Hockey

The five worst teams in the East are in the Canadiens’ division
Charles-Alexis Brisebois
The five worst teams in the East are in the Canadiens’ division
Credit: Getty Images

Let's talk about the standings.

The Canadiens are currently the only Canadian team in the playoffs. In both the East and the West (where we find the Canucks and the Flames, the two worst clubs on the Bettman circuit), it hasn't been an easy start to the season north of the border.

At the moment, the Canadiens are third in their division with 31 points.

(Credit: NHL.com)

But the standings are so tight that the Canadiens' 31 points don't exactly give them any breathing room. Not really, in fact.

The Detroit Red Wings, who have played two games more than the Canadiens, also have 31 points. The Senators, meanwhile, have one point less than the Canadiens and have played one game more than the Habs.

The Maple Leafs, the Canadiens' next opponents, are two points behind the Canadiens. The two teams could in fact be tied on Sunday morning.

But it's worth noting something crazy: the five worst teams in the East, in terms of standings, are in the Canadiens' division. This means that the five best wild-card teams are in the other division, the Metropolitan.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Did we mention it's a tight race in the East?

We'll agree that it's not normal to see the Panthers this low. We fully expect to see the Florida outfit back in the thick of the race sooner rather than later, as they're only five points behind the Canadiens.

Everything can change quickly.

Seeing two Metropolitan teams (both New York teams) out of the playoffs, but with fewer points than the Habs, shows that the Atlantic has clubs that are underperforming a little… but also that the market is paralyzed by the tight standings.

Only the Sabres are really in a position to sell, in the East… and they're not doing it. So right now, everyone's making do with what they've got, basically.

Will the upcoming freeze on transactions (in view of the holiday season) stimulate the market? If so, it's likely to go through clubs in the West, where there are more potential sellers.


overtime

– Confirmed: it'll be him tomorrow. It should be Samuel Montembeault on Sunday.

– This is good.

– Oh?

– Excellent.

– Sabres want reinforcements.

– But's goal? That would have been sick.

– Interesting.

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