Aarif Deen
Cale Makar will likely miss his first game of the season this evening as the Avalanche near a Central Division title. Sidney Crosby playing in the postseason again is becoming more of a reality, while the Red Wings continue to crumble in big games. Also, we have another goalie fight!
All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — April 1.
Colorado Hockey Now
The Cale Makar news sounds like it’s not as bad as it could’ve been. TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun tweeted on Tuesday that Makar is going to miss some games, but his absence is not playoff-threatening. And right now, having Makar fresh for the postseason is all that matters.
Colorado is getting close to being in position to clinch the No. 1 seed. In fact, if they defeat the Vancouver Canucks tonight, then a regulation win against the Dallas Stars on Saturday will officially clinch the top spot in the Central Division. At that point, you have to consider resting more than just Makar.
In the meantime, expect to see more of Nick Blankenburg, which I’m excited for. He wasn’t in a great situation as the No. 7 defenseman in his first look with the team.
Around The NHL
Boston Hockey Now: Victor Arvidsson’s hat trick helped defeat the Dallas Stars in regulation.
New Jersey Hockey Now: I’m totally here for the revival of the goalie fight. Igor Shesterkin and Jacob Markstrom dropped the gloves in a Metropolitan rivalry matchup on Tuesday.
Montreal Hockey Now: Cole Caufield is only two goals back of Nathan MacKinnon for the Rocket Richard trophy.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The playoff reality is getting closer and closer for the Penguins. It sure would be great to see Sidney Crosby get back to the postseason.
Detroit Hockey Now: The Penguins’ victory came at the hands of an embarrassing performance by the Red Wings. Once again, the Wings crumbled when the games started to matter most. This has been a common theme in recent years. The Wings were 10 points into a playoff spot in late January. Now they’re struggling to catch the second wildcard spot.
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs will have a new front office and a new direction soon. But don’t expect that to include a full rebuild.