The narrative has shifted a tad in La Belle Province.
The Montreal Canadiens, leaders of the Atlantic Division all season long, are in a bit of a slump, one that can only be declared as such when considering the overall success of their season to this point.
Over their last three contests, the Habs are 0-2-1, only mustering three goals in losses to the Flyers, Capitals, and Oilers. Montreal's measly totals over the past few games surely aren't sustainable, but dating back to the turn of the calendar, the Canadiens have hit a bit of a wall offensively.
Dates
GP
GF (per game)
League Rank
Oct - Dec 2016
37
112 (3.02)
5th
Jan 1 - present
17
45 (2.64)
13th
To be fair, Montreal has been hit with injuries to key players Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, but its offense has become a two-man show as of late.
As one would expect, Alexander Radulov and Max Pacioretty are leading the way, with 15 and 14 points respectively, in 2017. Trailing the Canadiens' top duo in production is their pivot, Phillip Danault, who's put together a career year and amassed 12 points over his last 17 games.
The aforementioned top line are the only Canadiens forwards to hit double digits in points since 2017 begun.
Player
GP
P
Arturri Lehkonen
17
7
Tomas Plekanec
17
7
Paul Byron
16
6
Sven Andrighetto
14
6
Galchenyuk
8
5
Andrew Shaw
11
4
* Defenseman Shea Weber and Nathan Beaulieu each have 10 points
Montreal is still comfortable atop the Atlantic Division, but their lead has shrunk to eight points, with more games played than the pursuing Senators and Maple Leafs.
Times aren't desperate yet, but Montreal could sure use an offensive resurgence down the stretch.
Now that the scapegoat has been sacrificed, Cam Neely and Don Sweeney should soon realize the Boston Bruins' problems didn't revolve around coaching.
The president and general manager have played their respective parts in crafting a flawed roster, and neither interim head coach Bruce Cassidy nor his eventual full-time replacement are likely to fare much better than Claude Julien, who was unceremoniously fired Tuesday.
Tuukka Rask is locked in at a $7-million cap hit until the end of 2020-21. He's an elite goalie with a Vezina Trophy and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on his resume, but in today's NHL, even the best need a modicum of help to offset the rigors of starting night in and night out.
The failure to find a suitable backup goalie has been a huge failure on the part of management, especially this season. In the 11 games in which a goalie other than Rask has started, the Bruins have a 1-9-1 record, amounting to three of a possible 22 points. Banking a few of those could have saved Julien's job.
The jury is still out on whether Zane McIntyre and Malcolm Subban - who was drafted in the first round in 2012 - are keepers, and the hope is Daniel Vladar can turn into a viable option at the pro level down the road. In the meantime, Anton Khudobin isn't cutting it, and Rask needs help as soon as possible.
Holes on the blue line
The Zdeno Chara era could end as soon as the end of 2017-18, when his contract expires. His play has been declining over the past few years, but he remains the anchor on what would otherwise be a sinking ship.
While Torey Krug is proving to be a key component on the blue line, Sweeney appears to have erred in signing the likes of Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller to extensions. Moving one or both of those players should be a priority.
The next wave of Bruins defensemen looks rather promising, however. Rookie Brandon Carlo is already making a big impact, and Colin Miller is slowly but surely developing into the kind of player they hoped he would be upon acquiring him in the Milan Lucic trade.
The system is chock-full of potential, headlined by a bevy of recent draft picks:
2016: Charlie McAvoy, Ryan Lindgren
2015: Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon
2013: Linus Arnesson
2012: Matt Grzelcyk
2011: Rob O'Gara
On the flip side, Johnny Boychuk and Dougie Hamilton have been traded in recent years, and neither has been sufficiently replaced among the top-two pairings. Further to that, Joe Morrow is the only player on the Bruins roster directly involved in the Tyler Seguin trade with Dallas, and he couldn't crack the lineup under Julien.
Defense has been an issue for some time, and while help is on the way, this current group isn't quite cutting it. That Boston's blue line needs upgrades has been one of the league's worst kept secrets.
Forwards moving backward
Up front, the Bruins have four players set to make big money for at least the next four seasons:
Player
Cap Hit
Expiry
David Krejci
$7.25M
2020-12
Patrice Bergeron
$6.875M
2021-22
Brad Marchand
$6.125M
2022-23
David Backes
$6M
2020-21
On top of that, breakout star David Pastrnak is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and he could easily command a similar contract. Those commitments, along with shorter ones held by Matt Beleskey and Jimmy Hayes, don't leave much room for flexibility.
Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand comprise as formidable a duo as any team would hope to build around, but David Krejci and David Backes are aging assets offering diminishing returns in a time where the NHL is trending younger and faster.
Ideally, that core would be complemented by young players on entry-level contracts (think Ryan Spooner and Frank Vatrano), but due to the fact Sweeney's draft record has become a meme, questions abound whether recent first-round picks like Zach Senyshyn, Jake DeBrusk, and Trent Frederic can even crack the NHL, let alone be major contributors.
The Bruins had the chance to get ahead of the youth/speed curve by building around Seguin behind Begeron and Marchand; Neely's willingness to sign off on then-GM Peter Chiarelli's shortsighted deal with Dallas is a major factor why the Bruins are a playoff bubble team at best, and likely descending into rebuild mode.
Case in point:
Hayes has two goals in 40 games. Morow has one assist in 17.
At the end of the day, all coaches get fired at some point, and the temperature had been turned way up on Julien's seat for some time. That the Bruins have missed the playoffs for the past two seasons and are far from a lock this year is more an issue of roster composition than bad coaching, a fact validated by immediate endorsements for Julien to be a candidate for any and all vacant jobs.
Neely and Sweeney have their work cut out for them, but bad trades, ill-advised signings, and poor drafting may have already done them in.
Few teams in modern NHL history have found as much success on the backs of rookies as the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs.
The club's recent tilt against the New York Islanders made that abundantly clear, as the youthful squad saw five different rookies register a goal for the first time in Leafs history in the overtime loss.
But as the high-flying first-year forwards pile up points, another rookie Leaf is carrying the mail for Toronto's blue line on a nightly basis: Nikita Zaitsev.
The 25-year-old Russian joined the blue and white this season following a seven-year stretch in the KHL. Through 51 games in Toronto, Zaitsev has emerged as a key piece of the Leafs' promising puzzle.
He's seen the most average minutes of any Leafs player up to this point, getting on the ice for 22:26 per game this season. That might not seem like a hefty workload compared to some of the game's elite workhorses, but it's a notably high average for a first-year NHLer.
Not only does Zaitsev's nightly average top all other rookies this season - including blue-line standouts like Columbus' Zach Werenski - it's in fact one of the highest marks in years.
Of all the rookies to suit up in the league over the past decade, only 10 have logged 22 minutes or more per night, as Zaitsev has. And that group features more than a few notable names - among them P.K. Subban, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and John Carlson.
Jumping into the big leagues and seeing that much ice that quickly is no small feat - especially in an Eastern Conference featuring some of the most dynamic offensive talents in the world.
To be fair, Zaitsev had a lengthy KHL career under his belt, but there's no denying his new workload is at an entirely different level amidst the speed and grinding physicality of the NHL.
Not to mention Zaitsev never played more than 57 regular-season games in the Russian league. His 51 for the Leafs have already outlasted all but two of his KHL campaigns.
Even without the rookie comparisons, Zaitsev's been doing work in Toronto, seeing the eighth-most shifts per game among all NHL rearguards - tied with Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake Muzzin.
The first-year defender hasn't been flawless this season, but with 23 points, 208 shot attempts, and 87 blocks - all tops among Leafs defensemen - it's fair to say Toronto's KHL gamble paid off.
Zaitsev, who's signed to a one-year, $925,000 contract - making him the second-lowest earner on the Leafs' blue line - will be a restricted free-agent after 2016-17 concludes.
Don't expect general manager Lou Lamoriello to leave him hanging without a new deal for too long.
Claude Julien used to be the NHL's longest-tenured head coach.
The 56-year-old was relieved of his duties by the Bruins on Tuesday morning, in his 10th season with the club. Julien departs Boston with an impressive 419-246-94 record - a .614 winning percentage - and a Stanley Cup ring won in 2011.
With Boston in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight season, general manager Don Sweeney decided it's time to shake things up. Here's what you need to know about the league's latest coaching change:
The Bruins sent out a release at 8 a.m. ET announcing Julien's firing, with assistant Bruce Cassidy taking over on an interim basis, and through the remainder of the season. Read more.
Julien leaves with the Bruins ranking first in the NHL in puck possession, getting the most out of his roster after difficult - and sometimes curious -decisions that were made following the 2011 Cup win. Based on his resume, put him atop the list of candidates for the expansion opening in Las Vegas. Read more.
If Julien wants to get to work again immediately, he could be an improvement - and an option - for a number of teams should they decide to go the Bruins route. Read more.
Julien was the man in the Bruins' dressing room for a very long time, a lifetime in coach years, and Sweeney believes that was part of the issue. He wants to see how his club responds "to a different voice." Read more.
Sweeney's goal remains the same: the Bruins must make the playoffs. With the club's bye week approaching, the GM said he'll be watching his team's next three games very closely. Read more.
Brad Marchand was straight and to the point: "It's very disappointing and frustrating in (the dressing room) because this is avoidable if we would have done our jobs." Read more.
Mike Babcock weighed in on the move: "Good man. Even better coach. Someone out there is happy today." It's clear the Toronto head coach believes Julien will soon have another gig. Read more.
In the eyes of general manager Don Sweeney, the Boston Bruins are now on the clock.
Fresh off the announcement that the Bruins parted ways with longtime head coach Claude Julien, replacing him temporarily with former assistant Bruce Cassidy, Sweeney addressed the media to lay out his vision for the club moving forward.
"The expectations have not changed for this organization," Sweeney said. "We expect the players to make a push and get into the playoffs ... I want our players to understand this falls with me and on them moving forward, whether or not we get in and how far we go as an organization."
Sweeney, who's in his second season at the helm of the Bruins organization, cited the team's upcoming three-game stretch - the last three before their bye week - as a key period of assessment.
"I would like to see how the team responds in the next three games, and then we certainly have a big break to see how far we'll be back in the playoff race," Sweeney said.
"I'm looking for alignment from top to bottom as to what our expectations are, from the players that have won to the players that are coming in, and I won't to be in consult with the next coach of the Boston Bruins while I am evaluating the current staff - I'll have a list of candidates that will fall in line with what I am trying to do."
The Bruins will suit up against the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Montreal Canadiens in their next three games, the first coming Thursday night. San Jose and Montreal come to town as the leaders of their respective divisions, the latter club having posted a 2-0-1 record against Boston this season.
Sweeney said his club has the tools necessary to earn victories in those three games.
"I think on any given night, we can beat any given team," Sweeney said. "Whether or not we can maintain the consistency to get to where we need to, that's going to unfold in the next 27 (games)."
Sidelined since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on Nov. 11, the 30-year-old has been practicing in hopes of getting back to game shape. While nothing is certain, Bickell is now hopeful about returning to action after the Hurricanes' upcoming bye week.
"I feel good," Bickell said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I obviously don't feel good right now, I just got skated pretty hard, but it's going to help me down the long run. I think we're getting there and getting close to getting back in the rotation. We're shooting for probably after the bye week and then kind of day by day from there."
Bickell has one goal in just seven games this season and admitted he would be open to a conditioning stint in the American Hockey League if given the opportunity.
He also understands that factors beyond his health could impede his return.
"It all depends too on what other guys are doing if they're going on a huge streak," Bickell said. "I like to see them win. If they need me, I'm sure an extra week of me skating is not going to hurt me. We're just going to wait until after the next treatment and after the bye week and go from there."
The Hurricanes play Tuesday night against Washington and Saturday versus the Dallas Stars, and will then enjoy five days off before returning to game action Feb. 17 against the Colorado Avalanche.
Regardless of when Bickell finally returns, there will be quite a crowd in attendance.
"I've gotten a lot of texts and phone calls from family members that want to come down to see that first game when I come back," he said. "Definitely it's going to be special after the ups and downs that we've been through the last handful of months to finally get back to doing what I've done my whole life, to play hockey and to be in this league."
Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand showed remorse when he met with media after practice Tuesday afternoon to discuss the former head coach's dismissal, placing the onus solely on the players.
"It's very disappointing and frustrating in here because this is avoidable if we would have done our jobs," Marchand said.
He also spoke on a personal level, ascribing his own growth into an NHL star to Julien's instruction.
"We have a tremendous amount of respect for him in this room, and we were fortunate to have him as long as we did," Marchand continued. "I learned a ton from him. I can easily say that I wouldn't be the same player if he wasn't my coach for the last number of years."
Julien is the only NHL head coach Marchand has played for. And though he's scored at least 20 goals in each of his full seasons, Marchand's evolved into one of the game's best two-way wingers in recent years, establishing a career high with 37 goals last season and earning his first All-Star nod last month.
The injury was suffered in the second period of Philadelphia's 2-0 loss when Konecny took an awkward spill into the end boards.
Konecny has put forth a respectable first season in the NHL, posting seven goals and 22 points in 51 games, good for fifth in team scoring and tied for 13th among all first-year players.
Despite what the underlying data might reveal, Boston Bruins management was convinced the team's performance and results had plateaued under longtime head coach Claude Julien.
So, it was time for a change in directive.
Enter former assistant Bruce Cassidy, who will provide instruction for what's left of the season. Meanwhile, the brass intends to evaluate the roster - and Cassidy - at a deeper level.
"(It's) an opportunity for a new set of eyes to come in, (a) new voice for our players to start to hear - and hopefully their ears perked up," general manager Don Sweeney said Tuesday.
He added: "That's part of the process - seeing how players will respond to a different voice."
When asked about the impetus behind the decision to dismiss Julien, Sweeney didn't differentiate between immediate results and the long-term well-being of his club. He acknowledged there are holes on the roster, but believes the current iteration is capable of making the playoffs.
Beginning his time with the media by extending admiration toward Julien, Cassidy mentioned he wants to employ a faster pace, which will be a focus at his practices.
Carried out on the morning of the New England Patriots' Super Bowl parade through Boston, the timing of Julien's dismissal proved to be a contentious point. The general manager maintained it wasn't intentional, and that it was the most appropriate moment based on the Bruins' schedule.
"I felt there was an opportunity today and tomorrow to get (the players') feet on the ground from a practice standpoint," Sweeney said.
