In a trend I fully expect to continue as this season drags on, our beloved Avalanche again failed to meet our expectations as they daringly won a game, putting our quest for the top pick in grave danger. Luckily, they managed to half screw up their wicked plan by allowing Edmonton to snatch a point, thus nullifying what would have surely been the death toll on the ultimate tank job.
I hear a backup goalie got starter's money up there in Canada, eh? You have fun with that, Ottawa. Here's to hoping he doesn't up and quit on you like he did us. If nothing else, it just enhances our standing as a prime destination for a free agent goalie. Sup, Josh Harding <3
Other than all of that, I've got nothin. I'm not even going to slip a video game reference in for you guys this week. Enjoy!
Team capsules after the jump...
All standings related info taken from NHL.com...
Calgary Flames (75 GP 37-27-11 85 Pts)
Last Week: 1-1-1 3-4 L vs. PHX, 5-2 W vs. COL, 4-5 OTL vs. ANA, 1-2 OTL vs. LA
Conference Standing: 10th Place, 1 point behind 8th place Anaheim.
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.9 (6th)
- Goals Against: 2.8 (16th)
- Power Play %: 18.7 (11th)
- Penalty Kill %: 81.3 (19th)
This Week: Calgary continues the seemingly always unfair California trip Wednesday @SJ before returning to the friendly confines of Canada for an easy 2 points Saturday @EDM. Don't screw it up now, Calgary.
News: The Flames Wives raised a serious chunk of change for charity. Good on 'em.
An updated look at just how screwed the Flames are if they don't stop choking away their season.
I'm only linking this because it has 'Rabbit Season' in the title and that makes me laugh.
Transactions: March 16 - LW Ales Kotalik recalled from Abbotsford (The Flames official website his name listed as Alex. Nice)
Injuries: C Daymond Langkow is still out indefinitely with a "head" injury, F Raitis Ivanans is day to day with a head injury (no shock there, really), F Adam Pardy (when did he become a forward???) is listed as out indefinitely with an "upper body" injury, F Brendan Morrison is day to day with a knee injury. F David Moss hurt himself falling down in warm ups. So embarrassing.
Colorado Avalanche (71 GP 27-36-8 62 Pts)
Last Week: 1-2-0 2-4 L @ VAN, 2-5 L @ CGY, 3-2 W @ EDM (suck it)
Conference Standings: 14th place, 11 points behind 13th place St. Louis (just to reinforce how bad we are, huzzah!).
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.7 (18th)
- Goals Against: 3.5 (30th)
- Power Play %: 18.4 (12th)
- Penalty Kill %: 76.7 (29th)
This Week: The season that refuses to end chugs along with a super busy 4 game schedule, beginning with a nice two game home stand Tuesday vs. CBJ and Thursday vs. TOR. We're guaranteed to lost both games because the Avs haven't won a game I've attended since 2010 (fml) and I'll be trolling Beache in the stands during both. Sorry in advance. The next realistic chances for us to screw up our epic tank job comes this weekend in another nice Cali swing Saturday @LA and finishing Monday @ ANA. If you guys insist on winning, lose to LA and then beat the Ducks. Because fuck Anaheim, that's why.
Edmonton Oilers (72 GP 23-39-10 56 Pts)
Last Week: 0-1-1 1-3 L vs. PHX, 2-3 OTL vs. COL (Be happy we gave you that point, bitches)
Conference Standings: 15th place, I really don't care how many points behind 8th place anymore. It's a lot.
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.4 (28th)
- Goals Against: 3.2 (28th)
- Power Play %: 13.0 (30th)
- Penalty Kill %: 77.5 (28th)
This Week: The Oilers play 3 this week beginning Tuesday @ NSH before enjoying some midwest lovin Thursday @ STL and then mercifully returning home Saturday vs. CGY. Please keep winning. We need to earn our Top 2 pick.
News: Oilers season ticket holders got to hang out with future AHL mainstays at the Oilers recent recent meet and greet event. That link has 666 in it, so garlic up your keyboard before clicking it.
Edmonton's future is bright, according to TSN's arbitrary and ridiculous poll that obviously favors consistently terrible teams and puts heavy emphasis on teams who have yet to ruin their prospects.
Edmonton coach Tom Renney has multiple personalities, apparently. Nice.
Transactions: March 17 - C Chris Vande Velde, C Ryan O'Marra, and LW Alexandre Giroux recalled from Oklahoma City. March 19 - F Tanner House signed to 2 year deal.
Injuries:
- Ryan Whitney is on IR and is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.
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Taylor Hall is on IR and is out indefinitely with an ankle injury.
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Taylor Chorney is on IR and is week-to-week with a knee injury.
- Gilbert Brule is week-to-week with a concussion.
- Ales Hemsky is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
- Sam Gagner is out for the season with a hand injury.
- Shawn Horcoff is out 7-10 days with an ankle injury.
- JF Jacques is day-to-day with a foot injury.
Minnesota Wild (73 GP 35-30-8 78 Pts)
Last Week: 0-2-1 2-3 L @ SJ, 4-5 OTL vs. CBJ, 1-8 L vs. MTL (rougghhhh)
Conference Standing: 11th place, 7 points behind 8th place Anaheim
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 2.5 (26th)
- Goals Against: 2.7 (14th)
- Power Play %: 19.4 (8th)
- Penalty Kill %: 83.3 (11th)
This Week: Minnesota continues to fritter away its near impossible playoff chances this week with the final two games of a thus far disastrous 4-game home stand with games Tuesday vs. TOR and Saturday vs. STL.
News: Drama drama drama!
The 8-1 loss at home apparently has brought great shame to Minnesota fans.
Wild first round pick Mikael Granlund might have suffered another concussion, this time courtesy of former Avs stalwart Ossi Vaananen
Transactions: Recalled D Marco Scandella and D Nate Prosser from Houston (Aeros fighting!)
Injuries:
- Marco Scandella broke his finger after a shot hit his glove in Saturday's game against Columbus. He will not play Tuesday against the Maple Leafs.
- Cam Barker aggravated an upper-body injury March 8 and has missed the last six games. He has been skating with the team but is questionable for Tuesday.
- Guillaume Latendresse left the March 11 game in Dallas with a lower-body injury. The injury is not believed to be serious but he is questionable against Toronto.
- Marek Zidlicky suffered a lower-body injury in Vancouver last Monday and is not expected to play Tuesday.
- Josh Harding is practicing with the team but is not ready to return from a knee injury he suffered in the preseason.
- James Sheppard continues to practice with the team but is still a ways from returning.
Vancouver Canucks (73 GP 47-17-9 103 Pts)
Last Week: 1-1-0 4-2 W vs. COL, 1-3 L vs. PHX
Conference Standing: 1st, 9 points ahead of second place Detroit.
Overall Rankings:
- Goals For: 3.2 (1st)
- Goals Against: 2.3 (1st)
- Power Play %: 24.9 (1st)
- Penalty Kill %: 86.0 (2nd)
This Week: Huge matchup for the Canucks as they can essentially wrap up first in the Western Conference Wednesday @DET before the inevitable letdown game loss two days later @ ATL and moving on to crush the perpetually-floundering-but-still-fun-to-watch-because-Rick-Nash-is-hot Columbus Blue Jackets Sunday @ CBJ. That was a lot of hyphens. Happy Tuesday!
News: Trevor Linden: Captain Planet?
Rumor resolved! The Sedins are actively trying to keep it in the family.
Remember when we had cool fan-created videos like this?
Transactions: Yann Suave and Victor Oreskovish (who was also recalled earlier in the week) reassigned to Manitoba while Alex Bolduc was recalled.
Injuries:
- Alex Edler is out indefinitely after having back surgery.
- Lee Sweatt is week-to-week with a foot injury
- Andrew Alberts just had successful wrist surgery and is out for a long time because that really hurts.
- Kevin Bieksa is out for an undetermined amount of time thanks to a pesky foot injury.
- Manny Malhotra will miss the remainder of the season with after sustaining an eye injury against Colorado.