretty picture, in other words.