Standings, Picks, Odds – Today’s Picture

By JD Lagrange – It has been a second tough season in a row for the Montreal Canadiens. While most fans understand and are trying to see the positive into such seasons, it is sometimes difficult to keep our interest in a team that won’t be anywhere close to participating in what onces was a sure thing: competing in the NHL Playoffs for a Stanley Cup.

Right now, some fans are focussed on “tanking”, to get the best pick possible. Many other fans are keeping an eye on young Canadiens prospects trying to make a name for themselves with the opportunity that’s been awarded to them due to injuries. But the standings don’t lie. Here is what the “race to the bottom” looks like.

TEAMOVERALLGPPTSPTS %LAST 10
246563.4853-5-2
256561.4697-2-1
266659.4472-7-1
276658.4393-5-2
286657.4324-4-2
296653.4025-2-3
306650.3793-6-1
316750.3732-7-1
326547.3623-4-3

Florida Panthers

As we know, the Canadiens also own the Panthers’ first round pick this year and that pick is not protected. Florida is trailing Tampa Bay in the division by nine points so while not impossible, it will be very difficult for them to catch their Florida state rivals. Their best odds at making the playoffs is for a wildcard spot.

With 73 points, they currently sit three points back of the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for the two wildcard position. Both teams have 76 points. The Panthers have played two more games than Pittsburgh, but have a game in hand on the Islanders.

Here’s where Florida is sitting at the moment in the overall standings.

TEAMOVERALLGPPTSPTS %LAST 10
*146677.5833-5-2
*156576.5856-3-1
*166876.5596-3-1
176773.5456-3-1
186371.5636-3-1
196671.5383-5-2
206771.5304-5-1
216570.5386-4-0
* In the playoffs

Remaining schedule

According to Tankathon.com, the Canadiens have the third most difficult schedule in the entire NHL, based on the quality of opposition. I ask you to take that with a grain of salt as Montreal has been in every game lately, while facing teams like Los Angeles, Vegas, Carolina, New York (Rangers) and New Jersey. All one goal losses except last night against the Devils, who scored in an empty net.

The Florida Panthers have a much easier schedule than Montreal, although their odds of making the playoffs aren’t looking so great. The Canadiens are facing them twice before the season ends.

Lastly, here are Tankathon.com’s Draft lottery odds as of today.

There is still a lot of hockey remaining to be played and Habs’ fans are watching the standings closely. Personally, I am not in favour of “tanking” for a better pick. I’m in the mindset that if they win, it’s great for the team’s young players’ development. If they lose, oh well… particularly with the number of injuries they’ve been suffering.

Draisaitl, Matthews, MacKinnon… McDavid

By JD Lagrange – Living in Canada, you almost have to be a hockey fan. While Lacrosse is, for some odd reasons, considered to be the National Sport, hockey is the passion. It’s what gets the motor ticking, the sport most followed in this beautiful and vast country. And with seven teams to choose from, you have fans everywhere. The issue? All major sports’ media outlets are located in… Toronto.

It’s the biggest market, the biggest population, the biggest advertising dollars and for those reasons, the Maple Leafs are the most talked about franchise on those networks. It certainly isn’t based on success as the Montreal Canadiens have won almost twice as many Stanley Cups. The Maple Leafs haven’t won the Cup since 1967 and haven’t even won a playoffs’ series in nearly two decades!

But with the Toronto bias, comes injustice and frustration across the nation. The other six teams get very little coverage, or the attention that they deserve. If a Leafs’ player is doing well, that’s all you hear about on those networks. Auston Matthews, last season, polarized their attention due to his 60 goals pace and eventually achievement. Yet, in Edmonton, Connor McDavid had a better season. This year, it was all about Mitch Marner and his points’ streak. But the Toronto bias is having its fair share of humble pie this season…

So on this time changing weekend, I felt compelled to set the clocks to the right time. Is Auston Matthews really in the same category as Connor McDavid as a player? Not just this season, but overall? I was under the impression that he’s not and I have set to show why… coming from someone OUTSIDE of Toronto.

I’ve chosen to compare Matthews to two other centers that are closer to his skills’ set. Just to appease the Toronto fanatics, I’ve also included McDavid’s comparables below those tables. Have a look for yourself.

THIS SEASON

DRAISAITLMACKINNONMATTHEWS
HEIGHT6’2″6’0″6’3″
WEIGHT208200205
DRAFT3rd overall 20141st overall 20131st overall 2016
GP645257
G412729
A565033
PTS977762
PTS/GP1.521.481.09
TOI/GP22:0022:2219:57
PP TOI/GP4:024:043:39
SH TOI/GP0:420:070:03
FO WON613413429
FO %53.7%45.5%52.9%
CAP HIT$8.5M$6.3M$11.64M

McDavid

GPGAPTSPTS/GPTOI/GPPP TOI/GPSH TOI/GPFO WONFO %
6664701241.8822:423:591:1841951.9%

So when considering all aspects, the rankings, this season, are:

  1. Connor McDavid
  2. Leon Draisaitl
  3. Nathan MacKinnon
  4. Auston Matthews

LAST 3 SEASONS

Predictable as always, you know that Leafs’ fans will claim as an excuse that their boy is not having a good season and the comparison isn’t fair. So in all fairness, let’s include last year too. In fact, to get an even clearer picture, why don’t we include the year before too?

DRAISAITLMACKINNONMATTHEWS
GP200165182
G12779130
A164151104
PTS291230234
PTS/GP1.461.391.29
TOI/GP22:1221:1620:40
PP TOI/GP4:013:563:19
SH TOI/GP0:460:040:05
FO WON2,0721,0341,570
FO %54.1%46.1%54.0%

McDavid

GPGAPTSPTS/GPTOI/GPPP TOI/GPSH TOI/GPFO WONFO %
2021312213521.7422:183:560:321,29752.1%

The past three seasons combined, Connor McDavid has scored one more goal than Auston Matthews. Granted, he has managed to better survive the grind of a NHL season, having played more games. For the fact that he’s been healthier and outscored the Toronto protege is an eye opener. Points-wise? It’s not even close.

The rankings for the past three seasons are as follows:

  1. Connor McDavid
  2. Leon Draisaitl
  3. Nathan MacKinnon & Auston Matthews (tie)

PLAYOFFS

Many players are catalogued with their playoffs’ performances, in addition to their regular season. Nathan MacKinnon is the only one of those players with a Stanley Cup but let’s look at their personal contribution to the success of their team, career-wise.

DRAISAITLMACKINNONMATTHEWS
GP377039
G184117
A415216
PTS599333
PTS/GP1.591.330.85
TOI/GP22:0221:4421:19
PP TOI/GP3:573:593:18
SH TOI/GP0:370:030:02
FO WON323415335
FO %48.9%46.0%53.3%

McDavid

GPGAPTSPTS/GPTOI/GPPP TOI/GPSH TOI/GPFO WONFO %
372134551.4923:333:570:5117545.6%

The playoffs’ rankings are:

  1. Leon Draisaitl
  2. Connor McDavid
  3. Nathan MacKinnon
  4. Auston Matthews

CONCLUSION

It is clear, reading comments on social media, that few Eastern fans follow the Western Conference teams closely. For example, I don’t know how often I’ve read Leafs’ fans claiming that Matthews is a 200-foot player while downplaying McDavid’s defensive game. It cannot be further from the truth. This season, McDavid is used regularly on the penalty kill even, something Matthews, Draisaitl and MacKinnon don’t do.

I felt that last year’s votes for the Hart and Lindsay Awards were an insult to McDavid, who was (and still is) the best player in the world. I get it, just like in the times of Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby’s prime seasons, some people (players included) get tired of always praising the same guy over and over again. So they try to be “different” and “imaginative”, and try changing things up. Last season, too many were mesmerized by the 60 goals, in my opinion. Matthews was the best goals’ scorer. He was not the best player.

In fact, Matthews has never been the very best player in the NHL and he doesn’t have what it takes to ever be. This is McDavid’s league and guys like Draisaitl, MacKinnon and yes, Matthews, are all a notch below the Oilers’ number 97. Let’s see what the upcoming Connor (Bedard) can do one day…