Angry Penguins Left Frustrated After Sidney Crosby's Injury in Game 5 Loss to Rangers
May 12, 2022
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 11: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates during the second period of game 5 of round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 11, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW YORK — You could say that Sidney Crosby has turned back the clock in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the New York Rangers, but the reality is that, even at 34 years old, he’s still a top-10 player in the NHL.
His impact in this series has been tremendous. He has nine points against the Rangers, and coach Mike Sullivan can’t get the line of Jake Guentzel, Crosby and Bryan Rust out on the ice fast enough. The Crosby line has been absolutely dominant throughout the series and is the main reason why Pittsburgh is one win away from the second round.
So when Crosby left Game 5 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, it changed the tenor of the contest. What happens next will undoubtedly have an impact on the rest of the series, which the Penguins lead 3-2 and will shift back to Pittsburgh for Game 6 on Friday.
Jacob Trouba caught Crosby high with an elbow and leveled the center in open ice at 9:15 into the second period. Crosby lumbered to the Penguins’ bench and played two more shifts before heading down the tunnel and back to the dressing room. He did not return. After the game, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that his captain was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
Trouba was not penalized, though a suspension or a fine remains a possibility. The department of player safety will likely review this and, if they’re seeing the same angles we already are on Twitter, then the evidence is pretty damning.
Trouba’s elbow was fully flared, and the point of contact was the head. It’s tough to see the intent from the replays and the images, but an open-ice high elbow that makes any contact with the head is heavily frowned upon by the league's disciplinarians.
If you want to gripe about missed calls, then this is your chance. It should also be noted that officials missed a crosscheck by Evgeni Malkin near the benches that saw Rangers center Kevin Rooney get a stick to the face as he was trying to get back to the bench. The officiating in this series has been inconsistent at best.
These were two dangerous plays that need to be called and could result in fines and possible suspensions.
Trouba is a key defenseman for New York, playing in all situations, including on the Rangers’ second power-play unit that scored the game-winning goal in the 5-3 win. Trouba had a goal and an assist and was on the ice for four New York goals scored.
However, Crosby has been playing Conn Smythe-level hockey. Losing him would be a nightmare for the Penguins. Those three goals the Rangers scored in the second period within a span of three minutes? Those all came after Crosby had left the game.
The Rangers had nothing going in the first period and throughout the first half of the second. The injury had a clear effect on the game, and it won't be easy for Sullivan and the Penguins to fill the minutes he plays.
"We never want to see a player like that leave, but we have to find a way," Guentzel said. "He's the best player in the world. That's a lot of minutes other guys have to take up."
Losing Trouba wouldn't be great for the Rangers' hope of staving off elimination one more time and pushing this series to a seventh game at home, but the health of Crosby—and the health of any player, for that matter—is more important than a hockey game.
"He's one of the best players in the world, and they still had some good chances and they created a lot," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "But he's a great player for them and hopefully he's OK."
Penguins' Sidney Crosby Being Evaluated for Upper Body Injury After Game 5 vs Rangers
May 12, 2022
Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) skates during the second period of the team's NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021. It is Crosby's first game this season, after his recovery from wrist surgery. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is being evaluated for an upper-body injury after Wednesday's 5-3 Game 5 loss against the New York Rangers.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that he didn't have an update beyond that.
Crosby missed the first seven games of the season because of surgery on his left wrist in early September. He also tested positive for COVID-19 early in the year. In total, Crosby missed 13 games this season.
Crosby was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft and is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time. The 34-year-old is an eight-time All-Star and two-time Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP.
Crosby led Pittsburgh to three Stanley Cup victories in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2016 and 2017, becoming the third player ever to earn the achievement in consecutive years.
The uncertainty surrounding Crosby's status going forward only adds more pressure to the Penguins as they attempt to close out their series against the Rangers in Friday's Game 6 in Pittsburgh.
Sidney Crosby Injury Gives Rangers New Life in Game 5 Win vs. Penguins
May 12, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is checked by Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers during the first period in Game Five of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Throughout the majority of the first two periods in Wednesday's Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers looked like they were on the verge of getting eliminated from the playoffs on their home ice.
But the Rangers flipped a switch late in the second period, scoring three goals within the final three minutes en route to a 5-3 victory at Madison Square Garden to stay alive in the postseason.
So what exactly led to New York's impressive turnaround? Coincidentally, the Rangers' run began shortly after Penguins star Sidney Crosby left the game with an undisclosed injury. Crosby exited late in the second period after taking a shot to the head from Jacob Trouba, and he didn't return.
Fans couldn't help but notice that the Rangers turned up their game once Pittsburgh's best player was off the ice.
“Elbow the best player in the face” was not in the “Keys to the game” segment but doing so really turned things around for the Rangers.
After Sidney Crosby went to the Penguins dressing room, the Rangers scored three unanswered goals in a short span. Then Jake Guentzel got his second of the game 13 seconds after NY took the lead to tie it back up. It's 3-3 after 40.
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 12, 2022
In that period: - Crosby went to the room, did not record a shift for the final 6:50 - Rangers scored 3 in less than 3 minutes to take the lead - 13 seconds later, Guentzel scored his seventh goal of the playoffs and second of the game to tie the score at 3
Worst case scenario. A loss and a Sidney Crosby injury.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) May 12, 2022
What really sucks is that the Penguins had that game for the first 34-35 minutes. The Rangers looked absolutely cooked until the Sidney Crosby injury. That's all it took for everything to change.
The New York Rangers knew exactly what they doing when they were head hunting Sidney Crosby. They were dead in the water and needed to injure our best player to get back in this series. Pathetic fanbase. Pathetic franchise. Dirty team. I don't tolerate it.
The series between the Rangers and Penguins has been a contentious one from the start, and this injury to Crosby is sure to amplify the tension between the two teams. It's unclear if Crosby will be forced to miss time going forward, but his absence is undoubtedly a major blow to Pittsburgh.
Whether it was Crosby's injury that sparked the Rangers or something else, New York needs to bring that same energy to Pittsburgh for Game 6 on Friday if it hopes to stave off elimination once again.
Rangers Fans Rip Lack of Offense After 3OT Loss vs. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins
May 4, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 03: Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers makes a save against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game One of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 03, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)
The New York Rangers suffered a demoralizing loss Tuesday's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, falling 4-3 in triple overtime.
The loss was particularly brutal for New York as the team wasted a historic performance by goalie Igor Shesterkin. The 26-year-old made 79 saves in his playoff debut, shattering the Rangers all-time record. Shesterkin is the eighth goalie since 1955-56 to finish with 65 or more saves in a playoff game.
While Shesterkin was praised for his effort on Tuesday, fans couldn't help but to rip the Rangers offense for letting its goalie down.
The Rangers probably got what they deserved in this one, but it’s going to be really hard to swallow. The disallowed goal sucks and the officiating was worse than brutal but the Penguins certainly outplayed the Rangers for the vast majority of the night
That's the biggest disgrace I've seen in my time as a Ranger fan. Triple OT loss after Shesterkin had like 80,000 saves, and the refs saw the goal at the end of the 3rd and were like, nah. Going to sleep.
The Rangers ranked fourth in the league in power-play percentage (25.2) in the regular season, but they held the man-advantage just one time in 105 minutes of play.
Shesterkin led the NHL this year with a .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals-against average. Despite playing in the postseason for the first time, he's clearly unfazed by the moment.
It will be up to the Rangers to do a better job of supporting Shesterkin if they hope to make a deep postseason run.
1 Nightmare Matchup for 5 NHL Playoff Contenders
Apr 10, 2022
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 26: Nicolas Roy #10 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Darren Helm #43 of the Colorado Avalanche during the third period at T-Mobile Arena on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
We’re in the dog days of the 2021-22 NHL regular season. The cellar-dwelling teams are beating each other up in meaningless games while the top teams in each conference jostle for Stanley Cup Playoff positioning.
The Eastern Conference playoff grouping has been set for months, with the only thing left to determine is the final bracket. Over in the Western Conference, the wild card has yet to be determined. The Vegas Golden Knights could potentially miss the playoffs for the first time since the franchise’s history. The Vancouver Canucks still have an outside chance of leapfrogging Vegas and Dallas for that last wild-card spot.
And, of course, there is always a chance the high-powered Golden Knights get some of their firepower back and manage to pull ahead of the Los Angeles Kings to save their season.
Lots of scenarios are still in play.
Matchups are everything in the playoffs. Unlike in the regular season, when weaknesses can be minimized in a single game, a seven-game series allows some teams to exploit another's weakness or neutralize the opposition's strength. It's enough time to figure out how to pick apart a power play and how a goalie moves.Br
Sometimes two teams match up well, but other times it's a disastrous draw.
Here are five matchups that fall into the latter category and why.
Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) breaks against the New York Rangers defense during the third period of NHL hockey game Thursday, April 7, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
New York Rangers: Pittsburgh Penguins
The New York Rangers will successfully take the next step in their rebuild when they return to the playoffs (technically, they only reached the postseason portion of the 2020 bubble tournament and not the playoff portion, failing to make it out of the qualifying round) for the first time since 2017.
They have a lineup full of elite talent at the top and emerging young stars throughout, plus a goalie who should be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in Igor Shesterkin.
The lineup has also done a good job of limiting chances in front of Shesterkin, and their power play is exceptionally good, with the Blueshirts' 26.6 percent conversion being the second-best in the NHL.
The top unit with the man advantage might be one of the best, with Chris Kreider (the third-leading scorer in the league), Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, Mika Zibanejad and defending Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox. The addition of Andrew Copp to the second unit has given them a tougher net-front presence, but that second unit doesn't see a whole lot of time since the top one takes care of business.
However, the Rangers generate surprisingly little offense at 5-on-5, ranking toward the bottom of the league in Corsi, scoring chances and expected goals for. New York typically wins by winning the special teams battle and goaltending, making its Metropolitan Division foes in the Pittsburgh Penguins, the least penalized team in the NHL this season, its most potentially daunting challenge.
The Penguins also have the second-best penalty kill in the league and a ton of postseason experience. The Rangers' leaders aren't completely devoid of playoff experience, but it's tough to match that of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Jeff Carter and even former Ranger Brian Boyle.
Maybe this is where we see the changing of the guard, with the Rangers overcoming their even-strength issues and their young players knocking off the legendary vets, especially since the Rangers are 3-1-0 against Pittsburgh this season and have outscored the Penguins 11-4.
But on paper, this isn't a good matchup.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 26: Andre Burakovsky #95 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on February 26, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)
Colorado Avalanche: Vegas Golden Knights
The Colorado Avalanche have been playing with a chip on their shoulder after losing in the second round to the Vegas Golden Knights last season. A meeting again in early rounds would be a nightmare for reasons other than just the statistical matchup because the Avs have been the better team all season.
Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty could get healthy enough for the playoffs when the salary cap doesn't matter, and the club would be out of the woods with the cap constraints. That would give Vegas an even deeper lineup than they had last spring when they knocked out Colorado in six games since Jack Eichel has joined the club.
The Avs have been the favorites in the Western Conference all season but have dealt with their own injury issues, with captain Gabriel Landeskog currently on injured reserve while he recovers from knee surgery. Nazem Kadri, who is second on the team with 83 points, is expected to return by the playoffs.
However, should Colorado continue to struggle with injuries and run into a fully healthy Golden Knights squad, they may struggle to avenge their playoff disappointment from a season ago.
Questions will be asked about last year's series, but Vegas has been a contender for four years. It's time for the Avs to show that they're a top team when it matters, and to do that, they may once again have to face off against Vegas.
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 4: Brayden Point #21 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at Amalie Arena on April 4, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tampa Bay Lightning
If you’re looking at playoff history, as we just did above, you might be thinking the worst opponent for the Toronto Maple Leafs would be the Boston Bruins. The Leafs have lost their last six postseason series against Boston dating back to 1969.
The 2019 first-round loss still stings, but this is a better, deeper Leafs team that has a different coach, a different goalie and plays much better defense.
Instead, the nightmare matchup for Toronto would be the Tampa Bay Lightning. To be fair, the Lightning are a nightmare team for anyone to face. They haven't lost a postseason series since 2019, and they're still the champions until someone knocks them off.
These are two elite teams that would make for a great series.
Tampa Bay has the best quite possibly the best goaltender in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy, a proven coach in Jon Cooper and a deep lineup.
The team lost its entire third line of Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow, as well as other players from those two Stanley Cup teams like Tyler Johnson, and hasn't missed a beat.
In Toronto, Auston Matthews has quickly become one of the most prolific scorers of this generation and is the type of game-breaking player that can make a difference in the playoffs. He scored his 55th goal of the season on Thursday night to set the Leafs' single-season record and the most for a U.S.-born NHL player.
Meanwhile, Mitch Marner has surpassed the 30-goal benchmark for the first time in his career.
Yet Matthews and Marner disappeared during their seven-game series with the Montreal Canadien last season. The Lightning have the defenders to neutralize even the best scorers, including Ryan McDonagh, who is expected to return as soon as this weekend.
Meeting in the first round is a realistic scenario given the current Atlantic Division standings. There is immense pressure on Toronto to get out of the first round, and this is an opponent who can bring the pressure on and off the ice.
Much like the Colorado-Vegas matchup, this one is less about the statistics and more about the storyline and the narratives that surround the Leafs and Lighting.
CALGARY, AB - MARCH 29: Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter speaks to media after his teams 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on March 29, 2022, at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Kings: Calgary Flames
The Los Angeles Kings will return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. A decade ago, it looked as though they had an emerging dynasty, but the culture fell apart, key veterans departed and former general manager Dean Lombardi tried to keep the window open a little too long, failing to recognize that it had already shut.
Finally, Lombardi's successor, Rob Blake, decided to blow it up and rebuild in 2019. Blake kept some of that championship core, and Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick remain.
He stockpiled talent and quickly built one of the most impressive prospect pools in hockey. He hired coach Todd McLellan to guide the team through the lean years and get them ready for a return to contention.
Los Angeles is ahead of schedule and currently sitting in third place in the Pacific Division with 86 points, a near-lock to make the playoffs. And there is a chance they could face a familiar face: Darryl Sutter, the coach that guided them to two Stanley Cups and the current coach of the Calgary Flames.
Sutter hockey has proven to be effective throughout the years, and the Flames are proof that it's still working. It might a low-event style of play, but Calgary is scoring 3.48 goals per game, good for sixth in the league, and they're the third-highest shot volume team at 5-on-5 in the NHL.
The Kings don't have the defense to withstand an offensive attack from Calgary. If Alexander Edler returns, as he is expected to soon, it will add another proven defender to the blueline. However, the club is unsure when Doughty can return from an upper-body injury, and without him, Los Angeles may not have enough to stop Calgary's offense.
The Los Angeles power play is also the least effective amongst teams in playoff contention, as its 16.6 percent mark is 28th in the league. The Flames, meanwhile, happen to be one of the best penalty-killing teams, killing off 83.4 percent of the opponent's power-play opportunities.
No one knows Sutter hockey like the Kings, but now that Kopitar, Doughty, Brown and Quick are on the other side, it might not be as much fun.
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 10: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (22) moves in to break up a pass for Boston Bruins winger Nick Foligno (17) during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes on February 10, 2022 at TD garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Boston Bruins: Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have outscored the Boston Bruins 16-1 in three meetings this year. Granted, one of those games was one of Tuukka Rask's final games in the NHL, and it was a disaster. However, Linus Ullmark didn't fare much better against the Canes in February, allowing all six goals in a 6-0 loss.
This matchup could be similar to a Kings-Flames series in that Carolina is a high shot-volume team, and Boston may not have the defense to contain their attack.
The Bruins added Hampus Lindholm at the trade deadline to deepen the blueline, and this team has been good at limiting scoring chances throughout the season.
They'll have to decide which goaltender to go with during the playoffs because a tandem is never really an effective plan past the regular season. They have two very good options in Jeremy Swayman and Ullmark, though, the latter of whom has played much better lately, going 6-0-0 with a .938 save percentage in his last seven games.
However, it's tough to argue with how many weapons Carolina has up front. This is an exceptionally deep team, especially at forward, where they can roll all four lines and overwhelm teams with the volume and quality of shots. They have defensemen with shutdown abilities like Brett Pesce and two who can jump into offensive plays in Jaccob Slavin and Tony DeAngelo.
It's a tough match for the Bruins, who have similar high-end talent but not as much as Carolina, especially on the blueline.
Penguins' Sidney Crosby Scores 500th Career NHL Goal
Feb 16, 2022
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby scored his 500th career regular-season goal with his first-period tally against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
Penguins legend Mario Lemieux also congratulated Crosby after his historic goal.
Sidney Crosby joins Mario Lemieux (690) as the only players in Penguins history to score 500 goals with the team. Congrats Sid! pic.twitter.com/Kyq6Xzudgq
Crosby is now one of 46 NHL players to score 500 regular-season goals. He's also scored 69 playoff goals and sits 38th on the all-time goals list (including postseason).
The 34-year-old, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL draft, has been nothing short of sensational during his 17-year career.
Crosby's resume already included three Stanley Cups as well as two Hart Memorial, Art Ross, Conn Smythe and Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies apiece. He's also a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team Canada.
A fourth Stanley Cup could be on the horizon for Crosby, who entered Tuesday with 13 goals and 31 assists. The Pens, who are riding a three-game winning streak, currently sit first in the Metropolitan Division with 68 points.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been blessed with Hall of Fame-level talent throughout their history. From Mario Lemieux to Jaromir Jagr to Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin , Penguins fans have seen their wildest dreams come true...
Penguins vs. Maple Leafs Among 3 Games Postponed; NHL Reintroduces Taxi Squads
Dec 27, 2021
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 11: Toronto Maple Leafs players exit the locker room behind the Maple Leafs logo before playing the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Arena on December 11, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL has postponed three more games this week because of COVID-19, the league announced Sunday. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators are the teams impacted.
The NHL and NHL Players Association also agreed to the reintroduction of taxi squads in order to provide teams with players who can be recalled to avoid having games postponed in the future.
Each team will be allowed to have a taxi squad of up to six players. In addition, teams are allowed to make emergency recalls from the minors if COVID-19 were to prevent them from playing with a full lineup.
Taxi squads will be in effect until at least the All-Star break in February. Players on the taxi squad will count as being in the for the salary cap and can be there for a minimum of 20 days.
The NHL also had taxi squads during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.
Several players have entered COVID-19 health and safety protocols since returning from the holiday break, including Bruins forward Charlie Coyle, Maple Leafs forward Williams Nylander and Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues.
The NHL began its holiday break earlier than expected this year because of a rise in positive COVID-19 cases across the league. Every team was shut down beginning Dec. 22, though most were on pause before that point.
Several teams are set to return to action on Tuesday, including the Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.
Because of postponements across the league and rise in COVID-19 cases, the NHL and NHLPA also recently decided that players would not attend the Winter Olympics in Beijing. The league needs the two-week break in the February schedule to make up more than 50 postponed games.
Sizing Up the Competition in the Best Division in the NHL
Nov 29, 2021
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Teuvo Teravainen #86, Sebastian Aho #20, and Antti Raanta #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 at the Wells Fargo Center on November 26, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
American Thanksgiving has passed, which means hockey fans are free to look at the standings.
The holiday serves as a benchmark that signals the unofficial start of playoff races. With two months of play complete and teams hitting the 20-game mark, we have an idea of team identities, strengths and areas that will be targeted as we approach the March 21 trade deadline.
We can start to determine which teams have chances and which teams do not.
But that isn't easy in the Metropolitan Division. The last-place team, the New York Islanders, was a game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season. Metro teams hold the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and two others are within four points. The Washington Capitals lead the NHL with 33 points, and the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers sit right behind them. It is an incredibly tight division.
No offense to the Atlantic Division, but if the Boston Bruins have any shot of making the playoffs, they will likely need to bump the Florida Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs or the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning out of a playoff spot in their division. The Bruins could still bring back free-agent goalie Tuukka Rask and make a run, but with so many good teams in the Metro Division, it's an uphill battle for everyone in the Eastern Conference.
Each team in this division started the season with playoff hopes, except for maybe the Columbus Blue Jackets. But Columbus has improved quickly, which has made for a crowded division. It's difficult to handicap this race because so much of the season is left and things like injuries will factor into performances, so we'll look at each team and determine whether its playoff hopes are legitimate or not.
The teams at the top
Let's start with the three best. Carolina, Washington and the Rangers are pulling away from the rest of the division.
Alexander Ovechkin looks ageless with 19 goals. The captain netted a hat trick Friday against the Panthers, and while that might be standard for Ovi, it's not every day you see a 36-year-old score at that pace.
He's putting up 1.68 points per game, which ranks third in the NHL, and has recaptured some magic with Evgeny Kuznetsov. A reinvigorated Kuznetsov is important—for himself, considering the Caps looked into offloading him over the summer, but especially for the depleted lineup.
T.J. Oshie is out with a foot injury, Anthony Mantha is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, Lars Eller has been in COVID-19 protocol since Nov. 16, Nicklas Backstrom started the season on injured reserve after offseason hip surgery, and Conor Sheary and Justin Schultz are both day-to-day.
The subplot is Ovechkin's chase to match Wayne Gretzky's all-time scoring record. He needs 145 to match the Great One's record of 894 goals, and with the way he's playing, he could knock off 30 more this season.
Carolina is one of the best possession teams in the league in 5-on-5. This has been the Hurricanes' calling card for a few years. It's a straightforward approach: Shoot the puck. A lot. The best defense in today's NHL is offense.
Buoyed by elite shooters like Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho, Carolina started the season winning nine straight. A plus-23 goal differential suggests these numbers are sustainable, and this has been an elite team for years.
Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta might not be an elite goaltending tandem, but Andersen is having a bounce-back season. Until he slips, the doubters can remain quiet.
The Rangers have been among the worst teams in the league at 5-on-5. Per NaturalStatTrick.com, their 45.19 Corsi percentage is the lowest in the NHL. The bulk of their offense has come from Chris Kreider (15 goals). Only 37 of the team's 59 goals have been scored at even strength. But they're defending well and have had elite goaltending from Igor Shesterkin.
The Rangers have made it known they would like to take the next step in their rebuild and make the playoffs. This could be the year, and it should with the high-end talent they possess, but they might be on the bubble with other teams on their heels.
The teams in the middle
A cluster of teams is within a few points of one another. The Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins each have 24 points. The New Jersey Devils have 22, and the Philadelphia Flyers have 20. The Blue Jackets and Devils are on the upswing, and the Flyers and Penguins appear to be hanging on, trying to stave off rebuilds.
The Penguins are sticking around in the standings because of goalie Tristan Jarry. Last year, some blamed Jarry for Pittsburgh's lack of success. The club cleared the path for Jarry by parting ways with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray, and many wondered if that was the right move, especially as Fleury played Vezina-caliber hockey in Las Vegas.
Some of the criticism was valid, but Jarry is proving to be the No. 1 goalie the club envisioned he would be.
After shutting out the Islanders on Friday, Jarry's .936 save percentage is tied for third in the league, and his mark of 9.63 goals saved above average is the third-best. His performance has been crucial considering the Penguins went without Sidney Crosby to start the season and Evgeni Malkin is still on IR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wPZz2_Rlr4
The Devils and the Blue Jackets have a road map in place. They know where they want to go, and they're attempting to get there through talent development. New Jersey is seeing good results as players like Dawson Mercer and Yegor Sharangovich play big roles. When the Devils finally get Jack Hughes healthy again, they could be dangerous.
But the Flyers are in a tough spot. They have lost six straight, and the season appears to be falling apart. The lack of roster depth has been exposed as injuries to key players like Ryan Ellis have piled up. Philadelphia is in a precarious spot and may need to blow it up and start trying to retain assets. It's right up against the salary cap, so it's tough for general manager Chuck Fletcher to make any moves that might improve the team in the short term.
The one good thing the Flyers have going for them is their draft capital. They have all but one pick each of the next two years. It's time for them to get younger, and they can do that with high picks and prospects. It might not be a palatable move, but Claude Giroux is in the final year of his contract, so trading the captain at the deadline might be a painful but necessary move.
The Islanders
What to make of the Islanders? Many (myself included) picked them to win the division. The team seemed poised for another long playoff run. A new arena. A top coach. This was supposed to be the year it came together.
It still could be. We know the Islanders are capable of reeling off five, six, seven or even eight wins at a time. Instead, they've lost eight straight. They're 5-10-2 with only 12 points.
How can a Stanley Cup contender be this bad?
You could start with COVID-19. The Isles have eight players in COVID protocol, and their next two games are postponed. The league was late on postponing games, forcing them to play with as many as seven players in protocol.
Plus, they're without defenseman Ryan Pulock because of injury, and Brock Nelson is hurt too.
It's still early, but is it getting late early for the Islanders? This team has proved doubters wrong many times in the past. Barry Trotz and his system are never really out of the game. But with the division this competitive, one of the Eastern Conference favorites could be left out this spring.
Pittsburgh Penguins to Be Sold to Fenway Sports Group Pending NHL Approval
Nov 29, 2021
MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 18: View of a Pittsburgh Penguins logo on a jersey during the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Montreal Canadiens game on November 18, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Fenway Sports Group reached an agreement to buy a controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, pending NHL approval.
"The Pittsburgh Penguins are a premier National Hockey League franchise with a very strong organization, a terrific history and a vibrant, passionate fan base," FSG Chairman Tom Werner said in a statement. "We will work diligently to continue building on the remarkable Penguins' tradition of championships and exciting play.
"We are particularly excited to welcome Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle to FSG and have the utmost respect for all they have done to build the Penguins into the perennially successful franchise we know today. We look forward to working with Mario, Ron and the entire Penguins front office team."
Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle will remain with the ownership group and be "closely aligned" with FSG. Lemieux, the former Penguins great, famously helped save the franchise from relocation by purchasing it in 1999 alongside Burkle.
No purchase price was made public, but it was reported by Dejan Kovacevic of DK Pittsburgh Sports to be around $900 million. Lemieux and Burkle originally purchased the franchise for $107 million.
FSG owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club and is part owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. The company has a valuation of $7 billion.
It's a virtual certainty the Penguins franchise will see an influx of cash with its new ownership group, which will want to make a splash and return to Stanley Cup contention as soon as possible. Pittsburgh has made the playoffs in each of the last 15 seasons but hasn't gotten out of the second round since winning the 2017 Stanley Cup.
The team's aging roster could use an influx of youth, which may come when the new group takes hold and begins reshaping the franchise in its vision.
