5 NHL Disappointments with the Most to Prove Down the Stretch

We’re less than one month away from the NHL playoffs, and even though we don’t know exactly how each regular-season storyline will end, we’re pretty sure about most of it now.

We know the Sabres are missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season—the longest active drought in professional sports. We know the Panthers are just as good—if not better—than last season as they look to defend their title. We know the Bruins are entering a new era as they traded captain Brad Marchand at the deadline, and there’s no turning back from something like that.

But is a redemption arc or two still on the table anywhere? As the regular season wanes, there are individual players and full teams with plenty to prove. Which of them has the most to prove down the stretch, and who could pull it off?

Auston Matthews: Time for Leafs Captain to Shine?

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It’s been clear since the Germany trip that Matthews has been fighting a nagging injury, and it was super unfortunate he fell ill during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Still, no one can deny the Maple Leafs captain has taken a step back from his usual consistent production this season. 

He’s scored about half the goals he did by now last season and owns the worst goals-per-game average of his career, but he’s getting hot at the right time with three goals and three assists in the past week. He’s doing it as a leader should: right when the team was starting to falter. He’s been scoring at an increasingly better rate since early February. 

It’s been a great sign that the typically top-heavy, offense-heavy Leafs have had a different, defense-first type of success this season. The Matthews goals still need to come in the playoffs if the Leafs are to make their big run this season.

Imagine he starts looking 100 percent like his usual self with this new defensive prowess from his team behind him? Everyone has something to prove here, and everyone’s in a decent spot to do it.

New York Rangers: What Is Going on with Their Best Young Players?

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Is it fair to say this particular Rangers team as an entity has something big to prove down the stretch? Not really. The colossal moves from up top throughout the season, the weird vibes and the messaging from management didn’t exactly promote a winning environment. 

That said, there are several individual Rangers players who could afford to step it up the rest of the way and end the season on a better note.

Alexis Lafreniere started off strong this season, but he’s only got one goal in March, and he only had one in February. You’re going to need more than one goal per month out of a player like this if your team is to succeed.

Adam Fox is another member of the young core who is having a down season–it seems like things just aren’t clicking as easily as usual. This can be said for most of New York’s best players, honestly, so you’d like to see them start to flex that skill we all know they have before time runs out on the season.

Buffalo Sabres: Will They Show a Pulse?

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At this point, what do we want out of the Sabres’ roster? What can we reasonably expect? I want to see them play like they don’t hate the game of hockey, and I think that’s a fair request. I’d like to see Josh Norris settle in, but it’s a shame he is again down (day-to-day) with an undisclosed injury.

I’d like to see the goaltending situation get clearer in this last month of the regular season, whether that’s instilling even more confidence in Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, checking in on Devon Levi or a secret third thing. Just get closer to figuring it out.

This one’s more on the management than any player, but morale needs to improve all around, so you might as well control what you can control if you have the displeasure of playing for this hockey franchise.

Jeremy Swayman: Can He Salvage His Season?

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It was a super disappointing season for Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman in his first year as a true, full-time starter without Linus Ullmark. Of course, Swayman inked his eight-year, $66 million contract extension with negotiations that bled through training camp, so there was even more pressure for the netminder to step up.

On one hand, you can’t blame him when the Bruins' defensive core had been trending toward being a mess and did not improve in the offseason. On the other hand, it’s going to be a long seven years for both sides if Swayman doesn’t get back on track and provide some confidence and decent vibes for the team headed into next season. 

His sub-.900 save percentage is an anomaly, and we’ve come to expect more from him than his minus-8.0 goals saved above expected, which ranks a scary No. 85 among active goaltenders this season.

Although the Bruins are all but officially out of playoff contention, Swayman turning it around and ending the season strong down the stretch can only make everyone feel a little bit better headed into what looks to be another difficult offseason for the selling Bruins.

The L.A. Kings: Can They Finally Get Over the Edmonton Hump?

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Anze Kopitar

The Kings have been tremendous as the season dwindles and as Drew Doughty has returned from injury. They entered March on a five-game losing streak and turned it around as they now sit above their enemy No. 1: The Oilers.

Is this the year they keep up the momentum, prove the naysayers wrong and defeat Edmonton? It could be, especially considering the Oilers did nothing to improve their goaltending situation at the deadline. If the Kings keep up the pace, they’re on track to get home ice against Edmonton this time around.

Not to mention, the offense has exploded with back-to-back 7-2 wins over the weekend and LA has won four straight. Stuff like that typically doesn’t matter too much in the grand scheme, but for a team with a mediocre reputation and the tendency to go the opposite direction this time of year, it could be an indication of the tides shifting.