With several key players out heading to the playoffs, including McDavid and Draisaitl, Mike is concerned about the Oilers prospects.  John Tortarella gets fired by the Flyers, which isn’t a huge surprise, but why now? Plus we have a look at the playoff picture as the matchups start to come into focus. 

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Title Player- Johnny Bucyk – 493 PIM 

News

Oilers Injuries – McDavid, Draisaitl, Skinner, Ekholm, Kane, Frederic – Are they screwed for playoffs if they make it? 

6 points up on Vancouver 5-4-1 in last 10 – can they hold on? 

Draisaitl played last night – 3 points, 2 G including 50 and 51

Only active player with 4 seasons with 50 G and 50A in same season

Tortarella – fired in Philly – 2-7-1 in last 10 – 9 games left in season – why now?

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/why-philadelphia-flyers-fired-coach-john-tortorella-behavior

“Becoming increasingly combative with everyone in the organization, from management, to coaches, to players, to staff, Tortorella’s antics wore on everyone.”

Brent Burns  -915 consecutive games – 4th all time 

Ovi Ovechkin – 5 back of Gretzky, 6 to pass – should have stayed at 888 – 

10 Games to go and scored at .072 per game pace.

Goal Scoring – 

2024-25 – Leon with 51 leads

2023-24 – 4 players, Matthes 69, Reinhart 57, Hyman 54, Mackinnon 51

2022-23 – 5 players McDavid 64, Pastrnak 61, Rantanen 55, Draisaitl 52

2021-22 – 4 players Matthews 60, Draisatil, 55, Kreider 52, Ovi 50 

2021-20, 19-20 None

2018-19 Ovi 51, Draisaitl 50

Crosby – passes Gretzky with 20th ppg season

Guess the 5th 

Playoff Races 

Points – Leafs could win Atlantic – how important

Top 3 in each division pretty much set

Only top in Atlantic up for grabs

Close to certain matchups

CAR v NJD

DAL v COL

LAK v EDM

Wildcard Races

East – CBJ, MTL, NYR, NYI, DET

West – STL, VAN, CGY

Worst team last 5 years to make playoffs

23-24 WSH 91

22-23 FLA 92

21-22 NSH 97

18-19 COL 90

17-18 COL 95

This year, if pts pace continues, last team 85pts

Connections 

Carryover – Ryan Smyth, John Anderson, Dylan Cozens, Jim Thompson (Hyuben  Guess – Yukon connection) – All played with a teammate whose name was the same with a different spelling….that was a tough one.

This week – Linus Ullmark, Tristen Jarry, Philip Gustavsson, Alex Nedeljkovic  

Streaking – 

W  STL 9, VGK 6, DAL 5

L  BOS 5

Crazy Stat 

DOPeS 

Zary 2 games  – https://www.nhl.com/news/topic/player-safety/connor-zary-of-calgary-flames-suspended-2-games-for-elbowing