Yeah, I saw that game. You guys kicked the Kings butts! But, inexplicably, before last night LA was in the second Wild Card seat despite dropping a string of games. St Louis is in it today. Canucks are 6 points out so never say never!

I'm perplexed by Dallas too. I started following them this year along with the Devils and each FB update I see is a loss.
Teams I'm following:

Panthers: still possible to make it in. Great that Huberdeau's back and we picked up Vaneck from the Wings. This team should be doing better than they are. I'm STILL super pissed for Viola messing with the team mid-season and firing Gallant.

NY Ranger: They need to make it happen. They've been slipping too and Hank has looked sketchy - on and off for the last couple of years. As much as I love the Rangers I think Lundqvist should distance himself from "The King" moniker until he wins the big game - a la Lebron.

Ottawa: Looks good. Hopefully they can keep momentum.

Tampa Bay: Awful! They look to be in sell mode. I'd be mad AF if I were a true Bolts fan.

NJ: I'd be mad AF if I were a Devils fan too. I've been following them to see if they bounce back post-Lou who, IMO, kind of f**ked them. From the back forward they need to 86 Schneider who sucks and sucked in Vancouver too, get a few defensemen, and get a few forwards. Really they need a near complete rebuild.

The Caps: Look good as long as they don't choke again in the playoffs.

Minnesota: Just looks unstoppable now! Lots of scoring and they just look solid - at least for now. I think they could win it all.

I haven't been following Edmonton but... that Connor McDavid kid! WOW! Good to see former Ranger Cam Talbot doing well too!

LA: Lots of players not scoring. Lots of big money on the payroll just not doing it. Bish being a rental might help but he's been off lately. I'd hate to see LA miss the playoffs but it very well might happen. I wonder what we'll get for Bish?

Winnepeg: I want to love this team but they need more talent. Great fan base and great team but they need a few more big names. I think they'll miss the playoffs again.

Dallas: WTF? Just... really? I hope they keep Lindy. I like him and I don't think their problems are necessarily because of him. Looks like they might be in a selling mode too in the off season. Maybe.

Dishonorable mention for the Avalanche: Seriously! If I were a fan I'd be throwing feces on the ice! Seriously! They're playing BAD hockey!

I agree with all of your assessments. The Stars and the Blues are 2 teams that are most surprising to me because I think they've really under performed...I know the Blues are holding a wildcard spot but that team should have a better record than they do.

Minnesota is a surprise - I knew they's be good but I didn't expect them to be that good. Columbus too - I thought they would be better but wow, who saw that coming. I still hope they either miss the playoffs or don't go anywhere in the playoffs because every time they win it provides validation for Torts and I can't stand that guy.

I hope the Canadian teams that make the playoffs do well. Ottawa looks good - I'm not a fan of Alex Burrows but I think he will ultimately help Ottawa. Montreal has done well with the coaching change (I think they're on a 5 game winning streak). Looking forward to watching the Canucks vs the Habs tonight!

This is the video I was looking for. Painful to watch the Avs play hockey but I picked this for what happens at 4:24.

https://youtu.be/nZuukHGyN2A

Yup, I remember watching that on the TSN hockey highlights that night. I'm pretty sure Comeau is never going to live that down... If the trailer had scored after Comeau passed it back then I guess we wouldn't be talking about it - but that's not how it played out so it looks pretty bad as it is =[

I don't think the Kings are making it in. Last night Toffoli scored late in the third to make it 2-1 but with less than a minute left in regulation Bishop let a softie in from Max Domi to tie it up. Coyotes won in the shootout! AAAAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!
I don't know what's up with Bish or what's going to happen to him. He looks bad after coming back from his last injury. In the long run Tampa might have done the right thing in picking up Budaj.

OMG lol

https://www.facebook.com/HockeyNight...8087333218637/

Here's another great one.

That's a pretty nice breakaway goal. I'm still waiting for the Columbus train to derail because I still have a hard time taking them seriously...but then again, I hardly ever see them play so I don't really have any real knowledge about how they've been able to break 90 points with about a dozen games still remaining...

I think my Canucks are all but mathematically eliminated from making the playoffs - pretty sure everyone outside of Vancouver realized that awhile ago but Canucks fans seem to live in constant denial these days =(

The Panthers are out too I think. I've said it a bunch here and other places but I am so pissed at Viola for throwing a wrench into the works after a successful season last year. And we have talent! It's just Viola went with his stupid analytics and suddenly wanted to change a team built for size to one based on speed like the Pens. Every friggin time we get a sniff of success the Panthers org shoots themselves in the damn foot! I'm tired of it! I'll stick to following the Kings and Rangers I guess. Fans might bust undeservedly of Dean Lombardi or Jeff Gorton or Sather but at least they don't do stupid things like tinker with a winning team mid-season. I feel bad for Dale Tallon because I genuinely think he was working to make things better. I guess success has a million fathers - and a few idiot stepdads.

Yup, bummer season for the Panthers - I thought they were going to be better...I don't follow them closely but it does seem like there's some dysfunction in that organization.

Looks like all of the playoff teams have been decided - only the Leafs are still in question. If they win 1 of their last 2 games they are in. However, they would likely play the Caps and I think the Caps would absolutely destroy the Leafs. Rangers will likely play the Habs, which is an intriguing matchup.

I'm just happy to see a number of Canadian teams in the playoffs. Hoping for an all Canadian Cup final - could happen...

Stay tuned for my playoff predictions because I'm sure you're all hanging on the edge of your seats for my predictions...lol...actually, in past years if you bet against all the teams I've picked you would've won money...lol

worst NHL season in decades here LOL. Did make it to one game a few weeks ago an exciting (only?) Devils home win vs Philthy. This season is a total waste in the absence of a top-3 draft pick (fingers crossed).

Patty's retired too. I would love to see Jersey rebuild proper. I think they should replace Schneider too.

Who would the Devils replace Schneider with? Bishop, Miller, Elliott and Mason are the only decent free agent goalies coming up and there are going to be other teams trying to get those guys. The Devils finished 28th in scoring (only the Avalanche and my Canucks scored fewer goals) so even though I don't follow the Devils closely it looks like they may need to get some guys who can score before they make a move on Schneider, who still has several years left on his contract.

I'm good with Kinkaid and Wedgewood at this point. Schneider has a brutal year and seems like a good asset to unload. You don't need the greatest goalie to do anything in today's NHL. Cammalleri should have been dumped at the trade deadline except always hurt and a lost cause.

I like Pallmieri and Zajac. They're pretty decent but don't score lots of goals. Jersey needs to dump Schneider somehow and poack one or two good shooters.
Panthers made Tallon GM again. Maybe we'll pick up Lindy who was dumped by the Stars and get back on track.