NHL Peachy: NHL MORNING SKATE – APRIL 11, 2017
A QUICK REFLECTION
A look back at the 2016-17 regular season in advance of the start of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs . . .
RECORD PLAYOFF TURNOVER SHOWCASES COMPETITIVE BALANCE
Intense competitive balance, a hallmark of recent NHL seasons, again was a notable feature in 2016-17 as seven teams made the Stanley Cup Playoffs after not qualifying in 2015-16 (BOS, CGY, CBJ, EDM, MTL, OTT and TOR).
* The seven-team turnover matched the largest year-to-year change in NHL history, equaling the mark achieved in 2014-15. Overall, there has been playoff turnover of at least five clubs in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
* Five Canadian teams qualified for the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one year after – for only the second time in NHL history – none did.
* Four of the bottom five teams from the 2015-16 regular season qualified for the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Toronto (30th in 2015-16), Edmonton (29th), Columbus (27th) and Calgary (26th).
* The Maple Leafs became the first team since the 2007-08 Flyers to qualify for the postseason the year after finishing last in the overall NHL standings.
* Seven teams posted double-digit gains in points from the 2015-16 regular season, led by the Oilers (+33), Blue Jackets (+32), Maple Leafs (+26), Canadiens (+21) and Wild (+19).
* Of the League’s 16 playoff teams, three made coaching changes midseason (BOS, MTL and STL). In 2015-16, Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan became the sixth head coach in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after taking over midseason.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Of the 1,230 games contested during the 2016-17 regular season:
* 835 (67.9%) were decided by two or fewer goals;
* 517 (42.0%) saw a team overcome a deficit to win, including 106 multi-goal comebacks; and
* 100 (8.1%) featured a tying goal in the final five minutes, including 33 in last 60 seconds.
Overall, teams were tied or within one goal for 74.2% of the 74,715 minutes and 31 seconds of total playing time.
3-ON-3 OVERTIME SUCCESS CONTINUES
The 2016-17 campaign, the second played under the 3-on-3 overtime format, produced single-season NHL records for overtime goals (190) and highest percentage of overtimes with a goal (65.7%, 190 of 289).
Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk scored a League-leading five overtime goals, equaling the single-season NHL record set by Steven Stamkos in 2011-12 and matched by Jonathan Toews in 2015-16.
McDAVID SHINES IN SOPHOMORE SEASON
Playing just his second NHL season, Oilers captain Connor McDavid led the League with 70 assists and 100 points – as well as 30 multi-point performances – to win the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring champion.
* At 20 years, 86 days, McDavid became the third-youngest player in League history to win the Art Ross Trophy, behind only Sidney Crosby (19 years, 244 days in 2006-07) and Wayne Gretzky (20 years, 69 days in 1980-81).
* McDavid became the second Oilers player to capture the Art Ross Trophy and first since Gretzky won seven straight from 1980-81 through 1986-87. He also became the first Oilers player to reach the 100-point milestone since Doug Weight in 1995-96.
* McDavid – who in October became the youngest captain in League history – finished the season on a 14-game point streak (7-18—25), the longest by any NHL player in 2016-17 and longest by any Oilers player since 1987-88.
MORE YOUTH TAKE OVER . . .
Several rookies made a significant impact during the 2016-17 regular season:
* Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, the first overall selection in the 2016 NHL Draft, led all rookies in goals (40) and points (69) while playing in all 82 games. Matthews, who at age 19 became the fourth rookie League history to score 40 goals in a season before his 20th birthday, also established single-season franchise rookie records for goals and points. Matthews made an immediate impact, registering four goals on opening night to become the first player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to score four times in his League debut.
* Two other Maple Leafs rookies, William Nylander (22-39—61) and Mitchell Marner (19-42—61), finished third and fourth, respectively, in rookie scoring. Toronto became the second team in NHL history to have three rookies record at least 60 points. The other: the 1980-81 Nordiques (Peter Stastny: 39-70—109, Anton Stastny: 39-46—85, Dale Hunter: 19-44—63).
* Jets forward Patrik Laine also put together a record-setting campaign, collecting 36-28—64 in 73 games to rank seventh in the League in goals and shatter franchise rookie benchmarks for goals and points in a season. At age 18, Laine became the first player in NHL history to post three hat tricks prior to his 19th birthday as well as the first rookie to notch three hat tricks in one season since 1992-93.
* A total of six rookies – Matthews (40), Laine (36), Carolina’s Sebastian Aho (24), Nylander (22), Toronto’s Connor Brown (20) and Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen (20) – reached the 20-goal mark this season, the most since 2010-11 (7).
* Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected 11-36—47 in 78 games to pace rookie defensemen in all three categories and establish franchise records for assists and points in a season by any rookie.
. . . WHILE JAGR CONTINUES TO CLIMB ALL-TIME LISTS
Playing his 23rd NHL season, Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr (765-1,149—1,914 in 1,711 GP) posted 16-30—46 while appearing in all 82 games to continue his climb up the League’s record book.
* On Dec. 22 vs. BOS, Jagr registered his 1,888th career point to move past Mark Messier (694-1,193—1,887) and into sole possession of second place in NHL history.
* On Jan. 4 vs. WPG, Jagr collected his 1,136th career assist to move past Paul Coffey (1,135) and into sole possession of fifth place in League history.
* On Feb. 15 at SJS, Jagr celebrated his 45th birthday with an assist, joining Wayne Gretzky (894-1,963—2,857) as the only players in NHL history with 1,900 career points.
CLUBS ENJOY HISTORIC COLLECTION OF LENGTHY WIN STREAKS
For the first time in NHL history, four teams posted win streaks of 10 or more games in the same season:
* The Blue Jackets won 16 consecutive games from Nov. 29 – Jan. 3 to establish the second-longest single-season winning streak in NHL history, behind only the Penguins’ 17-game run from March 9 – April 10, 1993. Columbus finished 2016-17 with a 50-24-8 record (108 points), setting franchise marks for wins and points in a season.
* The Wild established a franchise record with 12 consecutive victories from Dec. 4-29, with their streak ending on New Year’s Eve against the Blue Jackets, in what was the 15th victory of Columbus’ historic run. Minnesota finished 2016-17 with a 49-25-8 record (106 points), also establishing club marks for wins and points in a season.
* The Flyers (Nov. 27 – Dec. 14) won 10 consecutive games for the fourth time in franchise history, while the Flames (Feb. 21 – March 13) posted an equal run to match a club record set in 1978-79.
* Additionally, the Capitals registered nine consecutive victories from Dec. 31 – Jan. 15 and 15 straight home wins from Jan. 1 – March 4 (a franchise record) en route to capturing their second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy. Washington posted a 55-19-8 record (118 points) to become the second team in NHL history to collect at least 55 wins in back-to-back seasons, joining Montreal (1975-76, 1976-77 and 1977-78).
* Also, the Ducks closed the regular season on a 14-game point streak (11-0-3) to win their fifth straight Pacific Division title, becoming the seventh team in NHL history to claim five consecutive division titles and first since the Canucks from 2008-09 through 2012-13.
RED WINGS MISS PLAYOFFS IN JOE LOUIS ARENA’S FINAL SEASON
The Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 1989-90, ending a run of 25 consecutive postseason appearances – tied for the third-longest such streak in NHL history:
Most Consecutive Playoff Appearances, NHL History
29 – Boston Bruins (1967-68 through 1995-96)
28 – Chicago Blackhawks (1969-70 through 1996-97)
25 – St. Louis Blues (1979-80 through 2003-04)
25 – Detroit Red Wings (1990-91 through 2015-16)
Longest Active Playoff Streaks, NHL
11 – Pittsburgh Penguins (since 2006-07)
9 – Chicago Blackhawks (since 2008-09)
7 – New York Rangers (since 2010-11)
6 – St. Louis Blues (since 2011-12)
The Red Wings also closed the doors on Joe Louis Arena, their home since 1979-80. Playing in his 1,000th NHL game, captain Henrik Zetterberg posted 1-1—2 to lift Detroit to a 4-1 victory over New Jersey in the building’s finale on April 9.
NHL CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL
The NHL launched its year-long Centennial celebration on Jan. 1 at the 2017 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic in Toronto between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings. Among the highlights thus far:
* The League unveiled the 100 Greatest NHL Players presented by Molson Canadian, selected by a Blue Ribbon Panel comprised of 58 individuals representing more than 1,800 years of experience in the game.
* The NHL also announced that it has commissioned original portraits – painted by renowned Canadian artist Tony Harris – of each member of the 100 Greatest NHL Players, revealed each Monday on NHL.com and League’s social channels.
* The League launched the NHL Centennial Fan Arena, a traveling fan experience that already has made 16 stops, passed through 30 states/provinces and spent 102 days on the road entertaining fans.
* The NHL celebrated the 125th anniversary of the donation of the Stanley Cup, culminating with its designation as a National Historic Event by the government of Canada.
* The League also announced the 2017 Scotiabank NHL100 Classic – between the Senators and Canadiens – at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. The game, which will be contested on Dec. 16, will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the League’s first games played on Dec. 19, 1917.
Visit NHL.com/100 for more information, including daily stories, videos and images.
SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
NY Rangers @ Montreal, Game 1, 7 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVAS
Boston @ Ottawa, Game 1, 7 p.m., NHLN, SN, TVAS2, NESN
Columbus @ Pittsburgh, Game 1, 7:30 p.m., USA, SN360, TVAS3, FS-O, ROOT
St. Louis @ Minnesota, Game 1, 9:30 p.m., NBCSN, SN360, TVAS2, FS-MW, FS-N
San Jose @ Edmonton, Game 1, 10 p.m., USA, SN, TVAS, NBCS CA
The guide features year-by-year scores, all-time standings and team-by-team postseason histories as well as club and individual playoff records.
An updated version of the document, as well as guides for all 16 postseason teams, will be available prior to the start of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
