The Daily Faceoff Show: Did we call the East playoff race too early?

For a while now, the Eastern Conference playoff race seemed all but decided. The gap between the playoff teams and the non-playoff teams seemed insurmountable.

But, with the Columbus Blue Jackets winning seven of eight since the All-Star Break, including two recent wins against other Eastern Conference Cup contenders in the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers, coupled with the Washington Capitals’ mediocre play since U.S. Thanksgiving, is there potential for the race to heat up again?

Scott Burnside joined Frank Seravalli on the Daily Faceoff Show today to talk about the potential new playoff race.

Scott Burnside: “Well, I’m an old news guy, and I remember being in news rooms on election night and watching the television, and wondering ‘if you call the election, you want to be right’. Right? You don’t want to recreate the headline.

I don’t think we’re in that kind of position yet here in the Eastern Conference, but boy, we’ve been saying for a long time that it’s done. I remember asking players at the All-Star Game in Vegas ‘What’s it like to not have to play for a playoff spot if you’re Tampa?’

I think there’s a very slim chance that Columbus can get back into it, and part of that’s their real strong play. Even though they’ve got some goaltending health issues, they continue to play exceptionally well for Brad Larsen, Patrik Laine is absolutely on fire.

And part of it also is, Washington has really come back to Earth, and they look adrift. I know that they were coming off a week long break, but they looked very lifeless in a loss last night against the New York Rangers. There are questions about their goaltending moving forward.

Right now, 10 points separate Columbus and Washington, Washington has two games in hand. I’m still saying the top 8 are the top 8 in the East, but I think Columbus can make it interesting, and I think both Washington and Boston are more vulnerable now than they were a month ago. Who doesn’t want some drama in the Eastern Conference, I think it’s good.”

Frank Seravali: “Drama? Chaos? Sign me up. I mean, you’re taking a look at the numbers here. This is the Washington Capitals and their stats since November 30th. Alex Ovechkin, 13 goals in 29 games. A 14-13-4 record.

They’re a team that, although they’ve really played mediocre, basically .500 hockey since US Thanksgiving, the NHL’s point system is so difficult to make up ground once you’ve got a lead. As poorly as they’ve played, they’re still on track to finish with exactly with 100 points this season at a .613 points clip.

And you look at the Columbus Blue Jackets, they’re on pace for 88-89. That’s a lot of ground to make up over a short period of time, I’m with you in thinking that these eight are still relatively safe. And the Washington Capitals led by the Great 8, it feels like they’re one Ovechkin blitz from really going on a tear and certainly getting back to where they were.”

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