Central Division Wrap-Up

by Amerinadian on Mar 7, 2011 8:57 PM CST in Central Division Wrap-up

Still smarting from their road trip that saw the Red Wings lose the final 3 games, including a heart-breaker in Phoenix. While the Wings look to pick up the pieces and get ready for a March that sees the Wings only play 3 road games for the rest of the month, the rest of the Central continues to fight for playoff positioning, and in one case, the division.

Chicago Blackhawks:

Season: 37-23-6, 80 points (2nd in Central, 4th in West)
The Skinny: Objects may appear larger than they appear. The Hawks have been on a tear, winning their last 8 games to pull within 6 points of the Wings in the division. Jonathan Toews has been a stud, racking up 384 points in the last month to lead the team. Their newly formed line of Toews/Kane/Sharp is admittedly a pretty impressive trio.
Since the Hawks last loss (to the Coyotes in a shootout on February 12), they have beaten the following teams: Wild, Blue Jackets, Penguins (without Crosby/Malkin), Blues, Predators, Coyotes, Wild, Flames, Hurricanes, and Maple Leafs. Not exactly a murderer's row of teams.
Think the Hawks are good? Personally, I think they still lack the depth to do anything in the playoffs as evidenced by the fact their recent hot streak is because of the new top line. If that line gets cold, the Hawks are done. However, the next 10 games will be very telling: they play Lightning, Capitals, Sharks, Stars, Ducks, Red Wings and Bruins. If the Hawks are still chugging along after that, we'll talk.

Nashville Predators:

Season: 33-24-9, 75 Points (3rd in Central, 11th in West)
The Skinny: The Predators have played some mediocre hockey since the All-Star break, going 6-6-3.
Want to know the reason why the Preds are struggling to make the playoffs? In the last month they have beaten the Red Wings once and the Canucks twice, yet they have lost to the Blue Jackets once and the Oilers twice. A 4-0 loss to Edmonton is a game I can guarantee Preds fans will be kicking themselves over if they miss the playoffs.
As predicted by many at the beginning of the season, the Preds are having a lot of trouble scoring. They currently sit dead last in the West in goals for with a paltry 167 goals. However, they have only given up 156, and if they continue to get solid goaltending, they may just earn a spot in the playoffs.

Columbus Blue Jackets:

Season: 31-26-7, 69 Points (4th in Central, 12th in West)
The Skinny: The BJs are doing their best to stay in the playoff race, but they are going down fast.
If the Jackets can find some defense or goaltending, they'd give themselves a shot; they last among all teams still within less than 10 points of the 8th playoff spot in team GAA.
Rick Nash is once again the leading scorer for the Jackets, but he's not even at a point-per-game pace. However, he has 7 GWG, tied for third in the NHL. Can you imagine how bad they would be if they did not have him?
The BJs get the Blues in a home and home beginning tonight (they are playing as I write this), and anything less than 3 points should mean the BJ fans can kiss a playoff spot goodbye.

St. Louis Blues:

Season: 28-28-9, 65 Points (5th in Central, 13th in West)
The Skinny: Stick a fork in 'em: the Blues are done.
In the Blues last 9 games, they are 2-7; their combined score in their 2 wins is 14-3, while they have been outscored 27-12 in the 7 losses.
The Blues currently sit 11 points behind Los Angeles for the last playoff spot, and have 4 teams in front of them. I think there are far too many teams and too many Bettman-point games for the Blues to make that up.
Jaroslav Halak is still on IR, ensuring that he won't get lit up by the Wings when they play next Saturday.

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"The Predators have played some mediocre hockey since the All-Star break"

Come on, the Predators have been playing mediocre hockey since the lockout. That kind of consistency is actually kind of impressive. You expect them to either break out one year and get to the conference finals or completely tank, but there they always are, in the meaty part of the bell curve.

by RedPandaAlex on Mar 7, 2011 10:15 PM CST reply actions

8 in a row

Is impressive no matter who you play especially this time of the year. How many eight game streaks have the Wings been on this year?

by SLAZZ on Mar 8, 2011 4:54 AM CST reply actions

How many eight-game streaks has Detroit needed to have gone on to still be up on the Hawks?

by J.J. from Kansas on Mar 8, 2011 7:27 AM CST up reply actions

Nice way to avoid the question, fact is 8 is impressive no matter what the schedule says

And those teams for the most part are all fighting for a spot. Detroit built a lead from an early cream-puff schedule. Hows .500 hockey been for ya?

by SLAZZ on Mar 8, 2011 7:47 AM CST up reply actions

I wouldn't know

The Wings haven’t been at .500 for any ten game stretch all season.

Part of that “cream-puff” schedule early involve taking Chicago’s home opener?

Have fun thinking your kiddie-pool-shallow team has a shot, champ.

by J.J. from Kansas on Mar 8, 2011 7:59 AM CST up reply actions

Shallow team...

With seven guys that have 15 goals or more, the most in the NHL. And the fact is they have had all four lines scoring on this streak, not just the top line. Hossa has a 7 game streak(second line).

All these zero depth comments are pretty damn funny considering they are one goal behind the Red Wings for tops in the league. And they have given up less goals.

To act like they are just a first round flameout in the playoffs is a joke. The Wings have been resilient as hell all year long and I am not dumb enough to say they would be weak and easy prey in the playoffs like a lot would the Hawks.

Tough stretch for both teams coming up, how are the Wings in back to back games?

I know how Chicago is, hopefully they keep it up.

by SLAZZ on Mar 8, 2011 9:55 AM CST up reply actions

You're talking about 8 games

I never said the Hawks are a first round flameout, so don’t put words into my mouth.

I’m saying the Hawks don’t have the depth to compete for the cup.

by J.J. from Kansas on Mar 8, 2011 10:25 AM CST up reply actions

I guess we shall see

Tough to repeat. As you all well know, but they have depth to score. As much as Detroit.

by SLAZZ on Mar 8, 2011 12:22 PM CST up reply actions

As much as Detroit.

It’s amazing how you can use stats to say whatever you want though, isn’t it?

Chicago has seven guys with 15 or more goals this season, tops in the league. Yes. 15 is a funny cut-off when you look at the two 14-goal scorers on Detroit’s roster.

If you cut that down to how many players have 10 or more goals this season, Detroit takes that advantage 10-9 over Chicago.

If you extend that to people who have at least 8 goals, the gap widens to 12-9.

Chicago does NOT have as much scoring depth as Detroit. They’re one goal behind the Wings because their top three scorers have 37.5% of all of their goals (to Detroit’s 31.2%). That’s good scoring power, but it’s not depth.

by J.J. from Kansas on Mar 8, 2011 12:55 PM CST up reply actions

*Ahem

They’re one goal behind the Wings because their top three scorers have 37.5% of all of their goals (to Detroit’s 31.2%). That’s good scoring power, but it’s not depth.

Mistake:

Chicago’s top three scorers account for 37.2% of their goals.
Detroit’s account for 31.5%

Sorry for the mix-up.

by J.J. from Kansas on Mar 8, 2011 1:39 PM CST up reply actions

Wings in back to back?

6-4-1. Winning record. How are the Hawks in back to backs?

Winging It In Motown

@Amerinadian19

by Amerinadian on Mar 8, 2011 11:49 AM CST up reply actions

10-3-1

17-7-4 overall in both games of back to back.

by SLAZZ on Mar 8, 2011 12:12 PM CST up reply actions

10 game results

Detroit
7-2-1
7-2-1
6-3-1
5-3-2
6-3-1
6-4-0
2-2-2

Chicago
5-4-1
4-5-1
7-3-0
4-5-1
6-3-1
5-3-2
6-0-0

The closest the Wings have been to a .500 stretch is the current 10 game block, which they are only 6 games into. So still plenty of time to put a couple wins together and be 6-2-2 when it’s done.

Dancing Datsyuk Decidedly Dazzles Dainty Defensemen

by Robocop on Mar 8, 2011 11:01 AM CST up reply actions

First 20 games

Red Wings
Team – Result – Current Record – Current Conference Rank – Points out of Playoffs
Anaheim – W – 35/26/5 – T9 – 2
Chicago – W – 37/23/6 – 4 – X
Colorado – OTL – 26/31/8 – 14 – 17
Dallas – L – 36/23/7 – 5 – X
Phoenix – W – 34/23/10 – 7 – X
Calgary – W – 35/24/9 – 6 – X
Anaheim – W
Phoenix – L
Nashville – W – 33/24/9 – T9 – 2
Calgary – W
Edmonton – W – 23/35/8 – 15 – 23
Vancouver – L – 42/16/9 – 1 – X
Phoenix – W
Edmonton – W
Colorado – W
St. Louis – W – 29/28/9 – 13 – 10
Minnesota – OTL – 34/25/7 – T9 – 2
Calgary – W
Atlanta – L – 27/28/11 – 11 – 7
Columbus – W – 31/26/8 – 12 – 7

We went 7-2-1 in each 10 game stretch, for an overall 14-4-2 record.

Their opponents total record is 644/518/165 with an average conference ranking of 8.95.

Chicago
Team – Result – Current Record – Current Conference Rank – Points out of Playoffs
Colorado – OTL
Detroit – L – 39/19/8 – 2 – X
Buffalo – W – 32/25/8 – 8 – X
Nashville – L
Columbus – W
Buffalo – W
St. Louis – W
Vancouver – W
St. Louis – L
Columbus – L
Los Angeles – W – 36/25/5 – 8 – X
Edmonton – L
Minnesota – W
NYR – L – 35/29/4 – 7 – X
New Jersey – L – 30/31/4 – 12 – 8
Atlanta – W
Edmonton – L
Phoenix – L
Nashville – OTL
Anaheim – W

They went 5-4-1 and 4-5-1 for an overall 9-9-2 record.
Their opponents overall record is 634/529/155 with an average conference ranking of 9.5.

So who exactly was it that had a cupcake schedule to start the season?

Dancing Datsyuk Decidedly Dazzles Dainty Defensemen

by Robocop on Mar 8, 2011 9:28 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

zingg

nothing but the facts brotha

LETS GO RED WINGS!

2011 will be the year....better be....

Troy Tulowitzki: "When people think of the Rockies, I want them to think of a winning organization."

by TuLoRocks2008 on Mar 8, 2011 9:32 AM CST up reply actions

Remember when I was saying the Central division was shaping up to be the best division in the history of the league? What the f*ck happened there? At various points, 4 of 5 teams were in the playoffs with either Columbus or Chicago sitting in the 9th or 10th seed. We accounted for as many points as multiple divisions combined. My Pace stats were showing two, possibly three, teams hitting the 100-point plateau.

Now, we have just two teams in the playoffs with the remaining 3 being in the bottom 5 of the conference. Columbus and Nashville are laughing stocks at this point and people just feel freaking horrible for the Blues and what they’ve gone through.

Then again… Nashville being this bad again could play well for us. If they miss the playoffs, perhaps Weber will be disappointed with them and not want to sign an extension which would open up the door for Kenny Holland to work his magic. ~~insert Fonzie cool emote wearing Red Wings jersey here~~

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Mar 8, 2011 6:57 AM CST reply actions

Wow. Who knew that two dashes does strike through?

by Apocalyptic0n3 on Mar 8, 2011 6:58 AM CST up reply actions

Dream, oh what a dream...

it would be, but where could Kenny find at least $6-7 mil for Shea until Lids retires…and I sure don’t want to see him retire for another year or two.

by wingsluver4ever on Mar 8, 2011 11:43 AM CST up reply actions