Maybe a strong finish is worth something after all.
In the final third of every NHL season, some team previously thought to be completely out of the playoff chase suddenly starts playing .600 hockey, only to inevitably fall just shy of a post-season berth.
Usually it’s Florida. Last year, it was Ottawa. And Florida.
Typically the late-season surge does nothing but create unrealistic expectations for the following year. The Sens, however, are off to a nice start, sitting atop a Northeast Division that’s going to be extremely weak if Boston doesn’t get it together soon.
Pascal Leclaire has done the job in goal, captain Daniel Alfredsson is leading the way with three goals and nine points in seven games and the team is killing 93.1 percent of the penalties it’s assessed, good for the second-best mark in the league.
The Sens still need more production from top center Jason Spezza, but at least the entire team isn’t procrastinating this time around.
The Hockey News ranks the teams 1-30 each Monday based on a combination of last week’s play and a squad’s overall outlook.
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