Fan In Van

Parity Isn’t The Greatest

You know, in the old NHL, it wouldn’t have been uncommon to see two, three, or even four teams in each Conference have a playoff spot clinched by mid-March. But in today’s game, not one NHL team has been able to do so. What’s even more alarming is the fact that by March there are usually a handful of teams who are out of reach in the playoffs and slump to the finish, but today, we’re seeing the exact opposite of that. What is this, Bizarro World?

Nope, it’s the new NHL.

While the Detroit Red Wings are hanging on to first place in the West by the skin of their teeth, going a mere 5-4-1 in their last ten games is anything but underwhelming. Meanwhile, there are a handful of teams currently seeded 6th to 10th that are gobbling up more points than LeBron James on a bad night. Edmonton, once believed to be an afterthought in the West, have somehow managed to win seven of their last eight games and have catapulted from 13th in the West to seven points out of the playoff picture. And while with 12 games left to go the chances of them squeaking in are slim, it’s showing that parity in this league does exist.

In the East, look no further than the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are, for some ungodly reason, making a last minute playoff surge (Leave it to March and April to start playing good hockey). The Leafs are also seven points out, but have won six of their last ten games and are a threat to the eighth-seeded Flyers. Among those other threats are still the Sabres, Capitals and Panthers.

So what does all of this tell us? That teams who are currently in the playoff picture can never stop looking in their rearview mirror? The Vancouver Canucks, of course, have been guilty of that so many times this season. They’ve consistently coasted periodically and have found themselves in and out of the top 8 a handful of times. And it goes to show not only to the Canucks but everyone in the top 8 of the Conferences that you can no longer just expect a playoff spot but must earn it, sometimes in the fiercest ways possible.

In addition, I look at the standings in the West and I see not one team I would like to see the Canucks play against if they make the playoffs. I wouldn’t want to be playing Detroit, for obvious reasons; the fact that Detroit and Vancouver means a very long travel trip is one reason, the fact that they’ve got a ton of playoff talent and some guy named Lidstrom is quite another.

San Jose has won ten games in a row. Pass. Oh yeah, and every time they played Vancouver this year they beat them. Double pass.

The Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks, last year’s playoff opponents. Say what you want about the Stars, they made a blockbuster trade and simply for entertainment reasons I wouldn’t want to match up against them. And the Ducks have been red hot, winning seven of their last ten. The return of Niedermayer and Selanne has certainly given notice to the rest of the West that the Ducks are still the team to beat.

It’s unlikely the Canucks would match up against Colorado in the first round, but there’s still a chance the Canucks could face one of their Northwest rivals from Calgary or Minnesota. Ah, Calgary and Minnesota … past playoff opponents, the fiercest of foes … You look at these teams, stack them up against Vancouver and you can pretty much say to yourself “This is going to seven games”.

Pick your poison, Canuck fans. The NHL’s love for parity has made it difficult to want to face any one team.