Two teams that made the post-season last year and were expected to make further strides this season rise square off tonight, both having taken big steps backwards in their progress.
Sometimes a team needs to do that after having a measure of unlikely success, and both Winnipeg and Ottawa are looking for improvements to be made from their young players in order to get back to the postseason race at this time next year.
But for now, both teams are hoping for some lottery luck, something that would make this season just a little less disappointing.
The Jets have gotten some solid production from promising rookie Nikolaj Ehlers, and the strides taken by Mark Scheifele have given fans reason to be optimistic, as does the fact that the Jets are recognized to have one of the deeper and more talented prospect pools in the league. Currently with the 5th best odds of drafting first, if they could add one of the projected top 3 picks that are almost NHL ready, it will make them very deep.
Ottawa has 6 games left in the season that can't end soon enough, and have shut down Dion Phaneuf and Clarke MacArthur for the season. I would have though that the Senators would have brought up someone like Buddy Robinson or even one of the prospects they got in the big minor league deal with Buffalo (Phil Varone or Jason Akeson who each have 15 points in 13 games with the BSens) for a look see down the stretch after it became apparent neither squad would have playoff hockey in their near futures.
We are getting a good look at Nick Paul, and for the most part it has been pretty positive for the role he has been asked to play on the fourth line, while Matt Puempel still leaves something to be desired for me.
Andrew Hammond will start for the Senators, with the goalies likely splitting the 6 remaining games.
The only think left to be decided is whether or not Erik Karlsson can be the second defenseman since 1996-96 (Nik Lidstrom being the other) to have an 80 point season. He currently sits with 76 points in 76 games and despite not being on a playoff team is still considered one of the favorites to win a 3rd the Norris Trophy in 5 years, another accomplishment only Lidstrom can claim since Ray Bourque in the mid-90's.
Mike Hoffman and Mika Zibanejad have upped their game in the last 7 contests, with 8 and 7 points repsectively to lead the Senators, while Zack Smith has predictably cooled off from his torrid mid-February to mid-March pace, with just a goal and two assists over the same time.