Welcome to the New Year! Yes, we’re already a few weeks in, but it’s our first NHL Games of the Week column for 2024. Check out highlights to hear this coming week on NHL Network Radio.
A Saturday night battle between two top teams that have both experienced some goaltending issues this season. The Avalanche, led by superstar Nathan MacKinnon, are once again a force in the tough Central Division. The Maple Leafs, led by sniper Auston Matthews, are once again a force in the tough Atlantic Division.
The Rangers have been one of the top teams in the NHL since the drop of the puck back in early October, though there is some concern about their 5-on-5 play. This afternoon, they face a Washington squad who are learning to live life without Nicklas Backstrom and with a reduced goal contribution from sniper Alexander Ovechkin.
The defending Stanley Cup Champions have not been firing on all cylinders as of late, but they’re still expected to be one of the top three teams in the Pacific Division once the playoffs come around in mid-April. Will the Predators make that post-season cut? They’ve been chasing Winnipeg, Colorado, and Dallas for the first half of the regular season, and it appears one of the two Western Conference wildcards will have to suffice if they wish to play springtime playoff hockey.
There’s nobody hotter than the Jets these days, and that’s saying something, as they inhabit the same division as the Colorado Avalanche and the Dallas Stars. Winnipeg are a complete hockey team that can beat you in many ways. It is almost impossible to score more than 3 goals against the Jets, as they’re one of the few NHL teams in history to allow 3 or fewer goals in over 30 consecutive games. And they’re doing all of this without sniper Kyle Connor, who has missed a number of games due to injury. As for the Islanders, they have remained in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference, much to many people’s surprise. Goal scoring is still a challenge for New York, who sit in the middle of the pack in that department.
Many picked the Devils to take the Metropolitan Division this season, but halfway through the campaign, New Jersey instead find themselves in the midst of a seven-team dogfight for one of the two Eastern Conference wildcard slots. Les Canadiens aren’t far off that pace and aren’t expected to nab one of those spots this time around, but on any given Wednesday, Montreal can steal two points.
All hail the Vancouver Canucks, who, halfway through the regular NHL season, have clearly shown that they are for real. Tonight, they tangle with a visiting Coyotes team that has been flirting with a Western wildcard all season long.
While they weren’t going to make the playoffs this season, the loss of rookie sensation Connor Bedard is a huge blow for this Blackhawks’ team. Right after the injury, Chicago upended the Calgary Flames and fought hard in a 2-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
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