Here are eight story lines that deserve your attention in the final week of the NHL's regular season.
1. Detroit streak in jeopardy: Many players weren’t born the last time the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs during the 1989-90 campaign. But the Red Wings’ consecutive playoff appearance streak could be stopped at 24 seasons if the Red Wings are beaten by the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
The Red Wings are one point ahead of the Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division. There are other ways for Detroit to advance to the playoffs, but the most plausible scenario is to finish ahead of the Bruins. Both have three games remaining on their schedule. They will each have two games left when they meet.
“I think this is the way it’s been for a few years now,” Red Wings winger Gustav Nyqvist said. “A lot of the guys in our room have been through this, needing to claw your way into the playoffs.”
The Red Wings won on back-to-back nights against the Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs with Jimmy Howard in net for both games. He has reclaimed the No. 1 job from Petr Mrazek.
To put Detroit’s streak in perspective: The Penguins recently clinched their 10th consecutive playoff appearance, and that is second behind the Red Wings for active streaks.
2. Goalie record should fall: Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby needs two wins to surpass Martin Brodeur’s record of 48 wins in a season. The Capitals have four games remaining, beginning with a Tuesday home game against the New York Islanders. The Capitals play home against the Penguins on Thursday, and then play at St. Louis on Saturday and at home against Anaheim on Sunday. He should play in three of those games.
Brodeur’s mark was set in 2006-07, and it was expected to stand for an extended period. While Brodeur played 78 games to reach 48 wins, Holtby has only played 63 games, meaning he has won 74.6% of his appearances. Three other goalies (Jonathan Quick, Pekka Rinne and Devin Dubnyk) have played more games than Holtby this season.
Holtby has been hot down the stretch, surrendering six goals in his past five games. In that period, his save percentage is .953.
3. An American first: Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane is on track to become the first U.S.-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's scoring champion. With four games remaining, Kane, owning 100 points, has a 12-point lead over Dallas Stars winger Jamie Benn, who has narrowed the gap recently. Benn has registered 11 points in his past eight games, but Kane negated that surge with three goals and an assist in Chicago’s 6-4 win against Boston on Sunday.
Kane is the first American to reach 100 points since Doug Weight in 1995-96 with the Edmonton Oilers.
4. Rookie of the year race unsettled: Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association will get their final looks at the top candidates for the Calder Trophy this week.
Chicago’s Artemi Panarin has been a favorite from start to finish, but Shayne Gostisbehere’s contributions (16 goals, 42 points in 59 games) in helping the Philadelphia Flyers climb into a playoff position is drawing considerable notice. Plus, there is debate about how to factor in Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, who was recently named rookie of the month for the third time — each month he's been healthy — in six months.
That alone presents a solid case that McDavid, averaging better than a point per game (45 in 43 games), has been the top rookie. But can writers give it to a player who will only play half of a season because of injury? There is no minimum game rule. But Panarin has 28 goals and 20 more points than the next rookie. Don’t we have to give him credit for playing a full season? Panarin had a goal and three assists Sunday.
5. Race to be worst: Because of the NHL’s lottery system, being the last place team doesn’t guarantee anything better than the No. 4 pick in the draft. But the last place team still has the best odds of winning the lottery, even if it is only a 20% shot.
The Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are tied for the worst record, but the Oilers only have two games left and the Maple Leafs have four. Both teams have 67 points. If both teams lost all of their remaining games, the Maple Leafs would finish last because they have four fewer wins in regulation.
The Oilers have picked No. 1 overall in four of the past six drafts.
6. Islanders, Flyers in driver’s seat for East wild card: The Bruins and Red Wings are within striking distance of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Islanders and Flyers are the likely survivors because they each have five games remaining.
The Flyers’ recent surge, 7-2-1 in their past 10 games, makes them among the NHL’s hottest teams.
7. How will Drouin perform? With Steven Stamkos out one to three months because of surgery to remove a blood clot in his arm, the Lightning could recall Jonathon Drouin who was suspended by the team earlier this season because he failed to report the Lightning’s minor-league affiliate after demanding a trade.
Drouin has nine goals in 10 games since returning to the Syracuse Crunch in March.
8. Division titles still unsettled in West: Pencil in Thursday as the day that the Pacific Division champion will be crowned. The Kings have a one-point lead over the second-place Anaheim Ducks, who have played one fewer game. Those two teams will meet Thursday at the Staples Center.
Meanwhile, the Central Division champion also hasn’t been decided. The Dallas Stars have a four-point lead, but the second-place Blues have a game in hand. The loser in the Central Division title race will have to play the defending champion Blackhawks in the first round.
